A month and a half ago I had my deposit from a hotel room reimbursed and the day after my 20% fee for using the card was credited back to my account but the deposit was not. After giving it a week I checked to see the status and the merchant said it was reimbursed but balance financial said it was not. After numerous calls to both parties, balance financial said they would only look into it if I filed a dispute so feeling as though that was my only option I did. The merchant said they had not received it so I asked balance financial if I could call the merchant and have them call or fax them and was told no. Finally, the merchant recredited my account for it to show and immediately balance financial put a hold on the funds telling me because I filed the dispute. I told them I wanted the dispute cancelled and they said they had 6 weeks to release it to me. Everytime I call I get the same answer.. I'm sorry for your frustrations and only after a week of constant calling I get some kind of answer just to be told I can't do it. I asked them how they even know that transaction is regarding the dispute and they replied they don't know so I said "how can you hold it regarding the dispute if you indeed don't know they are connected and if you do know it's connected you know it's been settled" ! I get no answers whatsoever and by the time I get my money it will have been 3 months its already been almost 2!! How can a company keep money they have no right to? I will never use this card or Walgreens again!
After having used this card for the past 6 months, I experienced the following problems:
1. Immediate activation? Lie. When you buy this card, you will have to provide a lot of information such as your social security number to the sales clerk, but then you will still need to come home and speak directly with Balance Financial to activate the card.
2. "Shop everywhere Debit MasterCard is accepted" Lie. At a minimum of once per week, I would have transactions declined such as a $10 fast food order despite having adequate funds on the card to cover the charge, even though the merchant accepted MasterCard
3. Direct Deposit. Balance Financial tells you that you have "immediate access to your funds once they post.' What they do not tell you is that by once they post, they really mean they have the right to hold your deposit till they manually review the deposit. Some times this takes hours, other times, it takes days depending on how long it takes them to get verification of your deposit, and it doesn't matter that they just verified the deposit last week or the week before. Your deposits will be revieweed manually. Once this took 5 days, other times, I did not get access to my direct deposit till the day after pay day. It also doesn't matter that it is the same depositor, for the same amount, done weekly or not.
4. Customer Service. I have called customer service numerous times. Most often I get representatives from other countries that do not speak English well, nor do they understand what you are calling about on a frequent basis. Supervisors are unavailable to handle issues the representatives can not solve themselves.
5. Merchant holds. The clerk at a gas station mistakenly put a gas purchase through the wrong way on my Balance card. This resulted in $100 being held for 14 calander days, even though the merchant ~immediately~ issues a release of funds. Balance Financial only accepts ~faxed~ releases with a confirmation number, which they refused to issue to the merchant.
Bottom liine on this card is they promise "...time is money, so we've loaded the Balance® Financial Prepaid MasterCard with all kinds of convenient, timesaving features." but what they deliever is a product that will result in you spending hours on the phone with them trying to gain access to your funds, constant frustration when they are unable to provide you with the answers you need and the constant anxiety of wondering if your card will work for this purchase or if your deposit will be available in a timely manner.
I Worked for Walgreens for almost 7 Years. I went from A Cashier to Head Photo Tech to Finally "Earning" My Promotion of Store Team Lead early in the Year 2014. I held this Title for about 10 Months and Did A Outstanding Job with it. Truth is I LOVED This Job. That all Changed Thursday Jan 15th 2015. Before I get into what Happened, I need to Explain A "Policy" of Walgreens. Their Employee Discount.. Rules State You as well as One "Family" Member may partake in use of this Luxury. Years Ago when I started with Walgreens, I had a Partner named Joe. I found out then at the Store I started at in Ringgold that Yes Joe "Qualified" to use my Discount. Unfortunately Joe passed away in December of 2010. Around this time I Transfered to the Dalton Store where I remained. I never let anyone use my Discount for years. Through it all My "Ex Wife" Remained by My Side. We have a Odd Relationship to Some. We have A Grown Son together and we Live on the same Property, Seperate Houses but literally maybe 15-20 Feet from each other. We share Utilities and such and Yes have Remained "FAMILY" For over 24 Years. Several Months ago I gave Her the other Discount Card. She barely ever Shops at Walgreens and on Occassion when she did come in, it was to pick Me up cause I needed A Ride Home. While she'd wait on Me, She'd pick up a few things and always ask me "You want me to grab you anything"? I NEVER EVER Thought I was Breaking "Policy". Sharon My Ex is the Only Family outside of our Son that I have. I don't have a Relationship with My "IMMEDIATE" Family at all. The word "Immediate" will come back to Haunt Me Later. The last Two Years I met Someone, His name is Chris. He doesn't "Live" with me technically, He'll spend a week here or there with me then goes back to Cleveland. When he is in Town, He'll drop me off in the Morning and come in to Buy Cigerettes "No Discount on that" and maybe a Soda Pop. My Store Manager would Ring Him up, Policy is I can't Ring up Friends or Family. My Store Manager would Immediately just give Chris the "Discount" without saying yeah or nay. about 4-5 Month's ago we were having A Problem with another Employee, Becky. We've had alot of issue with Her for Her Conduct. As she was being "Verbally" Coached she Brought up the fact of My ex Wife using my Discount. Guess it was to take the Heat off of HerSelf. After she left the Office, I asked my Manager then "Is there a Issue"? He said "He didn't think so" and "LAUGHED" It Off. He said Quote "WOW, She tried throwing you under the Bus"! He then said He'd would try to find out from our "Loss Prevention" Guy Rick Rollins and He also Stated "Sharon is a Customer and She Spends Money in here. I never heard No more about it. Til Thursday Jan the 15th 2015. I'm called into Office, Asked about "Her use of My Card" I explained I don't Feel I'm breaking any Policy or committing Misconduct. I'm allowed One Family Member, She is My "FAMILY". Rick Rollins the Loss Prevention Guy starts Dictating to Me who is and who ain't "MY FAMILY". I Found this Insulting. I even told Him so. I was made to write a Report, Declaring My "View" of all this. Upon Reading it, Rick didn't like the Fact I didn't put in the Report that My Manager "WARNED ME" And "TOLD" Me Not to let Her use It. He Told me "YOU WERE TALKED TO RIGHT"? I Said I'm Confused. He then Said "Mr. Pezic "Store Manager" Told you NOT To allow this, Right"? Then he "MADE ME INCLUDE IT IN THE REPORT"! I was "FEARING" For My Job, My Reputaion, Being called a Thief. Then I was allowed to Leave the Office. I asked on My way out, "Whats going to Happen"? Rick said, Don't know, we have to send it off to District or Home Office. The Next Day Friday Jan 16th, I came in to work my Shift, Worked half the Day when Rick came back, Called me to Office. He told Me that I owed the Company $29.00 and some change from the Purchases Sharon had made mostly he Claims from her buying "Make Up".. I'm still trying Explain and that some of the Things she picks up are Mine. He and my Store manager Agreed. They have of their Surveillance Footage of Me giving Her Money or Something. I was told to Pay back the Money, I said Sure, I can do that right Now, Just Need to get Cash. Once I said Yes, Signed another Paper "After Being Told "My Store Manager will Decide My Discipline, I was "Terminated". Fact.. Just a few Months ago, A CoWorker feel for the "Green Dot" Money Card Scam with a Person over the Phone, That is "Immediate Termination" yet She got a Write up. Another Employee "After Weeks and Weeks" of being Told Not to Except these "False" Coupons that are circling around, She Did.. That too was cause for Immediate Termination, She got a Write Up. Another Employee and Her Mother had A Problem with "Becky" when She refused the Discount, Mr. Pezic got Mad and took up for this Employee and Her Mother. I was told I Stole from Walgreens, cost them Money, Yet these three Incidents caused alot more that $29.00.. And All For What? Cause I Let A "FAMILY" Member use my Discount? One Minute it's "She's Not your Family" then it was "She don't Live with You under One Roof"! Well, We R "FAMILY" And We Live Close enough that I can Here Her if She Burped... That's My Story.. Hurt, Confused and Alittle Ticked.. Guess Walgreens knows My Life Better than I Do...
I was a disabled Walgreens employee (suffer from chronic autoimmune disease ) and was being sexually harrassed by my pharmacy manager named Gary Cheema. He would repeatedly make remarks like ' oh you have sexy legs''., he would call my husband at work and tell him we were making out and fooling around before work right in front of me and other co workers. He would call my cell phone and hang up after hours after he had been out drinking all night.
The incidents were reported to the store manager two times, he sympathized with the manager in the sense he was going through a divorce and felt bad for him. The harrassment continued , by him singling me out by saying no one in the pharmacy could talk about partying or sex because i would complain. I then told the pharmacy supervisor Minal Thakkar about what is going on, she said she would address it... months go by and nothing was addressed nor was i ever told that it was addressed. The complaint then reached the district supervisor Irene Pareisi, she did nothing as well.
It came to the point that I filed a complaint with employee relations, walgreens then had 'loss prevention' officer 'investigate ' the matter. After a week of "investigating' the LP officer had the nerve to turn the incident around on me saying I was slandering the pharmacy managers name and if this is the case I would be disciplined.
At this point I already had proper accomodations at work for my condition, after I reported the incident, i was then told that I could no longer be accomodated and that I was bringing drama to the store ( i was told this by my new store manager Eva Rodriguez store manager of walgreens #5835 ). Ultimately ended up resigning because the stress from dealing with the new store manager, rent a cop loss prevention officer and my supervisors which caused me to have a flare up of my condition and ended up hospitalized for 3 days.
Walgreens does not care about the health or well being of their employees, and the fact that they let this happen with out it being addressed is shameful. Karma will come back to all of those involved, and I hope all of their customers and those involved read this as well. Everyone needs to know what kind of perverts and scum live in their community and supposedly value their employees and their health.
If you value you and your familys health , DO NOT do business at walgreens.
I have used Walgreens as primary pharmacy for decades. The Duane Reade/Walgreens pharmacy located at 2409 Broadway, NYC, NY 10024, has seemingly competent pharmacists but is seriously understaffed with HIGHLY unprofessional workers. The other week this pharmacy did not answer their phone for several days. I then had a medical emergency, requiring an urgent Rx. I dropped off the Rx with a promise that it would be ready soon... In less than an hour. They took my cell phone number and promised to call me immediately when my prescription for brain swelling was ready. They never called. I returned hours later and was forced to stand 7 people deep in line for 16 minutes, despite being extremely ill, only to be told that imy medicine still wasn't ready. I had to return a third time later that night to pick it up.
This isnt the only problem I have had with this particular pharmacy.
They routinely provide only a portion of my prescription WITHOUT INFORMING ME. I usually figure it out when I run out too early & then have to call them several times to get the rest of the Rx, with a large delay.
Also, I was running low on my daily thyroid medicine and I phoned them a week ago. The pharmacy employee told me over the phone that it would be filled and delivered the next day. Two days later, I called again. This time they said that "you already picked it up". I got so agravated, I had to get off the phone. I called them back and this time they said that there were no more refills left and they could contact my doctor for a new one, fill it and deliver it. Something sounded wrong about this, so I asked "what is the doctor's name you have listed?" She couldn't tell me. Instead, she asked for me to give HER my doctor's name. I checked with my doctor's office and requested that they contact this terrible pharmacy to make sure I got some thyroid medicine ASAP, which they did. The next day I called this pharmacy and the "fill in pharmacist" said that their computer said that my doctor DENIED my refill. I asked what the doctor's name was, to see if he was just making this up. He couldnt answer my question. He said "Call the regular pharmacist, Frank, tomorrow." I said. NO, I need my medication NOW. He couldnt have cared less....
I know most pharmacies will simply front you a pill or two if you run out of something that you absolutely need and have filled with them before. This pharmacy would not. That's when I decided to, after a lifetime's devotion to Walgreens, switch to a competitor pharmacy.
Walgreens has a program called Balance Rewards. I am supposed to get 500 points for every prescription I purchase. Once you get to a certain point level, you can redeem those points for free merchandise.
When I picked up my RX on 7/2/14, I noticed that I didn't get any Reward points. So I looked at my previous purchases and saw that I didn't get points for 5 other purchases. I called the Balance Rewards program and inquired about why I'm not getting my points. They told me that my account/RX insurance has been flagged as "government funded", so I would not be receiving balance reward points anymore. WHAT? I about popped a cork. My RX insurance is not government funded. I called my RX insurance and asked them if there had been any change in our policy and he said it is definitely NOT government funded. It is a commercial account where the employees pay the premiums.
So, I call Balance Rewards back and tell them that. They didn't care!! They said they could research my account profile, but it could take at least 6 months to do the review!! I told them that this is insane and that I reported Walgreens to the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General. I will also be reporting them to the Consumer Union and anybody else I can think of.
The funny thing is that when I was on the phone with a customer service rep, I could hear other CSR's in the background telling people that their account had also been flagged as "government funded".
In my opinion, Walgreens has found a way to cheat their customers out of their points so they don't have to give the free merchandise. It's not like Walgreens can't afford it!!!
If this has happend to you, report Walgreens to the Better Business Bureau, the Attorney General and the Consumer Union (914-378-2000 or 415-431-6747). You can file a complaint with the BBB and the Attorney General online. Also, file a complaint with anybody else you can think of. There's power in numbers and we need to send Walgreens a message to quit ripping off their customers!!
I tried to go to Walgreens today to fill my script for pain medication and was turned down because she said it was too early. My bottle said it was filled on 6-16-14 and I tried to fill it on 7-13-14. She told me that they only allow someone to refill a narcotic 3 days early. I pointed out it was 3 days early. She said that it was not filled on the 16th last month because they held it for 2 days because it was supposedly early last month. So she said it was 5 days early. I tried to explain that it was Sunday and I work long hours during the week and don't have time to fill it during the week, so I was trying to get it this weekend before work. She did not care. She just kept quoting their policy over and over like a robot. To me, it was just a timing thing, but she treated me like a pain pill junkie trying to get his early fix. I am taking all of my prescriptions to another pharmacy. I am on pain pills and nerve medications for severe nerve and vertebrae problems in my neck. I already had 2 major surgeries on it and have a large scar running down the back of my neck. I still need to have a vertebrae fused and I still have several pinched nerves in my neck causing burning pain down both my arms. For the 20 year old girl named Amber at the Walgreens in Plainwell, MI, thank you for insulting me and making a new choice of pharmacy for me in the future. My question for you is, maybe the reason my prescription is getting a day earlier when I fill it is all the 31 day months since I started that prescription several years ago? Did you put that into your 30 day equation? I might be on this the rest of my life, I don't know, but I have never showed signs or red flags that I have been abusing them. If this is what I can look forward to the rest of my life, then I don't want Walgreens a part of it.
Walgreen Co. Reviews
A month and a half ago I had my deposit from a hotel room reimbursed and the day after my 20% fee for using the card was credited back to my account but the deposit was not. After giving it a week I checked to see the status and the merchant said it was reimbursed but balance financial said it was not. After numerous calls to both parties, balance financial said they would only look into it if I filed a dispute so feeling as though that was my only option I did. The merchant said they had not received it so I asked balance financial if I could call the merchant and have them call or fax them and was told no. Finally, the merchant recredited my account for it to show and immediately balance financial put a hold on the funds telling me because I filed the dispute. I told them I wanted the dispute cancelled and they said they had 6 weeks to release it to me. Everytime I call I get the same answer.. I'm sorry for your frustrations and only after a week of constant calling I get some kind of answer just to be told I can't do it. I asked them how they even know that transaction is regarding the dispute and they replied they don't know so I said "how can you hold it regarding the dispute if you indeed don't know they are connected and if you do know it's connected you know it's been settled" ! I get no answers whatsoever and by the time I get my money it will have been 3 months its already been almost 2!! How can a company keep money they have no right to? I will never use this card or Walgreens again!
After having used this card for the past 6 months, I experienced the following problems:
1. Immediate activation? Lie. When you buy this card, you will have to provide a lot of information such as your social security number to the sales clerk, but then you will still need to come home and speak directly with Balance Financial to activate the card.
2. "Shop everywhere Debit MasterCard is accepted" Lie. At a minimum of once per week, I would have transactions declined such as a $10 fast food order despite having adequate funds on the card to cover the charge, even though the merchant accepted MasterCard
3. Direct Deposit. Balance Financial tells you that you have "immediate access to your funds once they post.' What they do not tell you is that by once they post, they really mean they have the right to hold your deposit till they manually review the deposit. Some times this takes hours, other times, it takes days depending on how long it takes them to get verification of your deposit, and it doesn't matter that they just verified the deposit last week or the week before. Your deposits will be revieweed manually. Once this took 5 days, other times, I did not get access to my direct deposit till the day after pay day. It also doesn't matter that it is the same depositor, for the same amount, done weekly or not.
4. Customer Service. I have called customer service numerous times. Most often I get representatives from other countries that do not speak English well, nor do they understand what you are calling about on a frequent basis. Supervisors are unavailable to handle issues the representatives can not solve themselves.
5. Merchant holds. The clerk at a gas station mistakenly put a gas purchase through the wrong way on my Balance card. This resulted in $100 being held for 14 calander days, even though the merchant ~immediately~ issues a release of funds. Balance Financial only accepts ~faxed~ releases with a confirmation number, which they refused to issue to the merchant.
Bottom liine on this card is they promise "...time is money, so we've loaded the Balance® Financial Prepaid MasterCard with all kinds of convenient, timesaving features." but what they deliever is a product that will result in you spending hours on the phone with them trying to gain access to your funds, constant frustration when they are unable to provide you with the answers you need and the constant anxiety of wondering if your card will work for this purchase or if your deposit will be available in a timely manner.
I Worked for Walgreens for almost 7 Years. I went from A Cashier to Head Photo Tech to Finally "Earning" My Promotion of Store Team Lead early in the Year 2014. I held this Title for about 10 Months and Did A Outstanding Job with it. Truth is I LOVED This Job. That all Changed Thursday Jan 15th 2015. Before I get into what Happened, I need to Explain A "Policy" of Walgreens. Their Employee Discount.. Rules State You as well as One "Family" Member may partake in use of this Luxury. Years Ago when I started with Walgreens, I had a Partner named Joe. I found out then at the Store I started at in Ringgold that Yes Joe "Qualified" to use my Discount. Unfortunately Joe passed away in December of 2010. Around this time I Transfered to the Dalton Store where I remained. I never let anyone use my Discount for years. Through it all My "Ex Wife" Remained by My Side. We have a Odd Relationship to Some. We have A Grown Son together and we Live on the same Property, Seperate Houses but literally maybe 15-20 Feet from each other. We share Utilities and such and Yes have Remained "FAMILY" For over 24 Years. Several Months ago I gave Her the other Discount Card. She barely ever Shops at Walgreens and on Occassion when she did come in, it was to pick Me up cause I needed A Ride Home. While she'd wait on Me, She'd pick up a few things and always ask me "You want me to grab you anything"? I NEVER EVER Thought I was Breaking "Policy". Sharon My Ex is the Only Family outside of our Son that I have. I don't have a Relationship with My "IMMEDIATE" Family at all. The word "Immediate" will come back to Haunt Me Later. The last Two Years I met Someone, His name is Chris. He doesn't "Live" with me technically, He'll spend a week here or there with me then goes back to Cleveland. When he is in Town, He'll drop me off in the Morning and come in to Buy Cigerettes "No Discount on that" and maybe a Soda Pop. My Store Manager would Ring Him up, Policy is I can't Ring up Friends or Family. My Store Manager would Immediately just give Chris the "Discount" without saying yeah or nay. about 4-5 Month's ago we were having A Problem with another Employee, Becky. We've had alot of issue with Her for Her Conduct. As she was being "Verbally" Coached she Brought up the fact of My ex Wife using my Discount. Guess it was to take the Heat off of HerSelf. After she left the Office, I asked my Manager then "Is there a Issue"? He said "He didn't think so" and "LAUGHED" It Off. He said Quote "WOW, She tried throwing you under the Bus"! He then said He'd would try to find out from our "Loss Prevention" Guy Rick Rollins and He also Stated "Sharon is a Customer and She Spends Money in here. I never heard No more about it. Til Thursday Jan the 15th 2015. I'm called into Office, Asked about "Her use of My Card" I explained I don't Feel I'm breaking any Policy or committing Misconduct. I'm allowed One Family Member, She is My "FAMILY". Rick Rollins the Loss Prevention Guy starts Dictating to Me who is and who ain't "MY FAMILY". I Found this Insulting. I even told Him so. I was made to write a Report, Declaring My "View" of all this. Upon Reading it, Rick didn't like the Fact I didn't put in the Report that My Manager "WARNED ME" And "TOLD" Me Not to let Her use It. He Told me "YOU WERE TALKED TO RIGHT"? I Said I'm Confused. He then Said "Mr. Pezic "Store Manager" Told you NOT To allow this, Right"? Then he "MADE ME INCLUDE IT IN THE REPORT"! I was "FEARING" For My Job, My Reputaion, Being called a Thief. Then I was allowed to Leave the Office. I asked on My way out, "Whats going to Happen"? Rick said, Don't know, we have to send it off to District or Home Office. The Next Day Friday Jan 16th, I came in to work my Shift, Worked half the Day when Rick came back, Called me to Office. He told Me that I owed the Company $29.00 and some change from the Purchases Sharon had made mostly he Claims from her buying "Make Up".. I'm still trying Explain and that some of the Things she picks up are Mine. He and my Store manager Agreed. They have of their Surveillance Footage of Me giving Her Money or Something. I was told to Pay back the Money, I said Sure, I can do that right Now, Just Need to get Cash. Once I said Yes, Signed another Paper "After Being Told "My Store Manager will Decide My Discipline, I was "Terminated". Fact.. Just a few Months ago, A CoWorker feel for the "Green Dot" Money Card Scam with a Person over the Phone, That is "Immediate Termination" yet She got a Write up. Another Employee "After Weeks and Weeks" of being Told Not to Except these "False" Coupons that are circling around, She Did.. That too was cause for Immediate Termination, She got a Write Up. Another Employee and Her Mother had A Problem with "Becky" when She refused the Discount, Mr. Pezic got Mad and took up for this Employee and Her Mother. I was told I Stole from Walgreens, cost them Money, Yet these three Incidents caused alot more that $29.00.. And All For What? Cause I Let A "FAMILY" Member use my Discount? One Minute it's "She's Not your Family" then it was "She don't Live with You under One Roof"! Well, We R "FAMILY" And We Live Close enough that I can Here Her if She Burped... That's My Story.. Hurt, Confused and Alittle Ticked.. Guess Walgreens knows My Life Better than I Do...
The drug store told me the flu shot would not cost me, it was free, then weeks later they sent me a bill.
I asked them three times "Are you sure there will be no cost." and all three times they said "There is no cost."
I was a disabled Walgreens employee (suffer from chronic autoimmune disease ) and was being sexually harrassed by my pharmacy manager named Gary Cheema. He would repeatedly make remarks like ' oh you have sexy legs''., he would call my husband at work and tell him we were making out and fooling around before work right in front of me and other co workers. He would call my cell phone and hang up after hours after he had been out drinking all night.
The incidents were reported to the store manager two times, he sympathized with the manager in the sense he was going through a divorce and felt bad for him. The harrassment continued , by him singling me out by saying no one in the pharmacy could talk about partying or sex because i would complain. I then told the pharmacy supervisor Minal Thakkar about what is going on, she said she would address it... months go by and nothing was addressed nor was i ever told that it was addressed. The complaint then reached the district supervisor Irene Pareisi, she did nothing as well.
It came to the point that I filed a complaint with employee relations, walgreens then had 'loss prevention' officer 'investigate ' the matter. After a week of "investigating' the LP officer had the nerve to turn the incident around on me saying I was slandering the pharmacy managers name and if this is the case I would be disciplined.
At this point I already had proper accomodations at work for my condition, after I reported the incident, i was then told that I could no longer be accomodated and that I was bringing drama to the store ( i was told this by my new store manager Eva Rodriguez store manager of walgreens #5835 ). Ultimately ended up resigning because the stress from dealing with the new store manager, rent a cop loss prevention officer and my supervisors which caused me to have a flare up of my condition and ended up hospitalized for 3 days.
Walgreens does not care about the health or well being of their employees, and the fact that they let this happen with out it being addressed is shameful. Karma will come back to all of those involved, and I hope all of their customers and those involved read this as well. Everyone needs to know what kind of perverts and scum live in their community and supposedly value their employees and their health.
If you value you and your familys health , DO NOT do business at walgreens.
I have used Walgreens as primary pharmacy for decades. The Duane Reade/Walgreens pharmacy located at 2409 Broadway, NYC, NY 10024, has seemingly competent pharmacists but is seriously understaffed with HIGHLY unprofessional workers. The other week this pharmacy did not answer their phone for several days. I then had a medical emergency, requiring an urgent Rx. I dropped off the Rx with a promise that it would be ready soon... In less than an hour. They took my cell phone number and promised to call me immediately when my prescription for brain swelling was ready. They never called. I returned hours later and was forced to stand 7 people deep in line for 16 minutes, despite being extremely ill, only to be told that imy medicine still wasn't ready. I had to return a third time later that night to pick it up.
This isnt the only problem I have had with this particular pharmacy.
They routinely provide only a portion of my prescription WITHOUT INFORMING ME. I usually figure it out when I run out too early & then have to call them several times to get the rest of the Rx, with a large delay.
Also, I was running low on my daily thyroid medicine and I phoned them a week ago. The pharmacy employee told me over the phone that it would be filled and delivered the next day. Two days later, I called again. This time they said that "you already picked it up". I got so agravated, I had to get off the phone. I called them back and this time they said that there were no more refills left and they could contact my doctor for a new one, fill it and deliver it. Something sounded wrong about this, so I asked "what is the doctor's name you have listed?" She couldn't tell me. Instead, she asked for me to give HER my doctor's name. I checked with my doctor's office and requested that they contact this terrible pharmacy to make sure I got some thyroid medicine ASAP, which they did. The next day I called this pharmacy and the "fill in pharmacist" said that their computer said that my doctor DENIED my refill. I asked what the doctor's name was, to see if he was just making this up. He couldnt answer my question. He said "Call the regular pharmacist, Frank, tomorrow." I said. NO, I need my medication NOW. He couldnt have cared less....
I know most pharmacies will simply front you a pill or two if you run out of something that you absolutely need and have filled with them before. This pharmacy would not. That's when I decided to, after a lifetime's devotion to Walgreens, switch to a competitor pharmacy.
Walgreens has a program called Balance Rewards. I am supposed to get 500 points for every prescription I purchase. Once you get to a certain point level, you can redeem those points for free merchandise.
When I picked up my RX on 7/2/14, I noticed that I didn't get any Reward points. So I looked at my previous purchases and saw that I didn't get points for 5 other purchases. I called the Balance Rewards program and inquired about why I'm not getting my points. They told me that my account/RX insurance has been flagged as "government funded", so I would not be receiving balance reward points anymore. WHAT? I about popped a cork. My RX insurance is not government funded. I called my RX insurance and asked them if there had been any change in our policy and he said it is definitely NOT government funded. It is a commercial account where the employees pay the premiums.
So, I call Balance Rewards back and tell them that. They didn't care!! They said they could research my account profile, but it could take at least 6 months to do the review!! I told them that this is insane and that I reported Walgreens to the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General. I will also be reporting them to the Consumer Union and anybody else I can think of.
The funny thing is that when I was on the phone with a customer service rep, I could hear other CSR's in the background telling people that their account had also been flagged as "government funded".
In my opinion, Walgreens has found a way to cheat their customers out of their points so they don't have to give the free merchandise. It's not like Walgreens can't afford it!!!
If this has happend to you, report Walgreens to the Better Business Bureau, the Attorney General and the Consumer Union (914-378-2000 or 415-431-6747). You can file a complaint with the BBB and the Attorney General online. Also, file a complaint with anybody else you can think of. There's power in numbers and we need to send Walgreens a message to quit ripping off their customers!!
I tried to go to Walgreens today to fill my script for pain medication and was turned down because she said it was too early. My bottle said it was filled on 6-16-14 and I tried to fill it on 7-13-14. She told me that they only allow someone to refill a narcotic 3 days early. I pointed out it was 3 days early. She said that it was not filled on the 16th last month because they held it for 2 days because it was supposedly early last month. So she said it was 5 days early. I tried to explain that it was Sunday and I work long hours during the week and don't have time to fill it during the week, so I was trying to get it this weekend before work. She did not care. She just kept quoting their policy over and over like a robot. To me, it was just a timing thing, but she treated me like a pain pill junkie trying to get his early fix. I am taking all of my prescriptions to another pharmacy. I am on pain pills and nerve medications for severe nerve and vertebrae problems in my neck. I already had 2 major surgeries on it and have a large scar running down the back of my neck. I still need to have a vertebrae fused and I still have several pinched nerves in my neck causing burning pain down both my arms. For the 20 year old girl named Amber at the Walgreens in Plainwell, MI, thank you for insulting me and making a new choice of pharmacy for me in the future. My question for you is, maybe the reason my prescription is getting a day earlier when I fill it is all the 31 day months since I started that prescription several years ago? Did you put that into your 30 day equation? I might be on this the rest of my life, I don't know, but I have never showed signs or red flags that I have been abusing them. If this is what I can look forward to the rest of my life, then I don't want Walgreens a part of it.