Amazon pharmacy is such a mess I could laugh, but it’s also potentially dangerous. If you read my earlier post on troubles with my Part-D drug insurance and moving the prescriptions to Amazon, you’ll enjoy this, or maybe not.

Turns out Amazon sent a refund, and two days later, the actual prescription showed up. Here it is with the box, the address label was stuck to a piece of cardboard that had been cut off another box.

This was an antibiotic, as far as I’m aware it isn’t addictive and can’t be heated into a illegal drug but what would I know? Meanwhile, Amazon Pharmacy, tag line “The Pharmacy that really delivers“, doesn’t seem to know it has. If I check Amazon Pharmacy now under all orders, it still says “shipment delayed”, some 18-days after it was delivered.

Amazon could instantly find the prescriptions using some insurance medication database to insert them onto my account; It took 4-5 days to move the prescriptions to be reviewed by a “pharmacist” to the point you could order. I ordered, there was a delay in shipping; Amazon decide it’s lost in the mail; they won’t order a replacement as I’m out of refills because they lost it in the delivery; they refund the payment. Two days later the prescription shows up anyway.

This definitely falls into the category of be careful how badly you want something(less expensive drugs) because you risk getting it real bad.

What Did I Do?

After Amazon admitted losing the shipment abd refused to resend, I called my Doctors office, explained the problem and asked them to submit the prescription to the local Kroger grocery store I’ve always used.

The prescription was ready the same day at 4pm. I collected and everything is well. I still have the Amazon delivery and will dispose it and the next unwanted drugs drop-off the city has. I now have to claim the difference back from Wellcare via a complex form that requires both a receipt and the label from the bottom.

The downside is that the generic prescription cost $20 to pickup vs $1.45 from Amazon. I’m skeptical Amazon gets that much of a discount. So one can only assume it’s a loss leader to wipe out, or do serious damage to local pharmacies. I wrote this up as a warning as much as anything else. Next year I’ll definitely sign-up for a plan that includes my local pharmacy.

Update: Feb 12th Added Wellcare reclaim.