Frequently Asked Questions

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Our Virtual Health Management platform was designed to mimic a physical clinic workflow through the extensive features built in to support virtual visits.  UBACARE Lifestyle offers a full range of telehealth consulting services that help us engage our patients with the delivery of a personalized patient interaction while maintaining the continuum of care through remote patient monitoring using our messaging programs.

First, you need to complete an online questionnaire so that we can gather relevant information for your healthcare provider about your goals, medical history, current symptoms and chief complaint.  We will then match you with a licensed provider who will review the information and evaluate your treatment options.   Second, you can schedule an online visit from your computer, tablet or phone using our mobile friendly website.

After your virtual appointment, your treatment plan may include a prescription, which our pharmacy division can have delivered to the shipping address you provide in discreet packaging within a few days once your provider completes the evaluation.  If your provider determines that a prescription is not in your best interest, they will provide you with information on how to proceed.

No, we operate a cloud-based patient-to-provider telemedicine platform that affords you to connect with one our providers from anywhere you are, however we do require that a physician has been seen in person within the last three years.  Our platform enables us to connect with patients needing time-sensitive consultations and follow-up medical visits.  UBACARE is bringing technology and innovation to re-humanize the practice of clinical, integrated and functional medicine in a way that is fulfilling for practitioners and patients alike.

Yes.  UBACARE has incorporated telemedicine and collaborative health record technologies that enable US and Canadian licensed medical providers to practice within their scope and manage patients remotely.  Every healthcare practitioner you interact with is licensed to diagnose and treat within your state, province/territory and complying with all governing medical laws.

Most products from our pharmacy division are available only with a valid prescription.  We make the process of getting the necessary prescription for said products easy by having you start with the online consultation.  Our network of healthcare providers will assess your specific needs and provide the appropriate treatment and/or recommendations after you have completed a short digital questionnaire.  For over-the-counter products, prescriptions are not required and subsequently these products can be ordered directly from the website.

We do not dispense narcotics, controlled and targeted substances. In addition, we do not dispense drugs that have serious safety concerns and fall under the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy or REMS program.  You should continue to have prescriptions for these medications filled for you at your local pharmacy.

For more information, please visit:

https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/schedules/orangebook/orangebook.pdf
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/rems/index.cfm

After you schedule your online visit, a doctor will complete their initial review within 24 hours.  There are times when it may even be within minutes depending on patient volume.

If 24 hours have been exceeded with no contact, please email us at support@ubalifestyle.com and we will resolve the issue promptly.

After you have completed your initial online consult and our healthcare provider has decided you are a good candidate for telemedicine, you can speak with a physician via messaging, phone call, or a video conference at your convenience.  Video chat may be required depending on the state, province and/or territory you reside in.  After your initial onboarding, your physician will reach out with the appropriate next steps.

It is our duty and responsibility as registered healthcare providers to make sure that we positively identify each patient to be sure we are treating the right person.  Without correctly identifying a patient, the rest of the steps in the patient care and safety process can be compromised.  For all new patients, an appropriate piece of government-issued identification must be provided or at least two pieces of secondary identification in order to create your patient profile in our medical and pharmacy records.

In order to confirm your identity before we start the online visit and/or dispensing of a prescription we need the following:

Photo of Government-Issued ID

Must include: first and last name, date of birth (DOB), ID expiration date (cannot be expired); or Two Pieces of Secondary ID

can include: birth certificates, citizenship cards, record of landing of permanent residency, government issued work/visitor/study permits, marriage certificates, etc.

Your personal identifying information including medical history and identification will never be shared outside of our secure system.

No, you do not need a prescription.  Our team of health care providers on our HIPAA and PIPEDA compliant virtual care platform will you write a prescription if deemed safe and appropriate after online consultation.

We got you covered.  Due to the significant costs savings that we provide to our patients we can still help those who already have a prescription.  We accept prescriptions from Canadian Licensed medical practitioners with the following requirements in accordance with the Canadian Health Professions Act Bylaws – Schedule F.

A registrant must ensure that a prescription is authentic.  Upon receipt from the practitioner and/or patient, a prescription must include the following information: (a) the date the prescription was written; (b) the name of the patient; (c) the name of the drug or ingredients and strength if applicable; (d) the quantity of the drug; (e) the dosage instructions including the frequency, interval or maximum daily dose; (f) refill authorization if applicable, including number of refills and interval between refills; (g) the name and signature of the practitioner for written prescriptions;

Our site and services are provided to you by UBACARE – Your Intelligent Health Company, a British Columbia incorporated company accredited by the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia.  UBACARE Pharmacy Registration Identification Number with the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia is XXXXX and its Accreditation Number is XXX.  You can verify our pharmacy accreditation through the following link: http://www.bcpharmacists.org/search-pharmacy.  Simply type in “UBACARE” in the search field.

We are an independent technologically driven, central fill pharmacy located at:

Unit 106 19140 28^th Avenue

Surrey, British Columbia

Canada V3Z 6M3

Please note that as a central fill pharmacy we are not open to the public for walk-in business.

UBACARE Pharmacy is available to anyone needing medications regardless of their health condition.  You must be 18 years of age and older to sign up and use our services, otherwise a parental guardian must sign up on your behalf.

We can help you right away, whether or not you have a prescription.

We accept prescriptions from both Canadian and US licensed practitioners.  An “original” prescription can be provided to us by written, verbal or faxed authorization from the prescriber.  In some cases, we can obtain an “original” prescription on your behalf by fax-back or verbal refill requested authorized by the prescriber.  There are some instances, a pharmacist must contact the out-of-province and/or state prescribing physician to confirm the legitimacy of the prescription and when satisfied, the pharmacist will dispense and process the prescription.

If you do not have a prescription, no problem.  Take advantage of our online appointment scheduler for a virtual consult with one of our Canadian and/or US licensed physicians.  Just fill out a short form regarding the required prescription.  One of our licensed practitioners will bridge the gap providing timely primary care for you by connecting with you through secure text, video or audio chat, acting as the first and is the most cases your final stop for your healthcare concern.

Pharmacies receive dispensing fees for filling each prescription.  A dispensing fee covers the services that a pharmacist provides when filling your medication such as: updating your medical records, checking for therapeutic appropriateness, identifying drug therapeutic problems (i.e. drug-drug interactions, drug-disease interactions, drug-herb interactions, drug-lab interactions), counselling on the medication, etc.  Our dispensing fee is $4.99 USD, which is lower than even the British Columbia standard of $10 CAD.

The United States has spent more on prescription medications than any other country in the world 1.  In 2013, the per capita spending on prescription drugs is increasing faster than any other industrialized country.

The high cost of prescription drugs in the United States is been a contentious issue for most Americans.  Sadly, US prescription drug costs, after discounts, showed an alarming price increase three times that of inflation.  This has resulted in one in four Americans reporting difficulty in paying for their prescription drugs 2.

The prices for prescription drugs have gone up consistently since 2007, though net prices have levelled off considerably 3.  The increasing cost of prescription drugs in the United States is complex as it entails various factors that have contributed to the continuous escalation in drug expenditures.

At UBACARE, we are committed to keeping your personal health information confidential.  It is our policy not to collect, use or share personal health information without the patient’s consent, unless permitted or required by law.

It is the norm for us to collect and use personal health information for a number of reasons such as to identify you, ensure the medication is appropriate for you, to monitor drug interactions or allergic reactions to your medications, to protect your health by providing you with appropriate health-related advise, to provide to your insurance carrier in order to properly process claims, to meet professional, legal and regulatory requirements.

Outside of our normal communication with you or your caregiver upon the presentation and dispensing of prescriptions, your personal health information may be disclosed in the following circumstances:

• To allow your drug payment plan to process your prescription claim for payment and reimbursement
• To your prescribing doctor or health care professional to confer with them details about your medication
• To anyone who produces written authorization from you and only for the limited purposes set out in the authorization
• As permitted or required by law

In the course of providing services or maintaining our system, we may use service providers who may require access to systems which contain personal information.  These service providers are bound to keep all personal information confidential.

When you provide us with your relevant personal health information, you are deemed to give your consent to UBACARE to:

• Contact the health care professional who wrote the prescription to discuss dosage, your condition, allergies recorded on our system, drug interactions and queries with regards to your continued use of medication.
• Communicate with your private insurance to provide them with the necessary information if required
• Discuss the prescription instructions with you, your agent or your caregiver
• Provide you with health-related information and services that may be of assistance or interest to you

If you choose not to provide us with certain personal health information or if you withdraw your consent, we may not be able to offer you the services, programs, goods or information that you requested or may have been offered to you.

UBACARE strives to maintain appropriate physical, procedural and technical safeguards so as to protect against loss, unauthorized access, disclosure, inappropriate alteration or misuse.

Your personal health information is retained for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected and to comply with applicable laws.  Our private cloud-based servers are hosted in a fully secured, top-tier, third-party server center and supported by a top-tier backup server facility. The SnapMD data center is a SSAE 16 SOC I Type II, PCI, HIPAA and HITECH compliant environment with multiple database servers (Microsoft SQL), web servers, load balancing technology and firewall with IPS.

The collection, use, disclosure, retention, disposal and destruction of information is governed by our privacy policy.  As a user, it is your sole responsibility to review our privacy policy prior to agreeing to the terms as the privacy policy is incorporated by reference into, and accordingly is part of these Terms.

As a registered customer of UBACARE (a “Third Party”), you agree to pay for the fees of your Healthcare Services or Informational Services, as described in the Third Party Payment below, you are representing to UBACARE, that:

1. You consent to us using the email address provided to us by the Third Party to communicate with you regarding the UBACARE Platform and Healthcare Services and/or Informational Services;
2. Disclosing the information that you have requested Healthcare Services to the Third Party to permit UBACARE to process payment for the Healthcare Services and/or Informational Services; and
3. Notifying the Third Party of any changes or termination of your access to the UBACARE Platform.

If you have questions about our privacy program, our management of your information, or the personal information that we disclose to Third Party payers, please contact us as set out in our privacy policy.

First we have to receive your prescription and receive consent to create a patient account that contains required information for filling a prescription: first and last name, contact number, email, date of birth, allergies, address, medical condition(s), and credit card for payment.  If you have extended medical benefits such as an insurance card that assists with payment for your prescription medication, we will kindly request that you provide us a copy so we can leverage your extended health benefits.  Our downloadable App allows you to upload pictures of your insurance card and identification for your convenience.

In Canada, some types of medication are more affordable than others, depending on whether they are identified as ‘Brand’ or ‘Generic’. Both are reviewed and approved by Health Canada, but their pricing differs. Brand name drugs are produced by the company that discovered and patented the medication and they set pricing based on the cost of research and manufacturing of the product.  Once a patent runs out other companies can now produce that same medication.  These companies do not have to put as much money into research and development and therefore have significantly lower overhead costs.   Generic drug companies are required to submit proof to Health Canada that their version results in the same amount of medication getting into the same tissues for the same amounts of time thereby proving equivalency in order to be licensed.  Generic drug prices are set as a percentage of the cost of brand that is determined Provincially.

In most countries drug pricing is regulated by the government who will look at the average prices across most developed nations and set pricing based on these values.  In the United States, the government has less involvement in regulation of these prices which allows for a free market which allows for drug companies to set their own prices which has classically led to higher prices comparatively

For Canadian patients, we accept all major insurance plans.  For patients outside of Canada, we are working with our US partners to facilitate management of third-party insurance.

Generic drugs are “unbranded” pharmaceutical products.  They are a finished drug formulation that contains the same active ingredients as an original brand-name drug, but they are generally less expensive.

Yes, all drugs that are authorized for sale in both Canada and the United States must undergo a similar review process and be approved by Health Canada and/or the Food Drug Administration (FDA).  These agencies are responsible for assessing the safety, efficacy and quality of all medicines. There are no differences in the quality and safety standards that generic drugs and brand-name drugs must meet.

When a generic drug is reviewed, the manufacturer must demonstrate that the generic drug performs similarly to the brand-name drug and that the generic drug delivers the same amount of medicinal ingredient at the same rate as the brand-name version.

In many cases, generic drugs match the size, shape, colour and taste of their brand-name counterparts. In other cases, there are slight differences.  The important thing is that the generic medicines must have the same active ingredients and be “bioequivalent,” meaning they work the same way in your body as their brand-name counterparts. The differences in appearance do not affect the safety or effectiveness of generic medications.

The standards for bioequivalence in Canada are built upon internationally recognized standards and the criteria are among the highest in the world.  Health Canada Scientists ensure that the standards for bioequivalence are adhered to and kept up to date as they work closely with an expert panel of Scientists, Physicians and Pharmacists from across Canada.  Health Canada also regulates the non-medicinal ingredients, such as fillers and preservatives, for both brand-name and generic drugs and they are subject to the same approval process.

One of the main reasons generic drugs cost less is the significant reduced financial investment in   research and development along with marketing compared to a new brand-name drug.  The savings can be substantial and may be passed along to you in the form of lower prices.  For this reason, when a new drug is created, many companies apply for a patent, which allows the patent holder to have exclusive rights for a certain number of years to sell the drug and make up its initial investment. Eventually, when the patent nears expiration, generic drug companies can apply for permission to manufacture their own generic versions of the drug. As a result of having no start-up costs to develop the drug from scratch, they can afford to make and sell the medicine for less money.

No.  Brand-name drugs are developed under patent protection.  In most cases, generic drug companies apply to Health Canada to sell a generic version after the brand-name drug’s patent(s) expire.  Over the next few years, as more patents expire, generic versions of several top-selling brand-name drugs are expected to become available.

Inactive ingredients, such as fillers and colourants, can give a drug its colour, size and shape. Generics must contain the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs but they do not have to be made with the same inactive ingredients, as these do not affect the therapeutic effect of the drug.

If you are taking a brand-name medication, you can talk to one of our pharmacists about switching to a generic drug.  In some cases, a generic drug may not yet be available if the brand-name drug is still under patent.

Pharmaceutical compounding refers to the art and science of preparing customized medications for patients and animals.  We are committed to patient safety by utilizing the highest quality materials available, cutting edge technology and quality assurance process controls that provides the right drug, right concentration, right route of administration for the right patient.  At UBACARE Pharmacy we have both non-sterile and sterile compounding services on site and do not outsource any formulations to assure the highest level of safety and quality.  If your doctor has prescribed you a compounded medication, ask them to include any specific requirements on the prescription so there are no delays in preparing your medication.

Many of our compounded formulations are used for men’s and women’s health, dermatology, hormone replacement therapy, IV therapy, fertility, gastroenterology, chronic pain, sports medicine, podiatry, urology and urogynecology, wound healing as well as many other areas.

We fill the same medications as your local retail pharmacy, including over-the-counter medications, medical devices, diabetic supplies but at a lower cost.  Savings are more significant for US citizens however Canadians can also save from our low dispensing fee while also benefiting for our convenient services.  You can easily order these items through our one of our websites www.ubamed.com and www.ubapharmacy.com

If you are able, we kindly request you have the prescriber’s office fax us your prescription directly, otherwise submit it through our online platform which will allow you to ‘take a picture’, allowing us to receive an image of your prescription and from there we will validate the authenticity and completeness of the prescription hardcopy as defined by the HPA Bylaw Schedule F, Part 1, Section 6(2)  and from that point start the process of filling your prescription(s).

We can save you valuable time when it comes to refilling your medication.   We suggest that you elect to use our automated refill reminder which enables us to fill your medication before you run out.  Many of our patients request that we refill their medication 7-10 days before it runs out.  In cases, where your medication has run out of refills, we will contact your doctor to request a new prescription.  If we run into any issues, we will keep you updated.

There are a number of ways, that we can facilitate the transfer of your prescription.  You can either call us at our toll free number 1-800-XXX-XXXX , email us at support@ubalifestyle.com and place a request to transfer your prescription.  Please provide us with your current pharmacy details, name of the medication(s) you would like transferred.  If you want your entire medication profile transferred, just advise us and our pharmacy team will handle the rest.  Unfortunately, we are unable to transfer prescriptions originating outside of Canada.

Yes, we can contact your doctor’s office directly with your permission anytime you need a new prescription or a refill reauthorization.

The renewal process usually takes 1-2 business days depending on your location. We will keep you updated on your renewal and let you know if there are any issues or delays.  If we do experience any problems, we will extend to you one of our licensed health prescribers to review your profile and renew your prescription on your behalf.

In the majority, of cases your medications will be shipped within 1-2 business days once we have a valid prescription on file.  We have a variety of shipping options ranging from postal carrier services including Canada Post and United States Postal Services to courier services with United Parcel Service (UPS) and DHL Global to accommodate your needs.  In all cases, you will be provided a tracking number to monitor your package delivery status and expected delivery date.

UBACARE has logistic and freight solution agreements with Canada Post, United States Postal Service, UPS and DHL as their primary shipping partners.  Every one of our standard orders are shipped and delivered to your requested shipping address after verification of said address.  If no one is available during the delivery of your package arrangements of a secure area inaccessible to the public such as a mail slot or lock box.  If no such safe option location is available, a Delivery Notice Card will be left indicating your closest pick up location to retrieve your parcel.  Some products/shipping methods will require a signature.

UBACARE is committed to your health and we accept liability for any package that is damaged or missing/lost during transit.  If there is any indication suggesting that your medications have been damaged or lost, please let us know by contacting us directly at 1-800-XXX-XXXX or emailing us at support@ubalifestyle.com

UBACARE Pharmacy uses a special shipping called cold chain logistics to ensure that medications that require strict temperature ranges arrive at their destination fully potent and undamaged.  A properly functioning cold chain delivery system keeps sensitive medications within a designated temperature range as they move through the supply system.  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that refrigerated specialty drugs such as biologics be stored and transported within 2C to 8C (36F to 45F), unless the medication is stable outside of that temperature range.  The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) backs these requirements with regulations that define the appropriate storage conditions for pharmaceuticals (CFR2111).

UBACARE Pharmacy has incorporated third party tested and validated temperature-controlled packaging.  Our cold chain packaging exceeds international standards which require a 24-hour shipping and delivery duration, NUYU uses packaging that supports a 96- hour shipping and delivery duration which takes into consideration any unforeseen delays such as “dock wait and inspections” in the delivery process.  Our cold chain logistics protects against both heat and freezing temperature to provide you safe delivery year around no mater where you are located.

Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns of prescriptions products for reuse or resale, all sales are final.  However, if you believe we have made an error in filling your prescription, please contact us at support@ubalifestyle.com

Not necessarily.  This will depend on the shipping method, type of product and availability of a “safe delivery spot” not accessible to the public such as a lockbox or mail slot.  In some cases, a notice may be left with details as to where the order may be picked up and signed for near your home depending on the shipping method.

Once your order is shipped you will receive an email link to track your shipment.  All orders are shipped in accordance to the shipping options selected by you to ensure your medication arrive safely.  Orders are only able to be shipped on weekdays; with orders being shipped the following business day.

It is a fairly common practice for individual American consumers to purchase drugs from pharmacies in Canada and other foreign countries.  While U.S. authorities have chosen not to seek prosecution of consumers, there currently is no legal framework supporting such activity.

The importation of pharmaceuticals from Canada to the United States is generally unlawful for commercial distribution.  At UBACARE, we will only dispense and ship medications for personal use never for commercial use, direct to the patient via transactions completed in Canada and only for mediations that are approved by the FDA and Health Canada.   Even though, there have been various proposals advanced in Washington D.C. which could change the law in the future, none of these pathways are available today.  There are a few existing exceptions established under State law and approved by the FDA, but these exceptions do not apply in a purely commercial setting.

The U.S. government has in some cases taken legal action against those involved commercially in unlawful importation.  Warning letters have been issued by the FDA to some online companies and, in other instances, criminal prosecutions have been brought against importers.  The fact that the imported drugs may have been properly manufactured and are otherwise of the same quality as the domestic version of the drug is not a defense (the exception being drugs manufactured by a foreign facility registered with the FDA, where the foreign version of the drug is specifically FDA-approved.

If you are not satisfied with your UBACARE purchase for any reason, please contact support@ubalifestyle.com.   We do not accept returns of prescription products for reuse or resale all sales are final.  UBACARE monitors return activity by customers for abuse, and if we detect what we consider to be excessive or potentially fraudulent return activity from a customer, that customer may be notified in writing that UBACARE will no longer accept any returns from that customer, with or without a receipt of purchase.  It is our policy that all sales are final in exception of cases of whereby UBACARE made an error in filling, billing and/or shipping an order which in those cases be subject to validation and approval at UBACARE.

To register for a My Account, all you need to provide is your first and last name, email address and password.  You can fill out the rest of your account information including shipping, billing address, and personal options at your leisure. Once registered, you can check your order status, order history, and manage your account.

By clicking on My Account at the top of every page, you can access your account history with UBACARE.  You can change your account information at any time, as well as check the status of your latest orders. As always, you have the option to (un)subscribe to member benefits by clicking on the appropriate subscription box within your profile.

Each time you visit online, you should immediately sign in by clicking on the Sign In link or My Account.  This will give you access to your account, including your shopping list, while you are browsing and shopping. You can save items in your shopping basket for the next time you visit online. The same items will reappear the next time you sign in.

For security reasons, UBACARE requires a password for signing into your account.

If you have forgotten your password, there are 2 ways to reset it:

1) If you remember your login email address and security question answer, you can automatically reset your password. You will be asked for your login email address to retrieve your password hint.

2) If you do not remember your security question answer, you can contact CUSTOMER SERVICE to reset your password.

To change your account information, click on My Account and sign in.

My Account is located at the top of every Sephora web page. You can change your login, password, ship-to addresses, and billing information.

You can track the status of your order online at UBACARE. Click on My Account and sign in to check the status of your most recent order and your order history. Click on the order number for the shipment that you would like to track and a detailed order information page will be displayed. A tracking number is located to the right of the ship-to address and under the shipping method. Click on this number to view detailed tracking information. You can review the tracking history and the estimated date of delivery. Please estimate 1-2 business days from the time your order has shipped.

Order Statuses:

Order Submitted – “Placed”
Once you have placed your order on UBACARE and your credit card has been authorized, your order status will appear as “Placed.”

Order Processing – “In Progress”
Once you have placed your order, it will be sent to our warehouse to be processed and packed for shipment. During this time, your order status will appear as “In Progress.” Please allow 1 – 2 business days for the order to be processed and prepared for shipment. Once the order enters the “In Progress” status, no changes, or cancellations of your order can be made.

Order Delivery – “Shipped”
Once your order has left our warehouse, the order status will appear as “Shipped.

Address Book

Use the Default Address checkbox to designate which address you want to serve as your default ship to address. The default ship-to address information will appear automatically in the shipping screens when you make a purchase. (You will still be able to manually choose other available addresses during the checkout process.)

To create or add new addresses, just click on the Create A New Address button. To delete or edit an address, just click on the Edit/Delete buttons located below each address.