ONMEN.CA

Update to ONMEN/SCIENCE and HUMANS experience.

They've moved to using POCKETPILLS as their preferred pharmacy, and if you decide not to use pocketpills, they will charge an additional $25.

I didn't care, so went with pocketpills.
Pocketpills charged over and above customary dispensing fees that are not covered by my insurance, so there was ~23$ co-pay.
I asked Pocketpills to transfer my prescription to my local pharmacy which they did without question.


1 week later, I got charged the additional $25 dollars from ONMEN for having to "co-ordinate" with my local pharmacy. I called the pharmacy, and no one from the company called and co-ordinated anything.

Seems to me like a nickle and dime scam padding profits.


Edit, found this on the Ontario CPSO website,

Respecting Patient Choice When Choosing a Pharmacy​

  1. Physicians must respect the patient’s choice of pharmacy.
  2. Physicians must not attempt to influence the patient’s choice of pharmacy unless doing so is in the patient’s best interest and does not create a conflict of interest for the physician.
(bolding theirs)

also found similar but more detailed on the Alberta CPSA (came up first)

Conflict Of Interest - College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta | CPSA

cpsa.ca cpsa.ca
 
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Heraclitus said:
Update to ONMEN/SCIENCE and HUMANS experience.

They've moved to using POCKETPILLS as their preferred pharmacy, and if you decide not to use pocketpills, they will charge an additional $25.

I didn't care, so went with pocketpills.
Pocketpills charged over and above customary dispensing fees that are not covered by my insurance, so there was ~23$ co-pay.
I asked Pocketpills to transfer my prescription to my local pharmacy which they did without question.


1 week later, I got charged the additional $25 dollars from ONMEN for having to "co-ordinate" with my local pharmacy. I called the pharmacy, and no one from the company called and co-ordinated anything.

Seems to me like a nickle and dime scam padding profits.


Edit, found this on the Ontario CPSO website,

Respecting Patient Choice When Choosing a Pharmacy​

  1. Physicians must respect the patient’s choice of pharmacy.
  2. Physicians must not attempt to influence the patient’s choice of pharmacy unless doing so is in the patient’s best interest and does not create a conflict of interest for the physician.
(bolding theirs)

also found similar but more detailed on the Alberta CPSA (came up first)

Conflict Of Interest - College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta | CPSA

cpsa.ca cpsa.ca
Click to expand...
I could see your frustration, but I wonder what determines the co-pay. Could it be that your insurance is based on older tables? The reason why I ask is because with my benefits, I pay a $3.00 deductible per prescription. Yesterday pocketpills filled my two scripts and my pay total was $10.38 including my 6 dollars in deductibles and shipping. I was actually expecting it to be quite a bit more to be honest. For me it's a not brainer because I'm up north and the first time I tried to get Cyp, my pharmacy had none and said it was on "backorder". Then I later got a script for HCG. Guess what? Local pharmacy had none and once again said it was on backorder. Pocketpills got my script yesterday afternoon and sent it overnight. It's due to be delivered today.
 
Bobrebooted said:
I could see your frustration, but I wonder what determines the co-pay. Could it be that your insurance is based on older tables? The reason why I ask is because with my benefits, I pay a $3.00 deductible per prescription. Yesterday pocketpills filled my two scripts and my pay total was $10.38 including my 6 dollars in deductibles and shipping. I was actually expecting it to be quite a bit more to be honest. For me it's a not brainer because I'm up north and the first time I tried to get Cyp, my pharmacy had none and said it was on "backorder". Then I later got a script for HCG. Guess what? Local pharmacy had none and once again said it was on backorder. Pocketpills got my script yesterday afternoon and sent it overnight. It's due to be delivered today.
Click to expand...
My plan just lists that they will pay any dispensing fees that are "reasonable and customary".
I've filled different scripts at Rexall, Shoppers, Loblaws, Walmart and a couple other places and never been charged co-pay.

But this is a secondary issue to a patients right of pharmacy choice, without influence.
 
Heraclitus said:
My plan just lists that they will pay any dispensing fees that are "reasonable and customary".
I've filled different scripts at Rexall, Shoppers, Loblaws, Walmart and a couple other places and never been charged co-pay.

But this is a secondary issue to a patients right of pharmacy choice, without influence.
Click to expand...
We'll have to disagree on this one. "reasonable and customary" just means they can determine whatever they want. Like I said, my plan appears to have covered it, and I see no reason to believe that your dispensing fees would be higher than anyone else's, including mine. As far as patients rights for pharmacy choice, I can tell you when I switched from one pharmacy to another locally in my town, there was a fee associated with it. Don't get me wrong, they aren't perfect, but I'm glad I'm able to have my health taken care of. It's not ideal, but if I waited for an endo up where I live, I still wouldn't have had a consult yet.
 
Bobrebooted said:
We'll have to disagree on this one. "reasonable and customary" just means they can determine whatever they want. Like I said, my plan appears to have covered it, and I see no reason to believe that your dispensing fees would be higher than anyone else's, including mine. As far as patients rights for pharmacy choice, I can tell you when I switched from one pharmacy to another locally in my town, there was a fee associated with it. Don't get me wrong, they aren't perfect, but I'm glad I'm able to have my health taken care of. It's not ideal, but if I waited for an endo up where I live, I still wouldn't have had a consult yet.
Click to expand...
What is it we are disagreeing on? I don't claim to have your plan,
I'm stating what happened with mine.

Pocketpills charged additional fees that my plan would not cover.
The exact same script was transferred to a local pharmacy, and the entire amount including dispensing fees was covered by my plan. Admit I don't know for sure what part of it (cost of drug or dispensing fees) they would not cover.

RE: charge to transfer,
I asked Pocketpills if there was a charge to transfer, assumed there might be but they said no. Had they said there would be, I would have just stayed with them. ONMEN charged the transfer fee a week later.

RE: choice of pharmacy without influence,
if you think charging a fee to use any pharmacy other than "our preferred one" is not influencing,
well that we can disagree on.

Agree that for isolated communities, a shipping pharmacy is worth an additional cost.
 
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Onmen does say they will charge the $25 fee if you don’t use their pharmacy so that shouldn’t be a surprise.
The pharmacy before Pocketpills charged shipping so that’s why the switched.

So far I’ve been happy with their service, my insurance covers most of the cost and they had no issue sending the script to Walmart.

I got no help from any previous Dr or endo so that’s worth the price for me.
 
mbmuscle said:
Onmen does say they will charge the $25 fee if you don’t use their pharmacy so that shouldn’t be a surprise.
The pharmacy before Pocketpills charged shipping so that’s why the switched.

So far I’ve been happy with their service, my insurance covers most of the cost and they had no issue sending the script to Walmart.

I got no help from any previous Dr or endo so that’s worth the price for me.
Click to expand...
I've used my own pharmacy for a year with no additional fees, so it was entirely a surprise to me.

Glad you guys are happy with the service.
For the most part so am I, I've been with them for over 20 months.
Regardless of whether or not you're overall satisfied with a companies service, that shouldn't mean we can't openly discuss and share negative aspects and experiences as well.
 
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mbmuscle said:
Onmen does say they will charge the $25 fee if you don’t use their pharmacy so that shouldn’t be a surprise.
The pharmacy before Pocketpills charged shipping so that’s why the switched.

So far I’ve been happy with their service, my insurance covers most of the cost and they had no issue sending the script to Walmart.

I got no help from any previous Dr or endo so that’s worth the price for me.
Click to expand...
I am 100% right there with ya. The added cost is peanuts in my opinion, I can’t find a negitive spin on it but it’s a matter of perspective to each individual.
 
RigPig said:
I am 100% right there with ya. The added cost is peanuts in my opinion, I can’t find a negitive spin on it but it’s a matter of perspective to each individual.
Click to expand...
Agree perspectives/opinions everyone has one of their own.
I shared mine and was going to let it drop as just difference, but with the conflicting replies here, I decided to find out some actual facts for my own clarity. I am open to changing my mind when it's shown to be incongruent.


CPSA happens to have an inquiry department.
My email

I recently had a healthcare provider prefer I use their online pharmacy, and if I chose to use another pharmacy they would bill me an additional 25 dollars.
Does this fall outside the Conflict Of Interest Standard of Practice?
Thank you.


Their response.
____________________________________________________________

Thank you for your email.

Clause 7 of the Prescribing: Administration standard of practice prohibits a physician from referencing a specific pharmacy:

  1. When issuing a prescription directly to a patient, a regulated member must not:
  1. reference on the prescription a specific pharmacy, pharmacist, distributor, agent or broker in the absence of a compelling clinical reason; or
  2. direct a patient to attend a particular licensed pharmacy unless justified by the limited availability of a product and/or service

Additionally, a fee for using a different pharmacy is not supported by CPSA. If it was a physician you encountered this with, you are welcome to file a complaint with our Professional Conduct Department.

If you have any other questions or require additional information, please let me know.

Sincerely,
Standards of Practice Advisor
__________


So according to at least the standards advisor of Alberta, the 'negative spin' is that it may be deemed a breach of ethics.

Whether or not this particular company is subject to regulation by the College might be another question but as it is just peanuts, why not add it to the upfront business costs instead of creating even the perception of ethics violations.

That is never a good look for any business, 'in my opinion'.
 
onmen isn't bad, but they are a new service looking to make profit at scale. Which means, too many consultations, lower quality of care(cheaper) and additional fees. That's their business model.

It's a great place to start as the barrier to get going is simple and fast. But if you're serious about your health and want to work with a doctor or NP that actually knows what they're talking about - I'd suggest truebalance.
 
El Ronero said:
onmen isn't bad, but they are a new service looking to make profit at scale. Which means, too many consultations, lower quality of care(cheaper) and additional fees. That's their business model.

It's a great place to start as the barrier to get going is simple and fast. But if you're serious about your health and want to work with a doctor or NP that actually knows what they're talking about - I'd suggest truebalance.
Click to expand...
I would welcome you to start a Truebalance thread to share your experiences, costs, why you chose them etc.
 
So if u guys are paying these extra fees for bloodwork, what's the diff from going underground and going to a clinic and getting them to write up a list for everything you want tested?
Just curious

Just realised this thread is a year old sorry
 
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