Denton County Living Well Magazine July/August 2019 | Page 20

CHOOSE YOUR PHARMACY.
CHOOSE YOUR HEALTH.
A
By Brandon Allen, PharmD
confused customer comes into my pharmacy
with a letter in hand.
This customer had been a loyal customer of Al-
len Pharmacy for many years and recently re-
ceived a letter from her insurance company telling her that
the pharmacy that had served her through a heart attack,
her husband’s death, and many other trying times in her life
was no longer an acceptable option. She was confused,
hurt and a little angry.
I took the letter from her and gave it a read myself. Who-
ever had written the letter was well-versed in the English
language and the art of influence because each word was
chosen carefully to convey a singular message: “You need
to use XYZ Pharmacy.”
This is not a new tactic to me.
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DENTON COUNTY Living Well Magazine | JULY/AUGUST 2019
Unfortunately, I see it all the time.
The insurance companies send phone calls and letters
strongly encouraging their customers to go to a phar-
macy that, conveniently, the insurance company owns.
This keeps money in insurance companies’ pockets and
usually means the customer receives sub-par service
and care.
So, the question becomes, can your insurance make you go
to a certain pharmacy?
The short answer is a resounding “NO!” Your insurance
cannot make you go to a certain pharmacy. They may
provide incentive for you to go there by offering slightly
lower copay, but typically there is a minimal difference
between the copay at the pharmacy your insurance com-
pany wants you to go to and Allen Pharmacy or any
other pharmacy.