At one time or another in your life you are going to have to visit the local pharmacy to pick up a prescription, and even if you are a regular pharmacy goer there are occasionally some surprises. For some strange reason no one really tells you what to expect or how to act when you go to pick up. So in order to help the general population, I will be debunking some of the most common mistakes people assume when they visit the pharmacy. (As a pharmacy technician, I can actually help you with this.)

1. Everyone who works in the pharmacy is a pharmacist.

This is probably one of the most common mistakes people make when they go to the pharmacy. The pharmacist can’t handle all the work of the pharmacy by himself or herself. The average chain pharmacy fills about 250 prescriptions a day, that’s a lot of work for one person. That’s where the pharmacy clerks and technicians step in. As long as an individual is over the age of 18 and has a clean record they are eligible to work in the pharmacy. There are, however, state-to-state tests and regulations that have to be done first in order to actually get the job. For example, all pharmacy members must be HIPPA certified. All members must take a course and sign an agreement to protect a patients’ personal privacy and records. All members who pass these steps can work.

2. Pharmacists only count pills.

Pharmacists didn’t go to college for 5 to 7 years just to learn how to count by fives. There is a considerable amount of regulation that goes into filling your prescription. When a patient hands a pharmacy teammate a prescription, that script has to enter a software system. This system tracks the availability of the medication written, the last time the patient had the prescription, and then whether or not the patient is allergic or not to the medication and if the dosing is appropriate. From there it has to go through the patient’s insurance to see if the medication is covered. If all these steps are passed the pharmacist then has to check to see if there are any interactions with the patient's other medications. If everything is alright only then does the pharmacist actually fill the prescription. The prescription goes through one last step of verification through the software before it reaches the patient. I know all that is seen is the pharmacist counting but trust me; it’s a lot of work.

3. My insurance covers every medication I am prescribed.

Insurance companies can actually refuse to pay for a medication if they find that the medication is expensive. Insurances are just like any other business; they only want to do what is going to be best for their company. If that means you don’t get what the doctor ordered it doesn’t bother them one bit. Luckily, the doctor can write for a similar medication that is less expensive or the doctor can file a prior authorization. A prior authorization is sort of like an override, where the doctor calls up the insurance and says “Hey! Give my patient this medication they really need it!” This usually works but the insurance can still say no.

4. All the pharmacy needs to find my insurance is my ID number.

Pharmacies actually need multiple sets of numbers to find your insurance policy. One ID can be the same as another company. And no, telling the pharmacy member that you have a specific insurance company doesn’t help either. Each company has a specific number identification and a company can also have sub-plans that most people aren’t aware of. So just in case you did forget your insurance card make sure you have these sets of numbers: RxBIN, RxPCN, Cardholder ID, RxGroup. The corresponding numbers or letters following these weird acronyms are what is needed to find your insurance.

5. My prescription, that was just ordered, will be ready as soon as I get to the pharmacy.

Trust me, a doctor office has no idea what is going on at the pharmacy that they just sent your prescription to, and likewise the pharmacy has no idea that you were just at the doctor’s office until you show up. Usually, if the doctor has sent over your prescription electronically, it can take up to 30 minutes before the pharmacy even receives the prescription. This can be due to the influx of prescriptions at the pharmacy or just a poor internet connection. Just be patient.

6. The pharmacist has to fill your prescription.

By law, the pharmacist has the right to deny you service. Whether it is due to religious beliefs, personal preference, or if the pharmacist is uncomfortable filling a particular medication, they can say no. Usually this doesn’t happen, but for future reference, if you are kind and understanding you shouldn’t have a problem.

7. The pharmacy has every medication available.

Pharmacies usually only have a certain amount of inventory available in order to protect the pharmacy from potential insurance hazards, like robbery. This inventory usually falls in between a certain price range.

8. The pharmacy determines the price of my prescription.

This is only ever true if you don’t have insurance and you are going through the program, if there is one, that the pharmacy provides. The majority of the time people have prescription insurance. The purpose of this insurance is to cover your medications, leaving you with a small co-payment, which is the price you pay out of pocket. If you are lucky you have great insurance and this co-pay is considerably small. However, if the insurance feels like the medication is too expensive or is available over-the-counter, they will increase the co-payment or not cover the medication at all. So, next time when you think you will get a better deal at another pharmacy, the truth is, it is going to be the same price everywhere you go because you are still using your insurance.