Vimpat Yourself on the Back

Mailorder Mom comes by to pick up her medication. It's called Vimpat. It's dang expensive. But her co-pay is only $30. That's not unreasonable for a branded medication.

Even so, I know this lady. So when I filled it a few days previously, I didn't open the bottles. We can't return medication to the supplier once the bottle has been opened. I don't make the rules. I live by them.

Tim the Tech is with me today and he tells MM it will be $30. "Do you want the medication?" he asked, seeing that the prescription hadn't been put in an amber bottle for the patient.

"It's cheaper for me to get this here," she says. I called them.

"Are you sure?" Tim the Tech asks, because most people pay LESS when they get their medication by mail order.

"No, I checked. I want it."

I hear the entire conversation.

I step up to the counter. "Are you sure? Once I open these bottles we can't return them."

"I want it."

Tim hands me the unopened bottles, which I open and put into a labeled amber container.

Mailorder Mom pays and leaves.

Five minutes later she rolls her grocery cart back up to the window.

"Can I get a refund?" she asks.

I'm startled.

"Why?" is all I can spit out.

"It is cheaper by mail order. I was wrong. I just called them."

I'm floored. What a complete goofball.

I give her the refund, then I tell her to just keep the medication. It can't be returned. Store policy is that we give refunds when asked. Federal law is that once a medication leaves the pharmacy, it can't be returned. The only way to come out even on this deal is to keep the claim with her insurance and lose the co-pay. The alternative is destroying $1,750 worth of medication, all because Goofball got it mixed up.