CT Scan = $12,190.16?

[RWebb]

here, they go to India at night; stay local during the day

do you practice in Calif.?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by jyl

Either we make the healthcare industry (including healthcare consumers) more efficient, so that more people can have healthcare coverage that is good and affordable. Or we simply deny good healthcare coverage to more people - private employers will drop healthcare benefits or make them unaffordable, putting more people into indigent care (Medicare) or wholly un-insured. Which is what has been happening since 1980. One way or the other, healthcare spending as a percent of GDP will eventually stop rising.

+1 How refreshing. Someone who understands!

[Danny_Ocean]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Danny let me just say that you must not be on many meds if you are getting them all for 4bucks. And it will be a long time before the Pharmacist is replaced. They are already replacing the techs with robots. But the front line with the patient needs to be able to show compassion and understanding. Something a robot can not.

Compassion and understanding? From a pharmacist? The only thing a pharmacist is good for here is getting beaten/robbed for hillbilly heroin (oxycodone).

Here's a transcript of my last visit to a local pharmacy...

Pharmacist (behind a thick plastic (bullet-proof?) window)in broken English: Number 48? 48!
Me: I'm #48.
Pharmacist: That will be $4, please (as he slides the prescription out the pass-thru slot).
Me: Thanks. Should I take this on a full stomach or what?
Pharmacist: 49? Number 49!

[Tobra]

Dan, you are going to the wrong pharmacy.

A good pharmacist is of immense value, particularly if you have a question or complex medication profile.

Originally Posted by nostatic

yeah, because it it going to Manila or Bangalore...

You are incorrect Todd, unless those folks are licensed to practice in this country. The transcription may be done over there, but that is probably it.

[porsche4life]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Dan, you are going to the wrong pharmacy.

A good pharmacist is of immense value, particularly if you have a question or complex medication profile.

This +1million!

I work in a small pharmacy. My boss/the owner worked for Walmart and was one of these robots you described. He quit for that reason. All that mattered was the numbers. We were swamped today and we still made a point to make sure every customer was satisfied and knew what they wanted to know about their medicines. Its always that way. The pharmacist(the only on staff) will leave people on hold to speak with customers. Customers in the store are priority numero uno! The pharmacists private cell phone number is posted on the door for emergencies, and he will get out in the middle of the night and fill a scrip in the case of an emergency.

My advice danny? Pay a little bit more and get real service. Thats what you are paying for. The chain stores can sell that stuff cheap b/c they only pay attention to the bottom line. We charge a little more and focus on the customer. There is no bullet proof glass where I work. We often come out from behind the counter to help a customer with OTC. Oh ya does Walgreens deliver daily?


Need I say more?

[drew1]

I thank eberybody for their posts & opions. This hospital doesn't negoiate with anybody, but if they refuse to even talk this over with me, & try to ruin my credit, I think I'll let a jury straighten it out.


drew

[Tobra]

You can also sic the state or feds on them. They are expected to operate in good faith, and if they are telling everyone to pound sand, rather than trying to work with the ones trying to work out a reasonable solution, it can create a lot of interest from the powers that be

Originally Posted by porsche4life

...snip
My advice danny? Pay a little bit more and get real service. Thats what you are paying for. The chain stores can sell that stuff cheap b/c they only pay attention to the bottom line. We charge a little more and focus on the customer. There is no bullet proof glass where I work. We often come out from behind the counter to help a customer with OTC. Oh ya does Walgreens deliver daily?


Need I say more?

At some point in your life, you hear somebody say, "You get what you pay for." Aphorisms such as this do not come about by accident.

I would rather pay $50 at Steve's pharmacy that he took over when his Dad retired than $4 at Walmart, every GD day. I can't remeber the last time I got a prescription for something though, sorry Steve.

I still send people to either him or Tim every day, so it works out okay.

[Danny_Ocean]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

My advice danny? Pay a little bit more and get real service. Thats what you are paying for. There is no bullet proof glass where I work. Oh ya does Walgreens deliver daily?

Nah. I'd rather pay $4 than make the Lexus payments for some pharmacist.

No bullet-proof glass? There are no crack-heads where you live?!?

Deliver? I can see a Walgreens, a Walmart and a CVS from my back yard.