Complain about a product or service

Express Scripts

Dawn of Vancouver, WA December 29, 2009

Express Scripts is mandated by our employer for 90-day drugs. We have used them for past three-years or so without incident. They were always nice, friendly, and we ALWAYS paid for the drugs when they arrived, through their invoice and our online banking. Recently, I had to renew a prescription through my doctor. I printed their form and attached the prescription and mailed it to them, expecting the same process as in the past. Well, that did not happen!

I received an email confirmation stating they received the prescription and would email me when it shipped. About a week later I got the email stating that the drug had shipped. I went online to pay some bills and saw where they had taken out the money for the drug!!! It was 492.00! I could not believe it! They NEVER told me they were taking out that money and they have NEVER done that in the past.

I immediately called their 888# and spoke with Josh. I told him of the situation and he informed me that by having my bank card on file with them, it gave them the right to charge my bank account when the order was shipped. I told him the only way he got that card is when I made a payment to them through THEIR online bill pay. I NEVER gave them permission to take this money; it caused me to be overdrawn; and I had an ACH insurance payment coming out in 3-days that would bounce because of their mistake! He said he would take the card out of their system; and would request that 393 be returned and would keep 100 for payment on the account/drug.

I waited 2-days and called again, spoke with Josh this time. He said a request was made to return 100 only. And it had not been approved. I told him I wanted them to keep the 100 and refund the 393; he said he would make the request, but it probably would not be approved. I told him I would refuse the drugs when they arrived and have them mailed back. He informed me that they would not accept them. It was their policy to send them back a second time; and if they got them back again, they would destroy the drugs and would not be responsible for any refunds. He told me I needed a Return Authorization to send them back.

I requested a return authorization and got a 'canned' email response back. I called the number and spoke with Yvette. She said she would request the RA but unless there was a mistake on their part; they would not take it back! In the meantime, my doctor has issued a different drug. Now I don't need these anymore and am stuck with 493 they stole from me! Without my consent! I researched taking them to Small Claims court to recover, but they are in AZ and I am in WA. I must file in AZ and don't have the finances to do that.

I can't believe they are acting this way. I have always been allowed to pay them when i get the invoice...never did they take money from me on their own. This is the first time and they were very rude! I must have this drug to function, I can't afford that 500 they took. It makes me so angry and upset that I am physically ill and my blood pressure has risen too. They should not be allowed to operate like this. I would like to be a part of ANY class action law suit that is initiated. I have all statements showing I was billed with invoices and NEVER once did they EVER take money from me. I also have copies of all the emails too. And dates/times/names of conversations. If anyone else wants to start a civil action; I am on board, let me know.

November of St. Helens, OR December 29, 2009

I have sent this to the oregon State Board and The US Department of Health and Humans Services. This place is making me crazy! Through my husbands employer we have to use the Pharmacy called Express Scripts and can only acquire medications through the mail after two months of a prescription being filled at a local pharmacy.

We have encountered multiple problems over the last four years. I will start with the most recent negative encounter we have had with the pharmacy. I found a charge on my checking account from Express Scripts for an order of three medications. I called to ask them what it was all about. I was informed the computer made a mistake and generated an automated order that I did not request.

To rectify the situation I was informed that as soon as the medication was received I could mail it back as soon as they sent me a label to do so and my personal checking account would be credited. Several weeks went by and I seen no credit and wondered what had happened. Upon receiving the order back instead of putting the money back into my account the arbitrarily decided to simply credit our medication account. They even have a record of saying they would refund my money to me personally.

Another week went by and it was time to order my husbands blood pressure medication Lisinopril. It was one of three contained in the original computer generated order. The other two were not needed for several months as they were medications one takes as needed. When I went into the computer to order the Lisinopril it showed the order could not be placed until January. When they received that order back they did not fix the system to identify the medication had been returned. It still is not fixed even after I have called twice.

On two occasions I called and the person on the other line noted they would have to specifically let the pharmacy know to fill this medication. It still does not show the medication is in the pharmacy, so now I have to call again. This is two weeks later and he is running out of medication.

The Express Scripts representative suggested we go to the local pharmacy and have them contact them to get a few pills. The local pharmacy will not do business with them. That is not to mention we have at least three doctors that refuse to fax orders to Express Scripts because they do not feel they are dependable and have had too many cases of prescription orders getting lost.

A couple years ago my son was taking a medication that is considered a controlled substance so we could not receive it in the mail it had to be delivered by Fed Ex. The problem there was Fed Ex refused to deliver to my house because of my drive way. When I called the pharmacy to ask what we could do about this they suggested I drive to the fed Ex office in Portland to pick up the prescription. That is fifty miles away from where I live. I finally got the driver to meet me in town at precisely 4:00 pm to pick the order up.

Two years ago I had mailed in two prescriptions for me and they showed up in the computer system as being in the pharmacy. A week later I had not received them and called about this. I was informed I had no coverage. When I contacted the employer they said I did. Express Scripts told me they would mail the prescriptions back and I never received them.

Trying to get an Explanation of Benefits out of Express Scripts takes months. Most of the representatives do not seem to know what this paper is. On two occasions we have had to call multiple times just to get the right form. This pharmacy has false advertising this statement is taken directly from their website. Too busy to hassle with phone calls and snail mail? Express-Scripts.com makes managing your prescription plan quick and easy.* So you can spend your limited time on the things you enjoy.

This is absolutely not true. There is nothing hassle free, quick and easy, or allowing me to spend more time doing the things I enjoy. I spend way too much time tracking down prescriptions, on the phone trying to explain untrained employees what and explanation of benefits are, trying to get prescriptions to us, monitoring the website to make sure things are being processed correctly. Calling them to fix things like automated prescriptions I did not sign up for and being told one thing by one person and something else by another.

Just to give an example of that when I originally had to sign up to obtain prescriptions by mail I was informed I had to use a charge card. I do not own a charge card so had no choice to use my debit card. Now I am told I can request to have my card removed and just be billed for my prescriptions. This place is making me crazy.

I am not a person that goes around issuing complaints to various agencies for what I consider bad behavior or because someone has made a mistake. We are all human, we all make mistakes, but when it gets to the point where mistakes are constantly occurring, especially with a pharmacy issuing medications I am a very concerned citizen. I know way too many people having trouble with this mail order pharmacy. We are dealing with medications often times life saving medications if these kinds of mistakes are consistent what else is happening.

I have had the opportunity to use my local pharmacies for over 30 years and never once had a problem with anything. I understand money saving and stream-lining, but not to the extent of effecting someones Life (I think blood pressure medication qualifies), Liberty (which is defined as immunity from arbitrary exercise of authority, we are forced to use this place), or Pursuit of Happiness (nothing about Express Scripts makes me happy). I know this sounds harsh but you have no idea how incredibly frustrated I am at the moment.

Leigh of Chicago, IL December 11, 2009

I called to cancel a prescription that I didn't want until my samples ran out because it was more expensive than I thought. They cancelled it, and such was reflected on the website. Then I got a phone call the next day that they were shipping my order. I called back and asked if the robot that called made a mistake, and (utterly confused) the lady on the other end said, "Uh, okay." I just assumed it was a mistake since she confirmed the order was cancelled in their records. Two days go by and I get another call that my order has been shipped.... I check the website and it's the same drug, but somehow the processing date was yesterday.

I call them to see what the heck happened, and they give me the runaround and try to rush me off the phone by saying to just return the shipment when it arrives. She slips up though, telling me that this prescription has a totally different order number from the one that was cancelled, but doesn't explain further. I wanted to know how this happened because I never resubmitted the prescription. She transferred me to a supervisor who said that someone went in and reentered the prescription, again asking was there anything else she could help me with, rushing me off the phone. I can't use another company because this is the one my employer set up with our medical insurance, so I'm stuck with incompetent people. I truly believe that because they know many of us are "stuck" with them, they screw us over anyway that they can. I've always had issues with them, but this last one takes the cake! It surely can't be "legal" for them to reenter a previously-cancelled prescription without my or my doctor's consent and then charge me for it!

Robert of Dix Hills, NY December 8, 2009

My health plan no longer uses Express scripts nor does AARP! For 7 years I had nothing but trouble with Express Scripts. I am diabetic, so I had my Doctor fax my prescriptions to them every three months. In 2007, They said they did not receive those faxes, and we had to sem them more tham twice over. Because of this I sent them a prescription via Certified Mail, so someone there had to sign for it. Guess what? They claim they couldn't read the Rx, WHICH WAS PRINTED!

I complained to my health plan so much that they finally wised up and are now using a different mail away Rx company. The same happened to AARP which also no longer uses that company. Because of all the complaint I have just read, all of you should complain ot only to your health plans, but the governor of your states. They should send you mail to their respective Departments of Health, or consumer affairs departments.

George of Holiday, FL December 1, 2009

I am using Express scripts as my Medications Mail Order for more than 5 years, I am disabled and received my disability income by the Social Security every 2nd Wed. of the Month at my Bank. and when I received my Medication from Express Scripts if I have enough Money for their Copay charge I pay it wright away, and there was No any late Payments to Express Scripts for the Last 5 Years,

Last Month my Doctor ordered a New Prescriptions plus a New Refill for an important Medication I can not live without it, this Medications written by Dr. on 11/19/2009 and I have send it to The Mail Order Medication " Express Scripts" untill this Moment I do not hear from them about these Medication by e-mail, then I have called them from a Friend's House, because my Phone not working, and they do not want to send the Medications unless I have to send to them in Advance a Check for the amount of 170.90, and I have request from them that I do not have any more medications left and I need these medications soon but they refused and they asked me to send the Money first.

these is the 1st time I have a problems with this Mail Order Drug, and I do not know what to do. I do not have any credit Card to use it. I am living only on the income from the U.S.Treasurey. Please help me against the violent action taken by Express Scripts.

kristine of Martinsburg, WV November 14, 2009

You name it, it has happened. I am always running out of needed meds that I will be on for a lifetime! I have been sent drugs that I did not order, and was told that I would have to swallow the cost. To this day I do not know how Express Scripts got their greedy hands on a perscription that was to be, and was filled local. I collected all the paper work showing that it was a new trial drug, with only a 30 day supply. My doctor instructed me to fill it local to see if it help. After 3 days I had to discontinue use and informed my doctor. Express Scripts refused to tell me how they got a perscription that I did not submit, nor did my doctors office.

When all this was presented to the supervisor i got a bunch of run around, and not an answer to a simple question. Which was, how did this happen if I did not request the drugs? It's like asking a thief to tell you the truth. It will not happen in my lifetime. I suffer from cronic nerve damage pain, depression, migrains, and a brain aneurysm. I am only 38 and have always live a very active healthy lifestyle for the most part. The aneurysm makes me extreamly easy to annoy among other things! This company has made living with my condition unbariable! I am being held hostage by this company! Isn't there anything that can be done? Do I continually have to go through withdrawl symptoms because of this companies failure to provide us with the service needed? I guess the answer is yes, money wins over anything else! My life and care is not mine to determine, it is in the hands of Blue Cross and Express Scripts.

Dennis of El Paso, TX November 8, 2009

We have never worked with a more unprofessional, disorganized, mistake ridden organization and I work in education. My wife requires several maintenance drugs which ES can't get straight, figure out what is what from the Doctor and tell us that a specific med is unavailable due to the fact she already has filled it and it will be several months before she can get it.. It was a new prescription.

We have received phone messages that say that we have to do nothing but wait on the delivery and letters, dated at least a week behind, stating we owned money... I am glad I don't have to put up with this... Fortunately We can opt out of the service... pay more and get our meds...

tammy of gettysburg, PA November 3, 2009

when i received my pain med which i take 2x a day and was to get 3 months worth the bottle said 180 pills and inside there was only 60 pills notified them right away on october 17 and here we are nov,3rd and still nothing so now I'm starting to run low on my med and am still fighting with them, I started counting this time because last time I ran out too soon this company is a plain nightmare... all they seem to do is refer you from one person to another and do nothing! without my pain medicine I can't even get out of bed I'm on disability make sure my bill is paid put up with my meds being late and now this I find it hard to believe that I'm the only one this has ever happened to so what am I to do when my med runs out?

Wes of Houston, TX November 2, 2009

The past four prescriptions that my physician has faxed over have never been received by ES. It is very frustrating to have to continue to call to see if my prescription was received. The most recent incident was last week, my physician faxed over 2 medications that I was running low on. I called on Thursday to see if they received the fax. They stated no, but it usually takes 24-48 hours to have them entered in the system.

I called Friday, they still hadn't received it. Saturday the same story. Today I called and spoke with a supervisor because they still hadn't received it. This game is very old with them, it's irresponsible and puts patient's life in danger. I am out of medication now.

Alejandro of Miami, FL October 26, 2009

I am so tired of the games this company plays! They have done this to me on several occasions but now they have gone too far!

My wife is undergoing surgery tomorrow and was given a prescription by her doctor for pain killers. When she went to have it filled she was told that Express Scripts denied it on the basis that there are cheaper alternatives. Her doctor called Express Scripts to explain that this prescription was what he recommends since the alternatives they recommend would upset her stomach. STILL DENIED IT.

Instead of getting prepared for her surgery tomorrow, we have been given a runaround the likes you only read and hear about in the news. The first customer service number said they could not help us and referred us to the Pre-Authorizations department. This department later said they could not help us and referred us to their "Dedicated Team" group.

This group at first did not want to speak with me because I did not know the name of the medication being denied. Even though she had the name perfectly written on the screen, this agent (Ashley) said that because I was calling on behalf of my wife I needed to prove it in this manner. I handed the phone to my wife who told the representative I was authorized to speak on her behalf. When my wife handed me the phone back Ashley was still playing this game and said I needed to give her the name of the drug. Neither I nor my wife could remember the exact name, that's when I insisted I speak with her supervisor.

I was on hold for 10-min before a supervisor appeared (Elisha). This was clearly a stall tactic. Elisha said that the procedure to have the decision reassessed required that I have my doctor write a letter, that would then need to be sent by snail mail to an address in Minnesotta where it would then be evaluated. Of course- there is no way to do this online (how convenient).

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