14 replies to this topic

[WoofWoof]

  I'm so frustrated I could bite someone! I have United Health
Care for primary insurance and receive my Tasigna prescription thru them from
Walgreen Specialty Pharmacy. Never a problem, Walgreen was always in contact
& quickly sent my meds. Two months ago Medco calls & tells me they will
be my Tasigna supplier starting in May and take all my info. It's now time for
a refill and Medco says it will take two more weeks to get, UHC says to find a
local pharmacy for a short supply (of course none have it on hand).

So the inefficiency of
someone is now my problem to correct. Grrrrrrrrrr.........

[CindyS]

I too have UHC and have to use Medco as my primary pharmacy.  They actually have a specialty pharmacy within Medco called Acreedo and that's who I have to get my Gleevec from.  I went through a lot to get the first prescription filled, but I'll admit that since the second refill, everything has run quite smoothly.  I now get my refills for 3 months at a time so I don't have to be here to sign for them once a month.  I travel for work sometimes and am not always here to receive the shipments so getting a 3 month supply gives me more leeway.  It was really, really frustrating in the beginning though so I can empathize with you.  But hopefully it will get better for you as it did for me!  Good luck!  - Cindy

[Susan61]

Hi:  I have to agree with Cindy with regard to the Accredo Pharmacy at Medco.  I have had them for years, and they are always prompt with sending my Gleevec.  They call when they think I am low so I can reorder.  I set up the date for delivery, and they are here the day they say it will be here.  I think the transfer over from your previous plan to get started on your Medco plan is the problem.  I have had to use a local pharmacy at times when I did not order my other medications on time, but never had a problem with the Accredo Specialty Pharmacy.  I would call the Accredo Pharmacy to see if they could do something more.  They overnight your meds if they have to.  I also get a 90 day supply with 3 refills.  Thats how I have my Oncologist write my script for me.  This way I always know well in advance when to order.  Tell them that there is no local pharmacy that can get your medication to hold you over till they process your order at Medco.  Let us know how you do.

Susan

[0vercast]

I've found that with my online pharmacy, you can call for refills a couple days earlier than you should, and they won't ask questions.  After a few months of doing this, I now have a couple week supply of Gleevec squirreled away in case of something like this.

[chriskuo]

Interesting.  I have UHC and was getting my prescriptions through Walgreens Specialty.  In February, UHC switched me to their inhouse  specialty pharmacy, Prescriptions Solutions.

There were startup issues the first month but since they the shipments have worked smoothly.

[dee145]

Susan, I get my gleevec from Accredo also but my onc. did a new authoraztion in April and went to order my Gleevec last night and they said my auth. ran out...I told them he did all that in april but they have no records of it so now he has to call a place called Coventry (assuming this is my ins. comp.auth.dept.) then they will fax him paper and he fills it out then faxes it back then he has to call Accredo and do that part then after auth. I can call and order my Gleevec.  Have had Accredo since insurance change in Oct. of 2011 and no problems till now.  If this isn't done asap I will not have enough Gleevec to last me and I have been PCRU since July of 2010 and worried I will come out of this cause of no gleevec.  You know me from past postings I have bad anxiety and this isn't helping....I am really scared!!!!!  All I can do today is shake and cry....my onc. is a great dr and hasn't failed me yet on anything that I have needed in the past and calls between visits to check on me but when I called the Coventry place to see if I could do anything they said it could take at least 72 hrs for authorzation then with the holiday weekend coming up makes it worse.  My anxiety has got the best of me today!!!!!

                                                    Dee

[jrsboo]

Dee,

Doesn't your insurance cover a 21 days supply of a drug from a local pharmacy as well as the mail order pharmacy?

You can then always have your onc call in a prescription to a local pharmacy to get enough to tide you over until the fix is in.

I also use accredo, and have squirreled away a good safety cushion (more than a week) for just such occasions.

Caroline

[dee145]

I don't know....was always told it had to come from speciality pharmacy.  Good God how much would I have to pay though thru a drugstore pharmacy?

             Dee

[jrsboo]

Just your normal $20 co-pay.  I would find a pharmacy that has it first, I go to the one at the cancer center when I need something like this. 

Caroline

[jrsboo]

What do you pay or do when the regular dr. gives you a prescription.  You can't get everything through the mail order pharmacy, what if you needed prednisone or something immediately?  Or just an anti-biotic?

Your co-pay should be the same.

Caroline

[hannibellemo]

Dee,

Relax, missing a few doses of Gleevec for that short a period of time is not going to mess with your PCRU.

Pat

[WoofWoof]

Well it only took 9 phone calls and over 2 1/2 hours of conversations but I may be getting my Tasigna refill this Thursday. I wonder how people that work can devote the time & energy to resolve issues like this. UHC, Walgreen, Medco and Prescriptions Solutions all blamed each other for the snafu but when they tried blaming me I just pulled out my notes and proved them wrong. Of course I was the perfct gentleman and never raised my voice (well almost never & only when necessary). Thank goodness I have a supply of Tasigna to carry me over but I never let them know.

[chriskuo]

With all of the acquisitions and changing alliances going on in the Pharmacy Benefit Manager space, these botched handoffs are all too commonplace.

Some of these organizations are linked in some situations are competitors.  Also, the companies can be owned by the same company but not talk to each other.

When I was first dealing with the specialty pharmacy that Walgreens bought, there was no communication between the two organizations.

[pamsouth]

WoofWoof,

I can relate to your frustration.  Usually it is about my insurance paying bills. 

This is the first time I can remember of an Issue with Medco Accredo Pharmacy.  Kind of funny, talking to that last gal, last Friday listening to all the cover up stories.  I keep pretty good notes; dates, time, names, comments.

It wasn't that big of a deal, but still annoying, or some what amusing, that they don't pay attention to changes or read their updated notes.  I called Medco Accredo a couple months ago, to say I had changed Onc.  Gave them his name, two phone numbers, fax, address and all.  The gal said it really wouldn't do any good right now as I had two refills left, I get a monthly 30 day shipment of Gleevec.  Accredo said to call back in the middle of May.  Well it was the middle of May and Medco says they have my new prescription order.  Funny the onc name was from my previous oncologist, who I hadn't seen since last October.  Funny Medco Accredo had faxed the request to wrong onc and my previous onc who knew I had changed over to a new onc, sent in the 12 months prescription for Gleevec, at least I assume it was the onc, maybe it was one of her nurses, I would think the doc would have to ok it. Perhaps they have to many patients.  I said to Medco, well no worry I have 1 refill, she said no when you get a new prescription it cancels the old one.  So anyhow she says why don't you call us back next week.  So I called them back last Thursday, Medco says still no reply for new onc, why don't you call the doctor yourself so the next day, Last Friday I call the onc nurse and leave a massage, to fax over a 12 month prescription of Gleevec to this fax number at Medco Accredo.  Within the hour Medco Accredo calls me and she goes around and around, nicely but blaming me for the whole mix up.  She was somewhat upset that I didn't let Medco know I had a new onc.  I said I called two month ago and gave all the info on my new onc and was told don't worry, can't do anything until middle of May.  Then she says I must have called Medco and Medco Speciality Accredo, so I give her the number, yes it is correct. Then she says well you don't need to call your doctor if there is a problem.   Well Thursday Accredo told me to call the oncologist as they get busy.

Anyhow all is well.  Remember keep your notes, and be sure to follow up when there is a change.  Even when you think they got it right, well others don't always read the notes, or follow thru.   Be sure to check oncologist name, too.

Again it wasn't a big deal but was amusing to hear her keep passing the buck to me, when I had covered all the bases.

PamSouth