My vet charged me $27 to write a script up.
This was $60 cheaper than buying the medication from the vet.
I’m about to place my order using the scripts and they’ve written a script (and charged $27!) for an OTC product.
Do I have every right to feel annoyed about this?
To make matters worse they did not provide the original script, meaning I can’t order the medication as I need to send the original via post.
Where do you go to order Pet Meds online?
https://www.petceutics.com.au/
Never got an order wrong and very fast delivery.
(I'm not affiliated in anyway with them)
should they just write the script for free?
No? It's a service. The script is the vet's legal responsibility. GPs also charge a prescription fee without consultation.
Wrong! GPs and specialists do not charge EXTRA for writing out a script. You pay a consultation fee and that is it. You get a script within that consultation time.
If you just go in for a quick script without a consultation, of course they would charge for writing the script. Somebody has to get your file out, check whether you had the medication before, etc. But they don't charge BOTH consult and script fee.
Also to help you out with medication that is regularly needed, you can get up to 5 repeat scripts.
90 % of Vets on the other hand now charge for a consultation AND for writing out a script. On top of that they often refuse repeat scripts.
So why is it so expensive to get medication at the vet? Because they charge something they call "dispense fee", and no, they do not put that on the invoice. It gives them an enormous loading on vet-dispensed medication, plus their 200% to 400% markup on the actual medication price. What I find so wrong is not just the rip off but the lack of disclosure what they are charging you for.
Yep vets are ripping us off real bad.Looks like they can do what they want. :(
Need to leave a suitable google review for them.
Yep vets are ripping us off real bad.
Get a quote. If you don't like the quote, don't use them. If they are charging over the quote, investigate. Blanket statements like the above doesn't do anyone any good.
Looks like they can do what they want. :(
Actually, they have a professional body and the discussion is about prescriptions, ie. the system of not being able to do what they want. They have to be held accountable and they do have a limited range of medication they can prescribe.
"the discussion is about prescriptions"
It has been my experience that vets usually charge 3-4 times the price that I can purchase pet medicine online.
Pet medicine should be sold the same way human medicine is by making it available at the chemist (with a script supplied by the vet).
Their current medicine mark ups are preposterous.
$60.00 for ilium ear drops from the vet - the same drops $7.50 from the vet shed online.
Then here is a pro tip - check the price before you buy and buy from the cheapest if price is the criteria you shop by.
Hidden charges are a rip off.
Underquoting is a rip off.
Paying exactly what is advertised or agreed upon is not.
(It cost a lot more for a vet to purchase the meds than a mass retailer and they move far fewer quantities, and they provide sales support in person. I'm not a vet and I don't know any vets that are rolling in it except one who owns a dozen vet clinics.)
Just ring the practice manager and say there must have been an error. Ask for a credit for next visit.
Was the $27 the total cost of the visit or was the consultation fee extra?
Either way, they have to give you the script.
is that in legislation?
my doctor has forwarded scripts to pharmacist without handing to me, is it different for vets?
Are you sure the original script wasn't posted out to you? Vets will either post the original script to a pharmacy/chemist directly in cases where you need to acquire the medication quickly or they will post the original to you directly.
If you've paid the $27 then go back and request the orginal you paid for.
We had similar with a sick dog on multiple meds and was way cheaper paying the script fee and ordering online.
Expect a good number of repeats too; we saw 3 repeats on ours.
As for 'annoyed' we rated the Vet's expertise and were prepared to cop this morally ambigious cost.