If you quote Part D without the right drug details, you are gambling with:

• The client’s trust
• Your time
• A future complaint
• Your E&O exposure

Most bad drug quotes don’t happen because an agent is careless. They happen because the intake was incomplete.

This post is protection.

Use it as a simple standard:

• Every call gets the same questions
• Every quote gets the same drug list details
• Every file has notes that defend you if the client later says, “Nobody told me”

Clients don’t give “drug list info.”

They give stories.

• “I take a blood pressure pill.”
• “It’s the little white one.”
• “I take two a day.”
• “My doctor changed it.”
• “I don’t know the name.”

If you accept that and quote anyway, you will get burned.

Because pricing changes based on details clients don’t realize matter.

You always need the medication name. But the name alone isn’t enough.

There are 3 details that must be collected for each medication before you quote:

1. Dosage / strength
2. Frequency / how they take it
3. Package size / quantity (30 vs 90, # of pills, pens, mL, etc.)

Miss one of these, and the quote can be wrong.

1) Dosage (strength)

What you need: the exact strength on the label.

Examples:

• 5 mg vs 10 mg
• 20 mg tablet vs 20 mg capsule
• 100 units/mL insulin vs a different concentration

How to ask (simple): “What does the bottle say for strength? It’s usually mg, mcg, units, or mL.”

Why it matters: Different strengths can price differently and can fall under different coverage rules.

2) Frequency (how they take it)

What you need: how often they take it and how much per dose.

Examples:

• 1 tablet daily
• 1 tablet twice daily
• 2 tablets at bedtime
• 1 inhaler puff as needed (PRN)

How to ask: “How do you take it right now—how many and how often?”

Important note: “As needed” still matters.
Ask: “About how many times a week do you actually use it?”

Why it matters: This is how you estimate monthly use and prevent surprise costs later.

3) Package size / quantity (the one agents skip)

This is the most common missing detail.

What you need: the fill size the client gets.

Examples:

• 30-day supply vs 90-day supply of tablets per fill (30, 60, 90)
• Insulin pens (box of 5 pens, 3 mL each)
• Inhaler count (number of inhalers per month)
• Creams (grams per tube)

How to ask (keep it simple): “When you pick it up, how much do you get each time? Is it usually 30 days or 90 days?”

If they don’t know, ask:

• “How many pills are in the bottle when you pick it up?”
• “Does the pharmacy usually give you one box, two boxes, or a 90-day bottle?”

Why it matters: A plan that looks “cheap” at 30 days can change fast when the client needs 90-day fills, more quantity, or multiple boxes.

Do not skip this question. It’s not small talk.

Pharmacy choice can change pricing.
Even when the medication list is correct.

Ask this early: “Where do you pick this up?”

Then collect:

• Pharmacy name
• City (or ZIP)
• Whether they use more than one pharmacy
• Whether they are open to mail order

Why it matters

If you quote using the wrong pharmacy:

• A “good” plan can look bad
• A “bad” plan can look good
• Your quote can be attacked later

Protection line to use: “I’m asking because drug costs can change depending on the pharmacy network. I want the quote to match real life.”

This one sentence builds trust and reduces complaints.

Client says: “I take Eliquis.”
You need:

• Eliquis 5 mg
• 1 tablet twice daily
• 60 tablets per fill (or “30-day supply”)
• Pharmacy + ZIP

Client says: “I’m on insulin.”
You need:

• Name (example: Lantus)
• Strength (example: 100 units/mL)
• Package (example: box of 5 pens, 3 mL each)
• Units used per day (example: 20 units daily)
• Pharmacy + ZIP

Client says: “I use an inhaler.”
You need:

• Name + strength
• How often used
• How many inhalers per month
• Pharmacy + ZIP

If they don’t know the info, don’t guess.

Use one of these options:

1. Bottle method
   “Can you grab the bottle? I’ll wait. Read me the name and strength.”
2. Photo method
   “If you can text or email a photo of the label, I can quote more accurately.”
3. Pharmacy list method
   “If you call your pharmacy, they can read you the exact list in 2 minutes.”

Protection framing: “This is how I make sure you don’t get surprised later.”

Copy this into your CRM notes and fill it in live.

RX INTAKE (Required Before Quoting)

Pharmacy:

• Primary pharmacy name:
• City/ZIP:
• Uses more than one pharmacy? Y/N (if yes, list):
• Open to mail order? Y/N

Medications (list each):

• Medication name:
  • Strength/dosage (mg/mcg/units/mL):
  • Form (tablet/capsule/pen/inhaler/cream/other):
  • Directions (how many + how often):
  • Quantity/package size per fill (30 vs 90 days, # pills, # pens, mL, grams)
  • Brand or generic (if known):
• Medication name:
  • Strength/dosage:
  • Form:
  • Directions:
  • Quantity/package size:
  • Brand/generic:
• Medication name:
  • Strength/dosage:
  • Form:
  • Directions:
  • Quantity/package size:
  • Brand/generic:

Notes:

• Any “as needed” meds? Y/N (estimate usage):
• Recent med changes expected? Y/N (details):
• Client priority: lowest monthly premium OR lowest drug cost OR predictability

When a client is upset about drug prices, they usually say:

• “Nobody told me.”
• “You quoted me wrong.”
• “This plan doesn’t cover what you said.”

Your best defense is a clean intake trail.

This checklist does two things:

1. It improves quote accuracy
2. It documents your process if there’s a complaint later

If you don’t ask these questions, you are taking risk for no reason.

Pick one action:

• Add the CRM text block as a saved note template
• Make it part of your personal quoting SOP
• Require these details before you run any Part D quote

You’re not being picky.
You’re being protected.