BEWARE of sneaky underhanded chemist fees..

misty76 · 31-01-2009 2:13am #1

I couldn't believe it today, i was at the doctor and got a perscription and went to the chemist, handed in the script.. the girl walked over and picked up a medicated powder of the shelf and went to get another item on the script off the pharmasist.. i went over to have a look at the powder and seen it was 3.50 for it.. My perscription was ready and the total came to 23 euro, i couldnt believe it, so looked at the receipt, they had charged me 6 euro extra on the medicated powder.. fair enough the other cream could only be got on perscription but to charge me 9.50 for the powder when all the girl did was pick it up off the shelf, i could of bought it for 3.50 over the counter.. I said no way was i paying this and that i felt it was very under handed of them to cheat the public like this, the girl was quite snooty and the pharmasist said nothing but dagger eyes, lol.. Its such a rip of, so i got my 9.50 back and just paid 3.50.. An eye opener and everyone should check their script to see if any can be bought over the counter before paying such a sneaky fee..

TestTransmission · 31-01-2009 2:15am

cream and powder,LOL

Ostrom · 31-01-2009 2:18am

Got stung today for Difene gel on prescription

And didn't know the generic was over 50% less

thermo66 · 31-01-2009 2:36am

misty76 wrote: »

I couldn't believe it today, i was at the doctor and got a perscription and went to the chemist, handed in the script.. the girl walked over and picked up a medicated powder of the shelf and went to get another item on the script off the pharmasist.. i went over to have a look at the powder and seen it was 3.50 for it.. My perscription was ready and the total came to 23 euro, i couldnt believe it, so looked at the receipt, they had charged me 6 euro extra on the medicated powder.. fair enough the other cream could only be got on perscription but to charge me 9.50 for the powder when all the girl did was pick it up off the shelf, i could of bought it for 3.50 over the counter.. I said no way was i paying this and that i felt it was very under handed of them to cheat the public like this, the girl was quite snooty and the pharmasist said nothing but dagger eyes, lol.. Its such a rip of, so i got my 9.50 back and just paid 3.50.. An eye opener and everyone should check their script to see if any can be bought over the counter before paying such a sneaky fee..

huh? Sorry i don't get it , the old brain is half asleep or something... what exactly was she charging you extra for ?

Biggins · 31-01-2009 2:45am

Same thing as other makers of headache pills really. Over the counter pills that contain paracetamol.
Won't mention the drug company names but they are charging twice or more the price for exactly the same thing.
What is worst, people pay it.

misty76 · 31-01-2009 3:07pm

thermo66 wrote: »

huh? Sorry i don't get it , the old brain is half asleep or something... what exactly was she charging you extra for ?

Its called a dispensing fee, they charged 6 euro extra on that paticular item just because it was written on the perscription, my point being if i had of looked at the perscription and known i could buy the medicated powder i could of told the chemist i didnt want it and just buy it myself, i just wasnt thinking and couldnt believe such a cute fee would be added..

thermo66 · 31-01-2009 3:12pm

misty76 wrote: »

Its called a dispensing fee, they charged 6 euro extra on that paticular item just because it was written on the perscription, my point being if i had of looked at the perscription and known i could buy the medicated powder i could of told the chemist i didnt want it and just buy it myself, i just wasnt thinking and couldnt believe such a cute fee would be added..

oh ok i get you now. Thats pretty ridiculous for sure. Good on you for standing your ground though, i'd probably just pay it to avoid embarrassment.

Fighting Irish · 31-01-2009 3:19pm

fair play for not buying it at that price. most boardsies would have paid the price then came on here screaming 'Rip Off Ireland'

ziggy · 31-01-2009 3:22pm

This post has been deleted.

Saruman · 31-01-2009 3:27pm

Dispensing fee? never come across that in my life.... name and shame

Wishbone Ash · 31-01-2009 3:29pm

The doctor should not have put the 'over the counter' item on the prescription in the first place.

Saruman wrote: »

Dispensing fee? never come across that in my life

Are you serious? They are entitled to charge a dispensing fee on each item prescibed.

Piste · 31-01-2009 3:33pm

Your doctor should have just told you to buy the non-prescription item and put the prescription item on your script.

Saruman · 31-01-2009 3:36pm

I am serious. I have never noticed it, then again there might be a simple reason. Any time i have needed a prescription in the last 5 years or more, i have paid the full ammount but the actual cost would have been hundreds of euro more than i had to pay on the drug payment scheme.

rubadub · 31-01-2009 3:58pm

Christ, that is like giving a kid a note saying "the irish times" on it when they are off buying sweets in the newsagent, and getting a €6 dispensing fee for reading the note from the newsagent.

Pricks!

Piste wrote: »

Your doctor should have just told you to buy the non-prescription item and put the prescription item on your script.

Could be his wife or mate who owns the pharmacy, many pharmacies open near local GP offices.

Red Hand · 31-01-2009 4:01pm

Biggins wrote: »

Same thing as other makers of headache pills really. Over the counter pills that contain paracetamol.
Won't mention the drug company names but they are charging twice or more the price for exactly the same thing.
What is worst, people pay it.

Mmmm...that's why I self medicate my headaches with copious quantities of alcohol.

phasers · 31-01-2009 4:02pm

Jaysus, I've never noticed that before. Though that might be because I have a good doctor that tells me to buy over the counter stuff and only prescribes stuff when he really has to.

Also, powder and cream? What have you been up to?

Ciaran500 · 31-01-2009 4:09pm

efla wrote: »

And didn't know the generic was over 50% less

Always ask for generic or even just the prices of other brands. Got a perscription for tablets and there is a €20 price difference between the prescribed brand from Wyeth and generic with all the other brands available scattered somewhere in between.

IvySlayer · 31-01-2009 4:26pm

What do you do with a dead chemist?

Barium.

/grabs coat

smares · 31-01-2009 4:36pm

Every chemist has a dispencing fee they vary but once you hand in a prescription the fee is added on. If the item is over the counter depends on the pharmacist he should sell it at the over the counter price but he can give it on the presription which can be marked up to 33% more.
The generic is alaways cheaper but not always worth it can be all sorts of stuff in them.
Worth checking if it's over the counter!!

Ciaran500 · 31-01-2009 4:54pm

smares wrote: »

The generic is alaways cheaper but not always worth it can be all sorts of stuff in them.

What? Explain.

sceptre · 31-01-2009 5:31pm

misty76 wrote: »

Its called a dispensing fee, they charged 6 euro extra on that paticular item just because it was written on the perscription, my point being if i had of looked at the perscription and known i could buy the medicated powder i could of told the chemist i didnt want it and just buy it myself, i just wasnt thinking and couldnt believe such a cute fee would be added..

Indeed. I'm not used to picking up anything on a prescription, just before Christmas I did for the first time in years. The pharmacist I went to explained that only one item from the list of three was prescription-only so he could give me the other two off the shelf. Hence I assume of the three items, there was a dispensing charge only for one.

Incidentally, for those in Limerick who think this is good practice (it certainly seems nice and fair for the consumer so kudos to the pharmacist) and should be encouraged, it was the little place on Cecil street.

faceman · 31-01-2009 5:32pm

GO to a witchdoctor, no dispenser fees

madmik · 31-01-2009 6:02pm

smares wrote: »

Every chemist has a dispencing fee they vary but once you hand in a prescription the fee is added on. If the item is over the counter depends on the pharmacist he should sell it at the over the counter price but he can give it on the presription which can be marked up to 33% more.
The generic is alaways cheaper but not always worth it can be all sorts of stuff in them.
Worth checking if it's over the counter!!

no generic drugs contain same active ingredient as brand name
just without paying for the patent +R and D and the famous advertising of the brand name

now that u mention it ,i was once given a perscription for iron tablets which are available over the counter

the pharmacist looked surprised when i gave her the script and gave it back to me

bleg · 31-01-2009 7:54pm

smares wrote: »

The generic is alaways cheaper but not always worth it can be all sorts of stuff in them.

absolute bollox. generic products have to be produced in the same way as the brand name and are subject to the same strict criteria

ScumLord · 31-01-2009 7:59pm

That's drug dealers for ya.

allthedoyles · 31-01-2009 8:01pm

Our doctor has often given us a prescription for items that are available over the counter . So this must be a nationwide problem.

As was said above , the Doctor is at fault .........He should know the difference between prescription and over the counter medicine

javaboy · 31-01-2009 8:06pm

Is it maybe just good practice on the doctor's part to put them all down on the one prescription pad so that the pharmacist can be a second line of defence against someone being prescribed conflicting medicines? Like if the prescription medicine clashes with paracetamol but he forgets, maybe the chemist will see the two together and know that something's not right. Instead of someone buying the prescription medicine in the chemist and buying the paracetamol in Tesco.

31-01-2009 8:18pm

the pharmacy I go to never charges a dispensing fee for OTC products, but I have heard about that before. It's blood mad money, they charge you for printing the little sticker with your name on it and sticking it on the box!

Kristopherus · 31-01-2009 8:22pm

bleg wrote: »

absolute bollox. generic products have to be produced in the same way as the brand name and are subject to the same strict criteria

Absolutely correct.

McConkey · 31-01-2009 8:28pm

All pharmacys have a dispensing fee, however the one I work in does not charge the fee on any over the counter medications regardless of the fact that they are written on a doctors prescription. We would label it up with the doctors instructions if the patient wishes though if the instructions are the same as what is recommended on the medicine often we would just advise the customer that the medication is available otc. Whether labelled or not we would not charge the fee (its not complicated, a single keystroke removes the fee). It's disappointing to know that other pharmacys do this as it seems a little sneaky though I suppose it is their perogative). Maybe your reaction will give them something to think about!

If the medicine is otc and is prescribed for somebody that it is not licensed for (say a medicine not recommended for under 2 except on doctors advice) then it will be labelled anyway to cover the pharmacy should anything go wrong.

If anything my boss would be mortified to rip someone off like that as it would give the shop a bad name. E6 is a massive dispensing fee too, ours is nowhere near that but then its in a city where there is a lot of competition for business. OP is that chemist in a village/town or somewhere they have a bit of a monopoly?

Generics have to be made in to the same standard as the branded drugs before they will be licensed for sale. As mentioned these companies do not pay for the R&D and advertising so can be cheaper...often they will be a similar price though, with only cents in the difference.

31-01-2009 8:37pm

slightly off thread but hey!

how come I can go up north and go to sainsburys or superdrug or semichem and buy paracetamol or ibuprofen for 16p? there is no equivalent down here that cheap grrrr :mad:

byhookorbycrook · 31-01-2009 9:04pm

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The doctor should not have put the 'over the counter' item on the prescription in the first place.

My doc does this all the time, helps me claim it back on tax .

worded · 31-01-2009 9:06pm

Huge profits in Chemists.

Norn Iron is really cheap I hear.

31-01-2009 9:09pm

yeh actually I suppose sometimes its a good thing if the otc product is on your prescription cos if you spend over the 90 quid a month then it's free!!! my mum gets ponston, valium and paracetemol on prescription every month just cos it's free cos she has to pay for all my dads heart meds and her diabetes stuff.

allthedoyles · 31-01-2009 9:11pm

Deleted User wrote: »

slightly off thread but hey!

how come I can go up north and go to sainsburys or superdrug or semichem and buy paracetamol or ibuprofen for 16p?

28 Aspirin which is a prescription drug here and cost € 6 , can be bought over the counter in Enniskillen for 98p

worded · 31-01-2009 9:11pm

efla wrote: »

Got stung today for Difene gel on prescription

And didn't know the generic was over 50% less

generic Difene. Good to know.

Epsom salts in a bath is good for pain as well.

31-01-2009 9:12pm

allthedoyles wrote: »

28 Aspirin which is a prescription drug here and cost € 6 , can be bought over the counter in Enniskillen for 98p

24p in boots in the quays shopping centre in newry - it's disgusting.

Ice_Box · 31-01-2009 9:25pm

If you use a medical card the pharmacist will add on a huge despensing fee. Last year they made €360,000,000 from the taxpayer for what they call "Fees and markup" .

And we paid them over a billion euro for the drugs themselves.

The HSE saw some sense this year and reduced the fees slightly.

http://www.hse.ie/eng/PCRS/PCRS_Publications/2007_Report.pdf

Alicat · 31-01-2009 10:07pm

misty76 wrote: »

I couldn't believe it today, i was at the doctor and got a perscription and went to the chemist, handed in the script.. the girl walked over and picked up a medicated powder of the shelf and went to get another item on the script off the pharmasist.. i went over to have a look at the powder and seen it was 3.50 for it.. My perscription was ready and the total came to 23 euro, i couldnt believe it, so looked at the receipt, they had charged me 6 euro extra on the medicated powder.. fair enough the other cream could only be got on perscription but to charge me 9.50 for the powder when all the girl did was pick it up off the shelf, i could of bought it for 3.50 over the counter.. I said no way was i paying this and that i felt it was very under handed of them to cheat the public like this, the girl was quite snooty and the pharmasist said nothing but dagger eyes, lol.. Its such a rip of, so i got my 9.50 back and just paid 3.50.. An eye opener and everyone should check their script to see if any can be bought over the counter before paying such a sneaky fee..

That was a bad move by the Pharmacist, but a few can be that stingy. I work in a pharmacy and we never charge the fee on OTC stuff, UNLESS they have a medical card (that's a given) or if the customer is involved in the Drugs Payment Scheme.

efla wrote: »

Got stung today for Difene gel on prescription

And didn't know the generic was over 50% less

Technically if "Difene" was written on the prescription that's what the pharmacist would dispense, unless they did not have that particular brand in stock and had to turn to a generic. If you doctor wrote the drug name (Diclofenac) then the pharmacist would normally dispense whatever generic they had. Partly your doctor's fault, if you want a generic ask the doctor to write it down.

Saruman wrote: »

Dispensing fee? never come across that in my life.... name and shame

It's common practice, if you want names just go open the Golden Pages :rolleyes:

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

The doctor should not have put the 'over the counter' item on the prescription in the first place.

Not true actually. As another poster said, it informs the pharmacist of any and all drugs the doctor has prescribed, which could be very important in case the doctor has prescribed conflicting drugs.

Also, if the customer is involved in the Drugs Payments scheme, where they pay only up to the €100 limit, and the doctor tells them to take a certain OTC product but doesn't put it on the prescription then the customer is unable to put it on their DPS and must pay seperately. If they want it included in their scheme the doctor MUST write it on the prescription ( it's part of the law now)

allthedoyles wrote: »

28 Aspirin which is a prescription drug here and cost € 6 , can be bought over the counter in Enniskillen for 98p

Blame the law, not the pharmacist :rolleyes:

Ice_Box wrote: »

If you use a medical card the pharmacist will add on a huge despensing fee. Last year they made €360,000,000 from the taxpayer for what they call "Fees and markup" .

And we paid them over a billion euro for the drugs themselves.

Mark-up is standard when selling anything, otherwise no one would earn a profit and all businesses would close down.

Fees are also standard on the medical card. The pharmacist dispenses the item with no payment from the customer and is relying on the HSE to reimburse the money. You pay a fee for the service, like you would do with many other services.

pickarooney · 31-01-2009 10:31pm

Strange, in France when the doctor puts an item on the script you don't have to pay for it*, whereas if it's over the counter you do.

*Assuming you get the generic brand and it has right colour sticker on it.

robinph · 31-01-2009 11:37pm

Anytime there is a cheaper generic available they pharmacist has always offered me that one instead. But sometimes they have had bigger boxes of something available on prescription rather than over the counter so I'd take that one instead depending on the difference.

Deleted User wrote: »

... and her diabetes stuff.

She should be getting those for free anyway.

McConkey · 31-01-2009 11:47pm

+1 Alicat, you've explained it more eloquently than me

Ask your doc if you want generics, if they write brand we give brand.

The fee paid on items dispensed on the medical card is set by the HSE not by the pharmacists!

misty76 · 01-02-2009 3:36am

Glad the post is making people aware and also cheers to all for the insight and stories others have into it all, i can see its a fair point that anyone on schemes benefit from the charge as they get the money back. But on that paticular day i had just handed over 45 euro for 2 minutes with the doctor and then the charge on top peeved me, its a cream for dermatitis and the medicated powder is for a broken rash on my foot for you who wanted to know not anything sexual which a few posters alluded to. I dont see why someone posted "cream and powder, lol" Dont get the joke sorry..

yes the chemist was part of a medical centre and is in a medium sized town in the south east, i wouldnt normally go to that paticular chemist was just handy on the day..

I wouldnt be embarrased at all to ask for a refund and question what im paying for, its the pharmasist should be, cant believe people would be afraid to say anything especially the way things are now, but i'd say most people dont realise, only i seen her pick it up off the shelf and i was just having a look while i waited i would of been none the wiser.

My mum has a medical card and its gas if the doctor wrote a script for her and there was something on it which wasnt covered by the card the chemist would say it to her and offer to sell it to her at the over the counter price not with a fee.. Hope ye understand what i'm trying to say its hard to put into words.. But basically the chemist cant get away with charging for an item which is not covered by the medical card and i guess these items are all over the counter items, so why do we get charged it should only be on any item which a perscription is required for and i have no problem to pay that..

From now on i will just inquire can any of the items be got over the counter and if so i will get them that way not off the script.. I think the pharmasist was really peed off with me, but its good to let them know couldnt be bothered standing for that crap..:D

K-9 · 01-02-2009 3:42am

allthedoyles wrote: »

28 Aspirin which is a prescription drug here and cost € 6 , can be bought over the counter in Enniskillen for 98p

Ah, the woman who overdosed on aspirin will be glad to know that.

But, yep, get your point.

Victor · 01-02-2009 9:18am

madmik wrote: »

no generic drugs contain same active ingredient as brand name
just without paying for the patent +R and D and the famous advertising of the brand name

Grammar is immensely useful. I think you meant to say "no, generic drugs contain same active ingredient as brand name" which is exactly the opposite of what you did say.

lisajane · 01-02-2009 9:33am

I got a prescription a few months ago. And the doctor warned me about the price. She looked it up in the book and told me it would be around 28euro. With chemists and their costs, i was only really expecting to pay an extra few euro, maybe 35 euro. But i was charged 52 euro. Crazy. I got a prescription for the same thing again a few weeks later, i was charged 48. How do they calculate their prices? What is it, 52 or 48. I certainly was ripped off.

Saruman · 01-02-2009 10:42am

K-9 wrote: »

Ah, the woman who overdosed on aspirin will be glad to know that.

I dont get this restriction on pain killers crap just because someone might be stupid enough to end their own life with an overdose.

There are many other ways a determined person can use for suicide.

Hell i could overdose on water and die, oh wait... the government wants to restrict that too...

Alicat · 01-02-2009 2:41pm

misty76 wrote: »

My mum has a medical card and its gas if the doctor wrote a script for her and there was something on it which wasnt covered by the card the chemist would say it to her and offer to sell it to her at the over the counter price not with a fee.. Hope ye understand what i'm trying to say its hard to put into words.. But basically the chemist cant get away with charging for an item which is not covered by the medical card and i guess these items are all over the counter items, so why do we get charged it should only be on any item which a perscription is required for and i have no problem to pay that..

Actually there are some items which are not covered by the medical card but are only available on prescription. There's not many of those items, but it does happen. Again it's all down to the HSE and what they decide they want to allow on the medical card.

lisajane wrote: »

I got a prescription a few months ago. And the doctor warned me about the price. She looked it up in the book and told me it would be around 28euro. With chemists and their costs, i was only really expecting to pay an extra few euro, maybe 35 euro. But i was charged 52 euro. Crazy. I got a prescription for the same thing again a few weeks later, i was charged 48. How do they calculate their prices? What is it, 52 or 48. I certainly was ripped off.

Sometimes prices do actually go down.

Sometimes pharmacies get their product from a different company (it may look the same but you'll notice some very small changes in the packaging and perhaps a sticker indicating the different country it was made in) but they can come in at a few euro cheaper. It might sound confusing to anyone not involved in pharmacy but it it does happen a lot.

Saruman wrote: »

I dont get this restriction on pain killers crap just because someone might be stupid enough to end their own life with an overdose.

There are many other ways a determined person can use for suicide.

So you want to give them yet another option? Don't assume to know exactly what goes on in other people's heads.

Over-dosing on painkillers is a very real and serious danger and many do not realise it. Even if over-dosing on paracetemol doesn't kill you immediately it can cause very serious liver damage. Did you know you can overdose on something as simple as Lemsip?

All pharmacy staff involved in selling medicines are trained to monitor what people buy and ensure they are not combining products which could be fatal.

BEWARE of sneaky underhanded chemist fees..

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