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Caremark - Shorting Prescriptions

Caremark Rx • Changing Prescriptions • Delivery Problems • Refusing to Fill Prescriptions • Shorting Prescriptions --- News • Caremark Settles Drug-Switching Charges • CVS, Caremark Rx Agree to Merge • CVS In Merger Talks With Caremark • Feds Side With Whistleblower In Caremark Case • Pharmacy Benefit Managers Scrutinized • Class Action Filed

Gayla of Magnolia TX (5/1/04):
I take Celebrex 2 times a day for arthritis. The last prescription I mailed in was for a three months supply (180 pills). I received 120 pills. A letter accompanying the medication explaining that my doctor's office had been contacted by Caremark and they had agreed to change my drug therapy so that my new therapy was to take one capsule twice daily as needed. Because it said as needed they only sent 120 pills.

The doctor had originally written 1 capsule twice daily. I called 1-800-224-1193 and talked to the pharmacist. He said if this was incorrect to call my doctor's office and have them call this same number. Caremark would then send me the remaining 60 pills free of charge within 7 to 10 days. I called the doctor's office. They called this number and were told to call a different number. At that number they were told they could not change the Rx back because it had already been mailed and they did not keep records of old prescriptions.

The nurse said, well let's just go ahead and call in another prescription so that it is right in the future. They said they were sorry but could not do this because they had just filled my prescription. They told her I could contact Caremark again if I had any more concerns. She relayed this to me sounding rather frustrated and saying this didn't really make sense to her. I called this same number for 2 days leaving messages and waiting for answers -- receiving no returned phone calls.

I'm making this complaint because of my personal frustration but also I see by reading other complaints that I am not alone and there is a broader systemic problem within the Caremark organization.

I paid $50.00 for 180 capsules and received on 120 capsules for the same price.

Robert of Libertyville IL (2/20/04):
I am retired from Allstate and pay dearly for a medical prescription plan administered by Caremark, Inc. Recently, without informing me, Caremark reduced my prescription refills for Celebrex from 90 to 60 pills. I did not notice this change, nor was I informed, until this change until my last refill in January, of 2004. I called Caremark and suggested that they must have made a mistake because for over a year, I had been taking one pill per day and my prescription was for a 90 days supply and that's what I was paying for.

Caremark's response was, "Oh no, we talked to your doctor and the doctor agreed that you should be taking the medication on an "as-needed basis" rather than on a one-pill-per-day basis. I suggested if that was the case, they had some obligation to inform me of the change. They said, "No, that's your doctor's responsibility. We have no legal obligation to tell you." I then checked with my doctor who advised me that on two different occasions, Caremark attempted to get her to change my prescription, and on both occasions, she declined to make the change. She so advised Caremark by faxes dated September 30 and October 1, 2003.

I then wrote to Caremark and told them about my findings. I also told them that they owed me additional pills or money. A woman named Sheila called me on February 13, and in my absence told my wife that because it would be too difficult for me to reach her, she would call me back on February 16. Today, February 20, I still had not received a call back and so I called and attempted to reach Sheila. Caremark didn't know who Sheila was but advised me that my doctor had changed my prescription in January of 2004, not last Fall. I told the lady, I didn't believe her. Her response was, "Well you can choose who you believe." She then gave me a number to call for a higher level discussion.

I called that number 800-224-1193, and could not reach anyone but was given the opportunity to leave a message. I left a message briefly describing the problem and asked for a call back. I then called my doctor and was told there was no record in my file of a change in prescription in January of 2004. The only correspondence the doctor had in my file between her and Caremark were the copies of the faxes mentioned above, dated September 30 and October 1, 2003. Caremark still has not called me back, nor have they answered my two letters, dated January 31 and February 9, 2004. I also sent copies of my correspondence to Allstate and today, received a letter from them saying that they would look into the matter and try to get back to me withing 60 days.

Isn't that wonderful treatment to a man who worked for them for over 28 years? If that's being in "Good Hands," I wonder who poked holes in their hands.

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