Hi. If I have a prescription from my doctor for a medication that need to be refilled every month (the prescription is good for at least a year), when can I get go back to the pharmacy for a refill (and ensure that I get reimbursed by Carte Vitale) and do I have to go back to the same pharmacy each time or can I go to a different pharmacy? For example, say I go to pharmacy ZZZ for the first time on day 1 to get a medication for the first time......to make sure I don't run out, can I get the refill on day 20 and have it reimbursed properly?.....and instead of going back to the original pharmacy ZZZ, can I go to pharmacy YYY for the refill (of course showing them the original prescription but which has prints showing that it was first filled by pharmacy ZZZ). I ask because in the US, you can only get the refill done after a certain date and not before in order to prevent patients from "hoarding" medicines...so does the French healthcare system/Carte Vitale have similar checks in place to make sure patients don't abuse the system - eg go back for refill on say day 10...or even day 2! ). Thank you!!
DC12345
In our experience with a 3-month and a 6-month prescription we have successfully gone to pharmacy ZZZ for the first time and then to YYY for the refill(s) without a question. Each time the pharmacy has charged us only the net amount for the medication; that is, they have already reduced the charge by the amount that would be reimbursed via the Carte Vitale. For refills we've usually gone when we have 1 week of medication remaining; however, if we will be out of town during that last week it's not been a problem to obtain the refill earlier.
it will go smooth at any pharmacy ...
the point to take care of is the prescription, docotrs tend to write : AR or A renouveller X times .... this would be good for as long as 6 months ... after that my experience is that you are asked for a new one .... the local pharmacy that you usually deal with might be more lenient towards this but if it is a new one they might ask for a renewal ...
the point to take care of is the prescription, docotrs tend to write : AR or A renouveller X times .... this would be good for as long as 6 months ... after that my experience is that you are asked for a new one .... the local pharmacy that you usually deal with might be more lenient towards this but if it is a new one they might ask for a renewal ...
I have occasionally had to pay out of pocket when I needed to renew sooner than the, in my case, 3 month period (when I needed more sooner because I was traveling ). However, since we aren’t in the US the medication cost to me was very little, even paying in full without scanning my carte vitale (5€ for a month I believe). I have a sense that if I had pushed it I could have gotten them for the normal rx price. It is hard to unlearn the abuse response we are accustomed to in the US, but I promise you’ll never be refused your medication nor charged more than a nominal fee in a civilized country.
In my experience, you can only get prescriptions for 3 or 6 months from your doctor - I've never heard of a one year prescription. You have to see your doctor for a repeat prescription.
If it's a long-standing prescription, the pharmacy (any pharmacy) will usually give you a three-month supply of your medication. You go back for the next supply one or two weeks before the 3-month period is up. You aren't allowed to "hoard" in France either.
Another thing to know: if, for example, you can't get an appointment to see your doctor to renew your prescription and you are at risk of running out of tablets, your local pharmacy will make sure that you have enough to tide you over. But be careful: a pharmacy that doesn't know you might not do this, so it's always useful to get to know your local pharmacien(ne), they can be very helpful.
If it's a long-standing prescription, the pharmacy (any pharmacy) will usually give you a three-month supply of your medication. You go back for the next supply one or two weeks before the 3-month period is up. You aren't allowed to "hoard" in France either.
Another thing to know: if, for example, you can't get an appointment to see your doctor to renew your prescription and you are at risk of running out of tablets, your local pharmacy will make sure that you have enough to tide you over. But be careful: a pharmacy that doesn't know you might not do this, so it's always useful to get to know your local pharmacien(ne), they can be very helpful.
Normally any prescription is written for a defined period of time - if less than a month, you get the whole quantity the first time you go in. For a recurring prescription, these tend to be written for either 3 months or 6 months, in the form "take 1 pill a day, for 6 months" or "for 4 months" or most usually "for 3 months."
Pharmacies are only allowed to hand out 1 month worth of medication at a time - unless the particular med comes in a 3 month package (which some common meds - like for blood pressure - do).
Now, the prescription (the paper form) itself is valid for one year from its date (usually the date it was written) - but during that time, still only for the period of time indicated for the individual items prescribed.
The pharmacy is supposed to check the stuff printed on the paper copy of the prescription to see what (if any) of the long-term items have already been issued and in what quantity. And they generally do this (certainly at our local pharmacy they do) even if you are a long-time customer. They will, if you are a regular customer, advance you a single month's supply if you are out of your particular meds and can't get in to see your doctor for a few days for a renewal. But as far as I know, six months is the limit for a single written scrip. But it shouldn't pose a problem if you go in on day 20 after you got your last refill. Going back in the next day after refilling a scrip might cause them to ask a few questions - though, if you were headed out on an extended trip out of the country, it may just require that you satisfy their requirements for "stocking up" like that. (Friend of mine used to have to do that before making her extended summer visits back to the US. Something she was taking was not available in the US, so she had to take a full summer's supply with her.)
Pharmacies are only allowed to hand out 1 month worth of medication at a time - unless the particular med comes in a 3 month package (which some common meds - like for blood pressure - do).
Now, the prescription (the paper form) itself is valid for one year from its date (usually the date it was written) - but during that time, still only for the period of time indicated for the individual items prescribed.
The pharmacy is supposed to check the stuff printed on the paper copy of the prescription to see what (if any) of the long-term items have already been issued and in what quantity. And they generally do this (certainly at our local pharmacy they do) even if you are a long-time customer. They will, if you are a regular customer, advance you a single month's supply if you are out of your particular meds and can't get in to see your doctor for a few days for a renewal. But as far as I know, six months is the limit for a single written scrip. But it shouldn't pose a problem if you go in on day 20 after you got your last refill. Going back in the next day after refilling a scrip might cause them to ask a few questions - though, if you were headed out on an extended trip out of the country, it may just require that you satisfy their requirements for "stocking up" like that. (Friend of mine used to have to do that before making her extended summer visits back to the US. Something she was taking was not available in the US, so she had to take a full summer's supply with her.)
I often go back to the US for a couple of months at a time, and I've had no problem getting my pharmacy to give me up to three months of medications at once (on a prescription that is normally renewed monthly). At first, they had me fill out an attestation that I would be traveling with the dates of my departure and return, but they no longer make me do that. All three months are charged to my carte vitale.
The pharmacies operate under a pretty strict set of rules and regulations in these matters. (DH's parents were pharmacists and even back then the regulations were pretty strict.) When you get your meds, you have already mentioned that they print something on the paper prescription about how much and when they distributed it to you. At the same time, they are faxing a copy of the scrip you presented to the CPAM - both sides of the page, so that CPAM can see whether this is the first month's supply or the last or something in between.
I know the time I had to have the pharmacy "advance" me a prescription, it was on the condition that I bring in the prescription from the doctor as soon as I was able to schedule an appointment and get in to see them. As SPGW says, it depends on the type of med involved. Also, if you are a "regular" customer (in which case they have a record of what you have been prescribed in the past). They are obligated to check what other meds you are on when you show up with a scrip for something new that may interact with whatever you are already taking.
I know the time I had to have the pharmacy "advance" me a prescription, it was on the condition that I bring in the prescription from the doctor as soon as I was able to schedule an appointment and get in to see them. As SPGW says, it depends on the type of med involved. Also, if you are a "regular" customer (in which case they have a record of what you have been prescribed in the past). They are obligated to check what other meds you are on when you show up with a scrip for something new that may interact with whatever you are already taking.
Hello...separate question related to pharmacies in France. Our pediatrician said that there is always a pharmacy that is open when other pharmacies are closed (at night/weekends/holidays) called "pharmacie de garde" in your area. How do I find this pharmacy nearest to my home? There seems to be a lot of info about this subject on the internet (ie how to find a pharmacie de garde near me" ...but when I put in my address and today's date I get a list of pharmacies that are closed...is there a website you use that is accurate/easy to use? ...is there another easy way to find this info (ie outside of internet)? Another question is if/when I find one, is this always my pharmacie de garde" or they rotate? Thank you. Merci beaucoup!
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
