You may recall my tirade against Express Scripts, the online pharmacy that my primary health insurance company requires I use for maintenance medications in order to receive my negotiated rate. For those of you whose memories fail you, please take a second to peruse my soap box moment regarding this company. Last week, two separate people in the blogosphere used Residential Space as a means for venting their own frustrations towards Express Scripts. It appears that they have pissed off more than just yours truly.
Recently I refilled my birth control pills, and enjoyed a strange pleasure in paying money for them at my local Walgreen’s. I suppose the day may arrive where I could require medications for hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, and it may become too expensive to purchase them. Of course, what would be more expensive would be fees for a nursing home following a stroke because Express Scripts failed to send my medications to me on time. Yet, another reason not to have a chronic illness.
My beef is with pretty much ALL prescriptions/pharmacies. I can fill you in later. Let’s just say that I get so frustrated trying to get Micah’s Prevacid that I am compelled to take the PCAT and head for pharmacy school so that I can get my meds myself. (Actually, I think that’s illegal, but you get the picture.) We need to catch up, JE. Call me when you are not post call!
)
i have had similiar horrible experiences with my asthma meds. the insurance industry sucks.
Ah yes, Express Scripts. Here’s my story. I have been struggling to control hypertension for two years. One medication after another-one side effect after another and more meds to counter the side effects. Still no satisfactory control of BP in spite of exercise, diet change, and weight loss. I retired and moved to Florida whereupon my new doctor said “The meds you are on were good in their day but we have new meds that are much better.” He sent me out with with two scripts for “state of the art” meds. One of which was AZOR. Within three days my BP was lower than I had seen it in years (135/75) By the end of the first month it was averaging 128/70. And, no side effects. No need of Viagara or other pills to counter the side effects of the BP meds. BUT Express Scripts knows more than the good doctor. They will not pay for AZOR. They say I must take some older med for a while and prove that it will not work before they will ok the highly effective drug that the doctor prescribed. No Thanks! Express Scripts should not be in the business of drug experimentation on humans. So I am currently stuck paying almost $100 per month with no reimbursement. THANKS FOR NOTHING, EXPRESS SCRIPTS.
Believe me I feel your pain. As an employee of express scripts I can personally states that express scripts only cares about 1 thing, that is the almighty $$$. Don’t ever forget that. I know you haven’t been treated well by Express scripts, but try not to blame thwe Employees. We have to tell you what the companty wants us to tell you. The elderly really get screwed by Expres Scripts. Be reassured that the employees get screwed as well. We have to use the same benefits as mangement ment that carries astronomical copay and premiums. I am truly sorry for thet way you were treated and I hope your job does switch carriers and the new Presciption Benefit manager is somebody like Carmark or Medco, They care about there customers
I was required to get Amiodarone through ES, so being a good sport I called my doc and had her fax a prescription to them. About a week later she called me and told me to stop taking it. I promptly called ES to cancel the order. They said it has already been shipped. And, I could not return it. I was okay with that until I found out my co-pay was $115. I was furious I called back and b*****d like a pregnant woman. I promptly called my benefits department and got them involved. They called back and said that they would not take back the meds, and they could not help me because they had to follow the rules of ES. Unfortunately I used my debit card for the payment (bad mistake), so I had no leverage as I couldn’t dispute the charge. I called the very same day that was the post mark on the package was and the charge to me debit card was cleared.
I spoke to a friend who is a pharmacist and she said that pharmacies are charged on a tier basis. Hospitals get the cheapest prices, mail order pharmacies get the next cheapest and local pharmacies get the most expensive. So, I called our local hospital’s outpatient pharmacy to get a quote on the medication. Why on earth ES charges 4.25 a pill for a generic is beyond me. Anyway, they quoted me $44 for a 30 day supply. WTF, how is that possible? I can’t imagine ES jacks the prices up that much. Walgreen’s was slightly higher the ES in fact if I used Walgreen’s saving plan I could get it half of the retail price. I am half tempted to call my lawyer but it probably wouldn’t help as they are not breaking the law. And, it’s not worth going to small claims court for $115.
I looked up the pharmacy laws for Arizona which is the address on their site. The law states that they are not to accept returns unless the pharmacist deems that the medication has not been opened and it is in the same condition it was in when it left the pharmacy. so It’s a company policy.
I am so upset that if it is cheaper to get it at the Hospital outpatient facility then the co-pay at ES, I will just get it at the Hospital and not allow ES to get my money.
i usually stick to natural birth control methods because i am a christian, natural birth control has no side effects too.’:;
No side effects…except for pregnancy.