"Just so you know, our pharmacy is currently closed" (Phoenix: coupons, insurance)

[fluffythewondercat]

So said the automated voice when I called to get a script refilled. CVS at Bell Road and Thompson Peak.

I had heard vague rumors about CVS closing down pharmacies several days a week, but on a Saturday?

On subsequent calls to CVS the call has been dropped twice and once I got a rapid busy. I can imagine people are ticked off!

[Voebe]

Do you think it's because they have so many covid cases among their personnel that they don't have enough people to staff the store?

If that's all the recording said, to me it's the sign of a bad store that they don't bother to add: "For the nearest alternative location..." Since CVS has always seemed high-priced to me, maybe it's a good opportunity to try some place else.

[wildflowers27]

Article in WSJ yesterday - "Walgreens, CVS Shut Some Pharmacies on Weekends as Omicron Strains Staffing"

A CVS spokesman said a small fraction of its nearly 10,000 U.S. stores are closing on one or both weekend days “to help address acute staffing issues amidst both the Omicron surge and the workforce shortage affecting nearly every industry and company.”

Walgreens "customers have said they unexpectedly encountered closed drive-throughs and pharmacy counters in recent weeks. In some cases, people showed up for scheduled Covid-19 vaccine appointments only to find the pharmacy closed."

[fluffythewondercat]

Originally Posted by wildflowers27

A CVS spokesman said a small fraction of its nearly 10,000 U.S. stores are closing on one or both weekend days “to help address acute staffing issues amidst both the Omicron surge and the workforce shortage affecting nearly every industry and company.”

That sounds like code for "We don't want to pay our employees a decent wage." No skin off my nose. I'll continue to send my prescriptions to Walmart Home Delivery and in a few days, my meds are delivered. No muss, no fuss.

[wit-nit]

Acctually they get paid quite well.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewd...h=6d691ebe6c67 Average for pharmacist $120,000 yearly.
And the assistants make from $25.00to 50.00 hour.

Walgreen's & CVS profits are extremely high both for drugs and retail goods.

[pathrunner]

Originally Posted by wit-nit

Actually they get paid quite well.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewd...h=6d691ebe6c67 Average for pharmacist $120,000 yearly.
And the assistants make from $25.00to 50.00 hour.

Walgreen's & CVS profits are extremely high both for drugs and retail goods.

That's why they give those delicious 40% off coupons. I get two every month delivered to my text app on my phone. It does save money over even Walmart or Amazon depending upon what you buy.

My local CVS went through a crisis recently when it lost their pharmacy tech. She was ONE competent person, who was replaced by THREE doe-doe heads with poor manners and work ethic. I switched to my local independent pharmacy and couldn't be happier. (I realize some aren't able to do that.)

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by Voebe

Do you think it's because they have so many covid cases among their personnel that they don't have enough people to staff the store?

If that's all the recording said, to me it's the sign of a bad store that they don't bother to add: "For the nearest alternative location..." Since CVS has always seemed high-priced to me, maybe it's a good opportunity to try some place else.

It is almost certainly because of covid cases. We were near 25,000 diagnosed cases in Arizona yesterday mostly in the Phoenix metro, a number about 10 times what it was just a few weeks ago. And that only finds the ones that stood in a line somewhere for the test. The real number is probably five to ten times that. Everyone is dealing with absenteeism.

[ELOrocks17]

Just do what I do, Use the Safeway pharmacy at 35th ave & Bell...they never let me down

[mgforshort]

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We used to have Humana insurance for medications and the AARP United Healthcare medicare supplement for doctor visits/hospitals.
United Healthcare is great, no complaints here. However, after canceling Humana and getting medications from Healthcarewearhouse, we get better service at half the monthly cost.

If we need a special prescription the very same day we use our local Walgreens and they are terrific, albeit more expensive than Healtcarewarehouse. Even though they (Healthcarewarehouse) cost less, they still offer an amazingly kind customer service seldom experienced in our country lately.

They always notify us when a prescription is about to run out, they contact our doctors' office, they ask us to approve the delivery and the cost, and the stuff shows up in our mailbox 7-10 days later. We can call and talk to a human in a minute, or do the whole thing online. I always call because I enjoy talking to their reps.

By the way, they have things for our pets as well.

[PhoenixSomeday]

Couldn't find any urgent care yesterday either.

First location: This location is temporarily closed.
Second: The soonest we can see you is tomorrow at 8PM.
Third: We're only taking appointments this weekend.