The lost my prescriptions for Psychiatric drugs needed and claim it can not be their doings
This is why we have bad things happen - I have been out of 2 medications for 5 days now and I am expected to get a doctor to write another RX - why should this happen ?
John of Tulsa, OK June 18, 2009
Express Scripts recently notified me that it has implemented a new layer of "protection" for its customers: a "clinical safety review". This review is supposed to protect people from ordering prescriptions too soon based on Express Scripts' calculation of how much medication should still be on hand.
I handle several prescriptions for my elderly mother. Express Scripts has over-estimated the number of one of her most important pills by a factor of four and therefore refuses to refill the scrip until about four months have gone by. Unsurprisingly, my mom and I are far more able to parcel out her medications properly than Express Scripts is to count.
I find it truly frightening that a company so incapable of getting even the basics correct has now added another layer of confusion between itself and competence.
Susan of Santa Cruz, CA June 18, 2009
My statewide employer contracted with this supplier for the mail/online prescription refill service in our medical coverage. BAD mistake. Express Scripts sent the wrong product, would not even discuss options by phone, and billed my insurance company so late that it no longer covered the prescription. I sent a check in February 2009. They did not cash it until May 2009! Now they have the audacity to send me a credit statement. Now, they have sent it to a collection agency. This company is everything wrong about the medical situation in the USA. I am embarrassed that my employer contracted with them in the first place!
Samantha of Martinsville, VA May 23, 2009
I have had nothing but trouble with Express Scripts. I cannot access their website to look at my account. They keep telling me they are having technical problems. This has gone on for 6 months!
Also, they insist my doctor has approved a generic thyroid medication when I know he has not. They've billed me, sent the generic and refuse to correct this.
They've even filled my other RX with sample products and charged me full retail price!
Lou-Ann of ATTLEBORO, MA May 14, 2009
I called Express Scripts for a refill of my husbands and my medications because I left my overnight bag at a rest area while traveling South .I live in Massachusetts. I explained to Express Scripts what happened. I asked for a refill on Feb 17,2009 My order was delivered on March 3, 2009.
Now, 75 days later when I tried to have the same RX refilled...Express Scripts tells me that I should have 288 pills left and Express Scripts told my doctor this. My doctor refused to refill my prescription because today when I went to see him, on his request, he wants to know where the 288 pills are. I told him I don't have them and if I did, why would I be calling for a refill. My husband and I are on a very limited budget. We are of the ages 66 and 62.
When I left my drs office, I was accused of being an addict. His exact words to me were I'm sorry I cannot be your doctor anymore.
He has been my family doctor for the past 7 years.
All because Express Scripts said I should of asked for a replacement and not a refill back in February of 2009. So if you count the pills I lost when I left my overnight bag at the rest area-- all I have to account for is 8(eight)but Express Scripts told my doctor 288 pills are not accounted for.
All I get from Express Scripts is being transfered to other Express script people, at least on 8 different calls, lies, aggravation, humilation and now being labeled an addict by my own doctor. All because Express Scripts said I should of asked for a 'replacement" order back in February of 2009
Why can't anything be done with this corrupt pharmacy??? Why is it that the publiic should be tolerating a company like this. And having to explain to their dr that Express Scripts are wrong. No I am not an addict and my husband takes the exact same dosage as me but because I as the wife call in when prescriptions get low in the house. I am labeled the addict. Needless to say I walked out of the drs office and said sorry doctor but this time you are terribly wrong.
John of Tulsa, OK May 12, 2009
Sadly, I can echo many of the complaints published on this page: lost faxes, lost mail-in scrips, medications arriving in bottles with no caps, etc. But I think the most aggravating part of all is the constant lying. It might be funny -- picturing them consulting their big book of lies -- if it weren't so insulting. And to make matters worse, the problems are clearly on the increase. I urge everybody here to complain to their insurance providers. If enough plans get enough complaints maybe we'll get something done. Quite simply, Express Scripts is the worst company I have ever dealt with.
Rebecca of Edenton, NC May 7, 2009
I posted a previous experience and have since been informed of issues within my organization for almost everyone who uses this company.
Who regulates Mail Order Pharmacies? I would like to know what guidelines they must follow and what oversight is in place to make this happen.
bennie of Round Rock, TX May 5, 2009
I called to refill my anti nausea medication which I was allowed to take two per dosage.
Express script said they only allow 30 per 30 days even though my script was written for 45 then one refill.
They said my doctor would have to do a prior authorization or alternate, my doctor called and they told her they would not give me ANYTHING for nausea.
Well, I am five weeks post op for kidney surgery and have gastroenteritis which is going away or painful and they do not have the right to refuse care.
I am upset. When I called, they said there computer has been down for two hours so how could the check.
Poor service, poor.
STEVE of EAST GREENBUSH, NY April 27, 2009
Your recent post about drug costs includes the headline "Increased use of genericdrugs cust costs wihtout health risks."
This is untrue. A name brsnd drug is approved with specific quantiies of ingredients. Generics may be manufactured with variations ranging from 75% to 125% of various ingredients. With specific medications this variation may be both dangerous and life threatening. If a pharmacy changes its supplier of a given generic the patient's dosage may suddenly change with possible sever health consequences.
At one time our prescription plan was managed by Express Scripts which is at the bottom of my list to do business with. On more than one instance when a name brand medication was prescribed, Express Scripts would contact me to ask ifi would accept a generic instead. it is against the law for a pharmacy to make sucha substitution wihtout the authorization of the prescribing physician. Express Scripts even sought to get physician approval to make such changes. On one occasion
I questioned the use of a generic when the name brand medication was prescribed and an Exporess Scripts representtive told me, about the generic, "it's just about as good."
My health should not be subjected to generics and prescription plan managers whose sole objective is to cut costs even if the medication is "just about as good." My health care decisions are made by my physician, and shouldnot bemade by a pharmacy planmanagement's accountant whose sole objective is to lower costs.
Express Scripts is notorious for their cost cutting posture and should be very carefully evauated before their opinions are taken at face value.
Please investigate further as to the lack of tolerances with with generic medications are manufactured as opposed to name brand pharmaceuticals. A pain medication may be acceptable when manufactured with a tolerance of plus or minus 25%, but a medication for heart problems or psychological disorders could yield disasterous consequences with such tolerances.
Numerous Wall Street Journal articles have examined the generic medication issue and have even reported that the move to genrrics by some state health plans have resulted in the consequence of increased costs.
I have great respect for your weekly newsletter, but on this issue you seem to be in need of additional scholarship.
Fortunately now, we have a different prescription plan for which I offered aprayer of thanksgiving in exchange for getting free of Express Scripts and their constant badgering to switch me to generics which were "just about as good."
Rosalinda of San Francisco, CA April 11, 2009
I have been trying to get a prescription filled since April 1, 2009. On April 6 Express Scripts told me that they needed an actual not an electronic signature. I called the Dr. Office he refaxed prescription. Today I received an e-mail telling me the quantity for a 90 day refill did not meet my plan description. They did not mention this to the Dr. on the first call or inform him. They now tell me that I have to have him send in a new prescription which they can't process for another week. This means it will take them almost 4 weeks to process a prescription.
I am going out of town for a medical procedure on the 20 and will run of medication this week. My Dr. is on vacation this week so I will have to contact another Dr. on his staff. I may have to ask her to submit a prescription to Walgreen's for a 30 day supply so I will have it in hand. This will cost more money. This the second time Express Scripts has contributed to this type of delay by not immediately informing a Dr. of issues that they had with a plan qty or other elements about a prescription they received.
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