Hi everyone. I was diagnosed with ADD about three years ago and began taking Concerta. At the time, I was in law school and saw a doctor on campus for my prescriptions. After the first couple of visits during which the doctor and I were trying out different drugs and dosages, the doctor no longer required me to come in for monthly appointments. He would simply write out a new prescription for me and I would pick it up from the receptionist.

For the past nine months or so, I've been seeing a new doctor in a different city. This doctor requires me to come in for an appointment every month in order to pick up a prescription, during which I have to fork over a $30 co-pay (in addition to the $60 or so I pay per month for the Concerta) and he charges my insurance company $400 for a 45 minute appointment (when I actually only spend about 5 minutes talking to him). Not only that, but he'll frequently schedule 3 or 4 people for 45 minute "appointments" in the same time slot, during which each person is just there to pick up a prescription.

I have asked him on more than one occasion why he requires me to come in for an appointment every time I need a new prescription, particularly when I have been on the same medication for almost three years, and every other experience I have had with a doctor has been one or two initial appointments, then just picking up the scripts. His answer was "How do you think I make a living?" I was appalled!

My question is, first, is there some law that says that before a doc can prescribe a schedule 2 drug like Concerta, they have to have an "appointment" with the patient, and, second, should I report him to my insurance company? To me, this sounds like insurance fraud, but maybe this is a general practice of which I'm just not aware. Does anyone have any stories of similar experiences or any insight on this?

I was also in law school when I was dxed. and first treated for ADHD; makes a big difference, doesn't it?
I don't know of any "law" that requires monthly visits to the prescriber in order to obtain a scrip for a Schedule II drug. I do know that it's required by the organization through which my prescriber works. In fact, that's been the case with every doctor I've seen for this reason; none of them would just hand out a scrip without setting eyes on the patient first. (This is in NY and Maine.) I think your doctor's answer was crass, even if true. But the monthly appointment is pretty much par for the course, at least from what I've seen.

Hi everyone. I was diagnosed with ADD about three years ago and began taking Concerta. At the time, I was in law school and saw a doctor on campus for my prescriptions. After the first couple of visits during which the doctor and I were trying out different drugs and dosages, the doctor no longer required me to come in for monthly appointments. He would simply write out a new prescription for me and I would pick it up from the receptionist.

For the past nine months or so, I've been seeing a new doctor in a different city. This doctor requires me to come in for an appointment every month in order to pick up a prescription, during which I have to fork over a $30 co-pay (in addition to the $60 or so I pay per month for the Concerta) and he charges my insurance company $400 for a 45 minute appointment (when I actually only spend about 5 minutes talking to him). Not only that, but he'll frequently schedule 3 or 4 people for 45 minute "appointments" in the same time slot, during which each person is just there to pick up a prescription.

I have asked him on more than one occasion why he requires me to come in for an appointment every time I need a new prescription, particularly when I have been on the same medication for almost three years, and every other experience I have had with a doctor has been one or two initial appointments, then just picking up the scripts. His answer was "How do you think I make a living?" I was appalled!

My question is, first, is there some law that says that before a doc can prescribe a schedule 2 drug like Concerta, they have to have an "appointment" with the patient, and, second, should I report him to my insurance company? To me, this sounds like insurance fraud, but maybe this is a general practice of which I'm just not aware. Does anyone have any stories of similar experiences or any insight on this?


While there isn't a law requiring appointments for Schedule II's, it is recommended that the patient be seen and reevaluated every month before writing a new script.

Are you unable to see a different physician?

Well, after the fact that I was diagnosed, I seen my doctor for the first 3 months and then he said that he was just going to write a script and initially "see me" every 3 months. So, I don't know about the financial issues associated with the insurance company, but I DO know that I can just go to the receptionist and pick up my script every month without even saying a work to my doc. :confused:

I also just pick up the scripts each month from the receptionist for myself,son and daughter we evaluate every few months or so.
Debby

Everything I have read says that the doctor should see you every three months, but ultimately it is up to the doctor. I'm on ritalin, not sure what "schedule" drug that is but it is a controlled substance so in my state, doctors cannot prescribe refills or call in refills over the phone, it has to be a written prescription brought in every month. My doctor post-dates three prescriptions. Good luck!

That smells really fishy to me. My daughter was diagnosed about 4-5 years ago and she sees her doctor for updates, check-ins, etc. about once every six months. To pick up her prescriptions, we either retrieve them from the front desk or have them mailed to us.