Percocets now limited to a maximum of 120/month?

When I brought in my monthly script for 150 10/325 Percocets, my pharmacist explained that he now gets a very limited number of narcotics every month, and the maximum he can now dispense is 120.

Is anyone else facing this?  I'm in Florida, perhaps that's the problem.

 

thanks for responding QT,

I'm supposed to get 150/month. I've been on this dosage for over 3 years, after being abruptly taken off Roxicodone.....that switch was due to the police going to every pm doctor in the area (central FL) and
asking or telling them to stop prescribing Roxicodone.

With Roxicodone, my pain was extremely well managed at 5, 15 mg pills per day or 75 mg/day. When my pm dr put me on the Percocet, my pain relief was reduced to 50 mg/day. I went thru horrible withdrawals (even though I took the Percocet).

My pharmacy is a small, family run business, great service

....I just called several pharmacies---Walgreens, CVS, a different mom and pop place.....they all said the same thing, ....they receive limited amounts of narcotics each month, so a maximum amount is now in place.

I've been on just about everything else over the 14 years I've needed pm......except the Fentanyl patch...don't want to do that)....

Our quality of life continues to erode with the implementation of such stringent regulations.

my new medicare supplement plan will do 180 Norco a month, which happens to be my local cvs limit as well, but my doctor wants me to have 230, not sure what we can do with that

david

I don't think it's an Insurance thing either.

It seems very wrong that the Pharmacy can change a Doctor's order.It would seem that a Pharmacy could just keep more inventory but I think there's some DEA rule behind this where if they order more than a certain amount they're afraid of attracting the attention of the DEA.

Just my opinion,but the DEA has no business getting involved in our Doctor's care of us.

Rick

Agree with you, there, Merrida

Medicare Part D and Medicaid in most states now have limits on meds rxed for pain that is not cancer related.

Hi everyone! This issue has been discussed here a few times. In one of my posts, I included a couple of informational links on the subject. The FDA and the DEA do not mandate how much of a drug a doctor can prescribe or a pharmacist can fill. They can make recommendations, but there are no laws. Many, if not most, insurance companies limit the quantities of certain drugs they'll pay for - this includes Medicaid (or whatever it's called in your state). For example, with Medipass here in FL, the maximum they will cover, for 15mg Oxycodone is 6/day (it was 8/day until last year). If it's not an insurance issue, it is most likely a pharmacy rule - either because of the limit on the quantity of pills they are allowed to purchase each month or because of an internal pharmacy guideline on the quantity they are allowed to stock and/or sell. Hope this helps!

I do believe it is determined by the individual pharmacy.

There have been instances where my insurance was very clear in confirming that yes, indeed, I could fill, (and they would pay for), a certain number of pills of a particular medication.

The pharmacy was very direct in stating that it does not matter what the insurance states,....they won't do it.  Offering to pay cash often sends up red flags as well.

M.

Interesting reading, Thanks !

I posted this on another thread, but it also applies to this one. In Louisiana Medicaid will limit the amount of hydrocodone combinations meds to 720 units in a rolling 365 day period, effective May 1, 2014. Each state has different laws governing the meds and the amounts that Medicaid will pay for. The Medicaid restrictions in each state only apply to those on Medicaid.

On April 10 I went to my appointment with my PM Doctor in Philadelphia. He wrote refill prescriptions for:

                                                    Oxycontin 10mg #60

                                                  "Fill on or after April 10"

                                                              and

                                                      Norco 10mg #90

                                                  "Fill on or after April 10"

                                                              and

                                                   Neurontin 300mg #30

                                                  "Fill on or after April 10"

I stopped by my neighborhood Rite-Aid pharmacy on the way back home from Philadelphia. I had a 3 day supply left from my prior prescriptions. I was told that they could not fill the prescriptions yet as Rite-Aid had a store policy saying that the earliest they can fill a narcotic Rx is 48 hours prior to it running out and it was 3 days before I would run out of medication. I pointed out to them that the doctor specifically wrote "Fill on or after April 10th". However they wouldn't fill them so I had to make another trip to the pharmacy the next day to get them filled.

Somehow it just seems wrong to me. I can't get over that they totally disregard the doctors instructions. I should get the doctor to play some with them and have him make minor changes to the dosage schedule but I would follow the original instructions. That way they could not get around it or play their games as it would have to be treated as a new Rx. 

 God forbid I had some severe breakthrough pain during the month and took a few extra tablets setting me back 2 or 3 days! Then I would be left in pain and feeling crummy from withdrawal symptoms.

Jimmy

                                                              

 

Thanks Mercy&Grace,

I did know that but it was easy to forget when dealing with pharmacists that I have had a great relationship with for years. They just stated that their hands were tied by the Rite-Aid corporate policy. I believe them. At the time, I just felt that the physicians written order to fill on or before a certain date would trump that. But I was only thinking about the minor inconvenience it caused.

Physicians also can dispense and charge for medication (not samples) but that is very infrequent these days. It was more prevalent in the inner cities where a few physicians could buy in bulk and pass the savings on to medically indigent patients.

Thanks again,

Jimmy

Gosh. I really feel for everyone here. There is going to be a huge increase in suicides in Florida just wait and see. The docs don't even know why I have my pain so the pain doc (yes Central Florida) is going to tell me to get lost. My first appointment is Friday and I'm not hopeful at all. Something is wrong with this government it is crooked all the way to the top. If my appointment fails I will give up and burn up my 401k on $25 (per pill) pain medicine until I run out of money or die.

I will add this to the list of things I call my representatives about every week. Even though my calls seem to go unanswered. Good luck to all of you.