CVS - Colchester, Connecticut

Robert C.

I am forced to use CVS Pharmacy in Colchester due to insurance, I've consistently encountered frustrating issues, primarily related to the application of manufacturer coupons. On multiple occasions, the pharmacy has failed to automatically apply these coupons, resulting in significantly higher charges. A particularly egregious example involved a prescription for three vials of insulin. With the manufacturer's coupon, the cost should have been $30. However, because the coupon wasn't applied, I was initially charged $300. This has happened repeatedly, forcing me to spend extra time and effort to rectify the charges. When I inquired about this issue, I was simply told that their system doesn't allow for automatic application of coupons.

Beyond the coupon issue, the Colchester CVS is consistently busy, resulting in long wait times. Today's experience perfectly illustrates this. Upon arriving to pick up my Repatha, I specifically asked the cashier if the manufacturer's coupon had been applied. I was told no, and the price was still listed as $100 instead of $5. This necessitated a trip to the service desk, where a new slip reflecting the coupon was printed. I then had to return to the cashier to complete the transaction. For a single medication, I spent a frustrating hour at the pharmacy.

These recurring issues, particularly the failure to apply manufacturer coupons and the excessive wait times, have made my experience with the Colchester CVS extremely unpleasant. As soon as my insurance allows, I will be switching pharmacies.

Iden D.

They consistently overcharge. I was charged $25.00 for a bottle of Benedryl sells at Walmart for $6.25 watch your receipts I will not go back! Two people, computer went down twice, a form filled out and one hour time to get my money back. This product is generic Benedryl.

Christine B.

I was helped out tonight by a really nice, extremely patient lady at the front check out desk. I believe her name tag said Lynn R. She was super helpful, friendly and it made me happy to know that good customer service still exists, especially in places where you don't expect to find it. Thank you, Lynn!

Bruna K.

Pharmacists are terrible. They regularly make up their own rules as to when or even IF to fill a prescription. One time a pharmacist actually said that they "don't feel like I need this medication" and refused to fill it. Also, several times my medication has been short a few pills, and when I call them to ask I get told their count is perfect and that I'm lying. If you don't have insurance then you're out of luck. They won't fill most prescriptions unless it goes through an insurance company, even if I just want to pay out of pocket. This place is horrible. I've put up with it for years because they usually have everything in stock, but it's not worth it for pharmacists to flip a coin to decide whether or not to fill your prescriptions. ZERO STARS.

Chrissy W.

The people in the pharmacy hate their job. My prescription is never ready, even when I've called it in days prior. I actually dread going to pick up my prescriptions here. There are some helpful, pleasant people who work at this location, but it's few and far between. CVS corporate should really pay attention. But they won't.

Matthew G.

Consistently bad service, long wait lines, unprofessional, unorganized "techs" conducting inappropriate conversations about coworkers and customers, prescription never ready... even after recieving a confirmation call.
I also notice a lot of frustration among customers with each visit.
This place used to be great some years ago, but have now switched pharmacies.

heidimsw

About 10-15 years ago, the Colchester CVS was stellar. Back then, I never understood the overwhelmingly negative reviews for CVS that I found on national websites like Consumer Reports. There was a personalized feel at Colchester CVS and there were certain staff members who recognized me by face, even though I was only there every few months. Nowadays, the staff turnover at Colchester CVS is so frequent, I don’t recognize anyone working there.
Meanwhile, for over 15 years, I’ve taken a maintenance med that’s recently been part of a *national* shortage. The CVS pharmacists and support staff are fully aware of the shortage. Yet, when my dr. has sent Colchester CVS the RX request for this med each month, CVS has sent me texts stating that the med is being “special ordered” and that CVS will contact me *when* the drug has been sent to them and filled. (BTW, it’s not a narcotic, and I’m not a drug abuser). Meanwhile, the CVS pharmacy staff is fully aware the medication will never actually arrive. My dr. is also (FINALLY) aware of the shortage, but she still insists upon trying to use CVS to fill my RX.
I’ve gone to CVS Colchester *in person* and spoken face-to-face with the actual PHARMACIST there about my medication back-order. He’s told me TO MY FACE that he “special-ordered” my medication and that it will be filled for me. For several months, I’d actually believed it was just a matter of my local Colchester branch being out of stock. I kept holding faith that my med had been “special-ordered” by Colchester CVS and would eventually be filled. This song-and-dance with CVS has been going on for over six months.
Again, this particular med is actually back-ordered from THE MANUFACTURER. The warehouses that supply CT CVS pharmacies currently have NOTHING to send. CVS can “special-order” this med till the cows come home, but it will never be back in stock. (Smaller pharmacies with less customer volume may actually have some back-stock available, however).
Of course, this manufacturer backorder is not CVS’s fault, and I’d never blame them for things that are outside of their control. It’s the LYING that I abhor! It would be so much more helpful (and less time-consuming) if only CVS would be HONEST with my doctor and me about the drug’s availability, so I could try to find another pharmacy to fill the RX.
The pharmacists and staff at Colchester CVS continue to *pretend* they’re ordering a special supply of my medication. It’s obvious that they just want us patients to sit idly by and stop asking about the med’s availability. I’m sure “corporate” has instructed each CVS branch to keep stringing patients along just to keep them coming back.
There is NO WAY the CVS pharmacists are NOT AWARE of the manufacturing backorder. It’s been all over the news; everyone in the immediate area - whether they take this medication or not - has been made aware of the shortage.
The same thing happened a year ago with another medication of mine. I had to compel Colchester CVS to search for other branches that had the drug in stock (because they kept feigning that they’d be filling the RX eventually). Once they transferred my RX info to other CVS locations, it was filled (although I had to drive to faraway CVS pharmacies to obtain it). If I hadn’t forced the issue at Colchester, though, I’d STILL be waiting - 10-12 months later - for the Colchester CVS branch’s “special order”. I’d wasted many weeks waiting for my “special order” to come into Colchester; it wasn’t until I *demanded* answers in person that the order was placed with another CVS that had some old stock.
As for today’s backordered medication…I’m still waiting to find ANY pharmacy to fill my RX. Because the CVS website kept falsely indicating that the med had been “special-ordered”, my dr. didn't know the RX was never filled. Colchester CVS has been NO HELP whatsoever. Today alone, when I tried to inquire about the status of my RX, I sat on hold for over 16 minutes straight. I called during regular (non-lunch) business hours. Nobody ever picked up the phone.

grace S.

They do not care!!

My doctor called in my specific brand of birth control and when my father went to pick it up for me (I am a college student out of town) he noticed it didn’t cost as much as it normally does (we pay out of pocket for this specific kind and have paid for this for the past year). When he asked about it, they said that it was my regular birth control. When I finally received my prescription, it was a generic brand. I called CVS to explain and was told all they gave this one because of my insurance. I explained again that this was not what my doctor prescribed and that they should have notified me that they were changing my medication or looked at my file and seen that I had paid out of pocket for the past year (I called my doctors office to make sure). This will be three weeks now that I have not been able to take my medications. I was told that I would need to come home to return this birth control (which was free) before I could receive my actual prescription.

(1/12/23) Update: this continued to happen. Not only was this an issue but this time my medication was sent to a different location without me knowing. When I went to Colchester to pick it up, they told me that Waterford was the only location that had the prescription. I told them it was no problem and that I understood. The next day, I drove the 40 minutes and was told that they did not have anything prepared or in the system. I called the Colchester CVS to see what happened. I explained that I knew it was not the man on the phone’s fault alone but that this has been a constant issue I have had with this specific CVS. He cut me off half way through to ask “well what do you want me to do about it, isn’t it being filled now?”

I am over the lack of communication by Colchester CVS. For years, I have been extremely understanding of how busy they are and how they can’t always control everything. I know that these things are rarely one person’s fault but I have never had any other issues at other locations. Before that phone call I decided that I would switch to a local pharmacy for two of my medications because they can mail it to me out of state, but this was enough to completely switch.