Express Scripts is Terrible

[Walt34]

Enlightening thread. I've been getting grumpy if there are more than two people in line at the CVS pharmacy counter. I think this thread will help me chill a bit.

[Sue J]

Paper vs electronic.

I always get printed prescriptions because I come home and look them up on my insurances mail order site and then compare with local pharmacies via www.goodrx.com . With our insurer in 2014 most of them were less expensive at the local pharmacy, without using the insurance. For 2015 (different insurer) the mail order cost was less except for one of DH's Rxs so we used a GoodRX coupon and saved a few hundred dollars over what it would have been through the mail order pharmacy (Medvantx which changed to MedImpactDirect in Sept).

A few years/insurers ago we had Express Scripts for our mail order. It was fine except for excessive robo calls. "Your Rx is due for a refill" then "Your prescription has been processed" then another one for "Your prescription has been mailed". I finally shut that off by changing the settings in our account.

[Car-Guy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet When you ask for a brand name in lieu of a equivalent generic and you say they try to "force" you to take the generic, what does that mean? They absolutely refuse to give you the brand name? Or they give you the brand name but charge you a higher price than the generic?

As I said, they try to force you (through cost controls), but they don't refuse. They tell me how the generic is really the same thing (that's BS) and it's cheaper for them and for me (that part is probably true). Every time I renew the prescription, they call and write... As I said earlier, some generics probably do work.... I really don't know. I do know they don't "all" work as well. I do pay a premium (80%) for the brand name meds. And I know the 20% they pay is still more than the total cost of what the generic equivalent would be. I'm sure they are just trying to save "me" money.

[scrabbler1]

OP here. Yesterday, I picked up a 5-day supply of the drug at my local pharmacy. No charge, no problem. I will take the last pill of my current 1-month supply very shortly. The refill was mailed out via UPS so it will arrive in the next few days, presumably before the 5-day supply runs out.


Interesting discussion in this thread.

[FUEGO]

Agreed, express scripts is horrible. They claim they will stop covering our rx's if we get them from the retail pharmacy so we essentially have to order online. Ok.

I give them the RX info, then realize they only do 3 months at a time by mail and I just need 1 month. So I tell them to cancel my request for the 3 month mail order. They put in the request for 3 months to my doc. I have to call and cancel again. A week later I get the prescription in the mail. And a bill for it online. And it's name brand instead of the generic I was filling at the retail pharmacy (therefore even more expensive than paying cash at retail).

I call to complain, they eventually give me a refund and say keep the rx. I verify all other orders cancelled. 2 weeks later another order of the rx shows up (generic this time at least). I call to complain again and get another free rx.

Anyone need any prescription strength toothpaste? I have a few extra tubes.

[infoseeker]

Has anyone had concerns about the way Express Scripts packages the filled prescriptions for mailing?

My husband has a chronic condition that requires a control drug. Many controlled drugs have street value. At times, Express Scripts has sent this drug in a thin bubble pack envelope, with the pills rattling inside the bottle. .

Why cannot Express Scripts put cotton in the bottle (to stop the rattling) and disguise the shape of the bottle itself by mailing in a more rigid container? Or, require a signature at pick up, so it waits (safely?) at the post office? What the heck, I think they should do both!

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infoseeker Has anyone had concerns about the way Express Scripts packages the filled prescriptions for mailing? My husband has a chronic condition that requires a control drug. Many controlled drugs have street value. At times, Express Scripts has sent this drug in a thin bubble pack envelope, with the pills rattling inside the bottle. . Why cannot Express Scripts put cotton in the bottle (to stop the rattling) and disguise the shape of the bottle itself by mailing in a more rigid container? Or, require a signature at pick up, so it waits (safely?) at the post office? What the heck, I think they should do both!

Have you asked them?

A long time ago, can't recall who the pharmacy was (Medco?), sent me some meds that were timed release, so had a coating, and no cotton, and some were broken. I called, they replaced them and packed with cotton from then on.
-ERD50

[scrabbler1]

Well, color me stunned! The 3-month pill supply from Express Scripts arrived this morning via UPS. Looks like all of my squeaky wheel antics paid off?

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrabbler1 Well, color me stunned! The 3-month pill supply from Express Scripts arrived this morning via UPS. Looks like all of my squeaky wheel antics paid off?

Glad to hear it!

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Car-Guy As I said, they try to force you (through cost controls), but they don't refuse. They tell me how the generic is really the same thing (that's BS) and it's cheaper for them and for me (that part is probably true). Every time I renew the prescription, they call and write... As I said earlier, some generics probably do work.... I really don't know. I do know they don't "all" work as well. I do pay a premium (80%) for the brand name meds. And I know the 20% they pay is still more than the total cost of what the generic equivalent would be. I'm sure they are just trying to save "me" money.

That seems fair enough to me! I do use generics and wouldn't want higher premiums forced on me so that others can chose brand name drugs. So we each get what we pay for.

Fortunately for guys like you and me, these cost variations are fun to talk about and do a little bitching and moaning, but they don't keep us from choosing what we want and paying the price without undo budget issues.