CVS Caremark Reviews

Who makes these decisions a real human being or a computer? My HR manager stepped in and contacted someone in the Sate of CT. Low and behold, I received my medication that same evening. But, only after going through extensive red tape. They said the State of CT does not allow for Aciphex.

I was untreated for over 30 days as a result of this. I also had to put out of pocket $189.00. Now I have to go for an endoscopy to see the extent of damage to my esophagus. I suffered from hoarse throat and emotional anguish. On top of having been diagnosed with a rare cancer, I was also denied treatment for over 30 days. How horrible is this?

I call Caremark to give them the information, and Tanya stated that she now had to call and confirm with company that I was indeed enrolled. So now I'm waiting another 24 hours to place an order for the drug. Also, I've had 2 different answers about how much Caremark is going to cover in this co-pay. I've heard 50%, I've heard 0% until I meet my deductible, nobody has a clear answer tehre.

Financially, it's going to cost me either $75, $700, or $1500. Those are huge gaps to have hanging out there. Figure it out, giant Pharmacy. Physically, the wait worsens my condition. Caremark is a business, remember that. They are open for profit (search the internet for some of their past actions, not pretty), and so far pretty unhelpful.

So I called Caremark. The representative could find no order. She discovers that Caremark cancelled my order stating the meds had been discontinued. Not true. My provider just faxed them in. During this time, I have had to go to a local pharmacy to obtain a refill of one of my meds because I was out. It cost me triple what it would have had I gotten it from Caremark. I now have to contact the Caremark fast start in the morning and my provider AGAIN. Then wait the eternity for my meds to arrive, that is if the order goes through the 3RD time. I am a nurse and have never seen anything so reprehensible. How can they continue to treat patients this way? My life is stressful enough without adding this to the burden.

I had to cut back on one of my meds from 1 2 times per day to one every other day, just to get through until my meds showed up (which they haven't yet). The meds I am on when stopped or decreased abruptly, cause aweful withdrawal symptoms. It affects my entire life. I paid triple what I would have if I had gotten my mail order like I was supposed to.

being bombarded with collection agency transmittal letters. stress level high.

The doctor wrote the script out for 1000 strips and he recieved 400 because she did not write the directions on using these or was misinterpeted as to test 4 times a day. The same for the lantus she wrote 9 vials and wrote down 53 units per day. Larry recieved 5 vials. Larry is a diabetic and in the past has recieved the right amount from caremark. This was a misrepresentation of the doctor, They said to get new scripts and I would have to pay again 398.00 for the right one and absorb the loss of the miswritten script. They would not call the doctor or try even send the right amount to larry.

Any professional would tell you that you cannot just stop taking a drug. weeks later, the drug still never arrived, and their customer service staff has no record of such an emergency of my drug being needed. do have the time or energy to gather up documentation from my doctor who worked with Caremark on this matter several weeks ago? the answer is NO. my mission now is to report that Caremark is incometent.

Caremark charged my credit card for over 1300.00 and will not reverse the charge.

I contacted customer service and they said the doctor had signed the dispense as directed. They did admit that they saw where I requested generic only but did not think they needed to contact me or the doctor to verify anything or to tell me this was not possible even though I had requested it. I asked them if I had been standing there and had requested that would they not have talked to me and said they or I need to contact the doctor to get it straight? They said it did not matter what I put in the special instructions box. I then said why does your form have that box to fill out and why did you pay attention to it last month when I wrote to put the prescription on hold? They even emailed me to say they had put it on hold so it mattered last month. Yet this month's instructions were totally ignored with no email. So beware if you deal with Caremark and have a problem, customer service could care less about the customer and will not help in anyway!

No business can ship a product without informing the customer of the price. I checked on their website daily, and they did not tell me the price until after they shipped it. Please investigate this, and do what is necessary to stop this unfair business practice. Thank you very much.

I spoke with my physician about the generic because last year they gave me a generic in a different prescription; and my body had a bad reaction to the generic, so my Dr. requested I stay on the brand name. I only have to pay $17.49 for the brand, and I don't understand why CareMark is trying to push everyone into the generics, especially when your body cannot tolerate them. I guess they are even making it harder for the pharmacies to obtain the brand names.

My doctor is concerned that a change from the Norvasc to the generic might affect my body like the generic of another medication did last year. It made me very ill. I was on Synthroid for about 8 years; and the CVS filled it with a generic, and my body could not handle it. Once I was put back on the Synthroid I started getting better in just a couple of days and continued to get better until I was back to where I should be.

However, Caremark didn't bother to have anyone pick-up my prescription until the following day. I was then informed that my order reached them too late to be applied to my 2007 deductible. Because Caremark refuses to refill my order under the 2007 calendar year, and I cannot afford to pay them $1200 for this medication, I will now have to abruptly stop taking this drug which can seriously affect my health or find someone to lend me the money. Even though I met their deadline for prescriptions, I would like to know if a company, such as Caremark, can make an arbitrary decision and change the definition of a calendar year? How can they refuse to fill prescriptions when they are actually received 3 days before December 31?

This prescription is insulin for diabetes and it has affected my health.

I ran out of medication for pain, taking numerous over the counter which is unsafe. I made extra trips to doctor to get prescriptions. I have the stress of headache of constantly calling Caremark and doctor to resolve issues. Stress has a direct affect on my health, fibromyalgia and neuropathy, in addition to high blood pressure.

They billed my company for the prescription, and me for a $22.00 co-pay.

Rx read:

Apply 10 pumps(12.5 grams) to skin once a day. Supply 90 days.

Medicine comes in sealed box of 2 bottles(75 grams each bottle) of pump medicine. Have had too many problems with Caremark cancelling Rx without ANY notice. This was last time without complaining to outside agency.


I will have have muscle wasting,impotence and decreased sexual desire, fatigue and loss of energy, mood

depression, regression of secondary sexual characteristics and osteoporosis. Hypogonadism is a risk factor for osteoporosis in men.

I am now starting to get chest pain and pain in my arms. I never thought I would have to put up with a lack of concern for another being. I was impressed because they brag about an award. CVS/Caremark Corporation Ranks Among Best in J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Retail Pharmacy Satisfaction Study (SM). Let the word out. If you value your life, stay away from Caremark.

I received the first 90 day supply, leaving three refills left on each of these four prescriptions. As problems have occurred with Caremark in the past, I photocopied the doctor's order forms for my records. The first 90 day supply was received, no problem. When I checked my on-line account with Caremark, the prescriptions were not shown.

After four emails to Customer Service, 1 hard copy letter to Caremark Research Team, and 1 hard copy letter to my health insurance carrier. These prescriptions still are not showing on-line.

Caremark originally told me there were no new or refill prescriptions. I had sent the prescription numbers, the date the first order waas filled 8/15/07, the prescribing doctor's name. They then told me I should register with them on-line, which I did a number of years ago. All replies from Caremark are standard or stock and do not apply to my situation. The National Association of Letter Carriers send me a standard letter starting off with Dear Sir or Madam and they were forwarding my letter to the appropriate department. I am still waiting to hear from the appropriate department.

In a few days I will be going back to my doctor. I suppose he will have to complete new prescription forms. My concern is where will the new prescription forms end up--being shredded? I am at my wit's end. Mistakes are made but usually when one contacts the business/company corrections are made. Not in my case. I am disappointed with Caremark certainly but most of all with the National Association of Letter Carriers Health Benefit Plan as they don't seem to be concerned about their members.

I thought this covered the 2 refills and called to confirmed. I discovered that because the script was filled out incorrectly, I was charged $92 for one. My co-pay at the drug store for the last 2 prescriptions was $40 which I had confirmed with Caremark before I filled it.

They refused to let me pay the co-pay of $40 instead, or send back the prescription unopened for a refund.

I take one medication that is a drug to be available and I have tried to order this medication for 2 years only to be told it is on backorder and not available but if you want to get it at the pharmacy within the network you can get a 30 day supply and pay over 400+ when I'm to get a 90 day supply as per our contract at $17.50 for the generic, Caremark has stated for 2 years that this is on backorder so after a year i called the maker and over 350,000 units of the medication were available for immediate shipment. When I stated this to the maker that caremark stated that they were on backorder I was told they were simply being dishonest as the problem was that Caremark simply would not pay what the maker charges other bulk pharmacys for the drug or simply did not want to carry the drug as supply was not a issue. This was true for the BRAND name drug also

Caremark was simply lying to its customers. I have had enough and have contacted a class action lawyer to start a class action lawsuit againt these frausters. Im trying to deal with massive pain and the fact that I must fight to get anything to help me out and Carmark rob's me to get relief from pain and hangs huge price tag's over my head leaving me with no other option then to pay them for something they state they will supply within a contract at much cheaper prices, My MD is outragged and is behind me in going after these people. If you want to get involved please contact me via email to get your story to see if a lawyer may be able to help us out if my time on earth will be enough to get these people to give do right by use.

We would never have purchased the vehicle had we known.

I live in Houston and the pharmacy is in San Antonio 3 hours away. The second time I ordered the same thing happened and still I got no call, I had to again call them.. They said they were sorry again someone should have called me. Today 9/13 I called them because I placed and order on 9/7/06 and asked for 2 day shipping because I was very low on my meds. They told me the cost of the two day shipping I accepted the cost and hung up.

Today is 9/13/06 at 6pm and my meds are still not here. So I called again. They said the person who placed the order did not set it up for 2 day delivery. Again they said they were sorry. I asked to speak to a supervisor who was no help and she said she was sorry. Who is running this operation? On 9/7 when I placed the last order one of my prescriptions had expired. They said they would call my doctor to get her approval. I was fine with that. My doctor's office approved it the next day on 9/8.

Today when I called Caremark and I inquired about the expired medication, they said they just got her approval TODAY, which I know to be a lie. So I again asked for 2 day shipping, they said ok. Then she explained it would take up to 5 days to pull this one prescription so it would be here in about 7-10 days. At this point I am angry and out of my meds. Now I will have to contact my doctor to call in a short term script for me at a drugstore until Caremark and deliver on my meds. The drugstore cost is much higher than my 90 script plan from Caremark. If I had another option on my insurance plan I would absolutely change vendors. This is the worst customer service I have ever had from a prescription company.

This company causes extra costs to me, up to $300+ due to their incompetency in their mail order dept. and I end up sick for a few days when I run out of medications when I should have had my refills by mail over 2 weeks ago. The same excuse is given when I call to get status of the order, we didn't get an order or we just received the order today.

In addition, this company was ready to ship me the wrong drugs. I caught this error before they were shipped by reviewing their website. The Caremark staff is either incredibily inconsiderate, stupid or mislead by management. I am angry before I ever call them because I know I will reach someone who can't provide service or support. When you ask to speak with a supervisor you are put on hold for an unreasonable amount of time. I have probably spent 8 hrs trying to get the right drugs shipped to me, then I have the frustration of trying to get them from USPS.

On Jan 25, 2006 my mothers' prescriptions were received by CareMark to be filled and delivered to her with in 10-14 days.

As of this complaint date of Feb 23, 2006 , they have not arrived. I have had numerous phone conversations with both the custumer service and their supervisors to find out where her medications are, with nothing but a we are sorry but....

Please also be advised that these prescriptions cannot be filled now through a local drug store as they are in the systems as being refilled to the time frame alloted (90 days worth). Consequently, as a diabetic, without her medications she just recently fell in her kitchen because of being without her medications.

Company is practicing medicine without a medical license

The next response was we never sent it in, but we were covered. December 20 we recived a form letter from Caremark dated December 8 and mailed December 17 that they were returning the prescriptions as we had no coverage. There were no prescriptions in the envelope. After hours on the phone and they susposedly searching they have not been found to date. I believe this in violation of the HIPAA law. Also, on this form was a credit card number, social security numbers, etc.

To continue with their incompetence, today, December 21 a representative called asking for my husband, they would not speak to me as he was the one that had submitted the prescriptions over the phone. When he called, they had a question regarding one of my prescriptions. This company is totally unorganized and incompetent. It should be called Carelessmark........and to prove that statement.......when this situation was mentioned to the rep.....she said, "Just go to the pharmacy and this won't happen." That also shows that they must make a lot more money when you do this.

They told me today that at this rate that means I would be taking 10 pills a day which disqualifies the script. They said that two pharmacists did the numbers and this is what they came up with, stating that I should have at least a month's supply left yet. If it's a three-months supply and it is written for 540 at an average of 30 days a month, this comes to 6 pills a day, which is just what the doctor had ordered.

I have had them refuse to fill prescriptions and return them to me. They call the doctor continuously and harrass her about the medications she has me on. It seems to me that when a person has a disease that is barely controlled by any meds, this company automatically takes it upon themselves as to whether they will will the prescription or not. Meanwhile I suffer.

They noted that I had gotten a prescription filled at a pharmacy other than them, I told them I had no choice as that was when they denied my meds and sent all my prescriptions back to me. I am forced to use this Caremark mail order due to my husband's insurance plan. At this point I am stuck ... I cannot get a prescription at a pharmacy as they deny it stating any chronic long-term medications MUST be filled by them. I could get the medications if I wanted to pay full price, but I am totally disabled and do not have the money to do so. I haven't worked in over two years.

In talking to them today I told them that they were taking away the very thing that keeps me at least within a tolerable pain level. I told them that a life lived like this is not worth living. It has been two months since I have even left the house due to the pain, left leg being totally numb and paraysis of my foot. I have a constant, aching, burning pain. I average maybe four hours of sleep a night and that is broken sleep. I can't stand anything to touch my left leg or foot, it is a painful sensation and causes my leg to spasm.

The pharmacy cares little about this. They make the ultimate dicision as to whether I will get my medication or not, even though the doctor goes to bat for me. I at this point feel as if I no longer have any option except to suffer the pain ... and what kind of life is that? Even with medication I don't have a good quality of life.

One giant, rich company calls the shots as to whether I will be a bit eased of pain or not. It all lies in Caremark's hands and there is noting I can do about it. Once again the little man loses. I only know that I can't and won't tolerate this pain much longer. I won't tolerate being made to feel like an addict. I have been an upstanding RN for many years, I don't even so much as drink. Now I am reduced to this.

The nurse said "Ok 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.

Over the years, I have called SBC Connect, and SBC who is our company providing the insurance coverage. There is a tidy little game going on that they all blame the other two parties, and pass the buck and get nothing accomplished for the consumer. I was told to write "daw" on my prescriptions and then they could not change them. Then the new game was they were not sending generic, even thought I wrote on the order form to send generic if possible. So now instead of paying a $20 co pay, I am charged $95 on one, $53 on another and $186 on another. Then when I told them I don't want the non-generic drug, they tell me they can't return the medication, and I just have to pay the full price.

I have been without several of my medications for weeks while trying to figure out this problem. One is a circulation medication I have been without for months while I wait to get this problem fixed. My health is definitely affected by my continued problems with Caremark. My doctors are constantly aggravated with Caremark because of being hounded by them to change my prescriptions to something that costs SBC and Caremark less. My business is suffering from time lost by its owner working on Caremark Issues instead of business.

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 **, 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 within 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.

I'm going crazy trying to get someone at this company to help me get registered so I can use the on-line service. If it is never going to work they should stop advertising it. All their phone messages say they are concerned about customer service. Right - they are real concerned about customer service. There is no CARE in CAREMARK.

I could not find a lawyer to pursue the issue and Caremark/SBC did nothing but point the finger at each other. It was even stated there was no "standard of treatment" which was the reason for their exclusion. Effective October 2003, HIV meds were on the Formulary. There was no prior notification that this would occur. I placed my last order for 2003 at the end of September. As of this date, Caremark is still saying that I owe them for past prescriptions.

2) In addition, Caremark includes an unnecessary tag/label in each prescription packet that includes name, social security # and other private information AND this tag is in the same packet that is delivered without a signature and left unattended in hallways, by doorways, etc. (as opposed to being delivered in a secure mailbox or to a live person).

The potential economic damage is great to the individual (ID THEFT) and to the wider society (stolen prescription drug medications. Can be stolen and USED by unlawful holders)

I take my prescriptions to the post office because of the fear of someone stealing it out of my mailbox. They sent me medicine that had made me throw up blood, because of my ulcers. After being notified by phone, doctor's signing prescription dispense as written and again on the forms we send in, it has a place for drug allergies and health conditions. On this form that I sent off for my 540 pills of Vicodin, I wrote that "I could not tolerate the generic brand of Vicodin that they sent me in June, because they made me throw up blood after 2 weeks of use." However that I could handle the Watson brand, Loratabs and brand name vicodin. I also put that I was allergic to aspirin and that I have bleeding ulcers. I put what the doctor told me.

He also told me to call before I mailed the prescription in. He also wrote me a prescription of 60 Loratabs to take to my local pharmacy to get filled until I get my mail-in order, which I refilled again on Aug 28th. But I had to call Caremark first to notify them about my stomach problems.

My Loratabs ran out on Sept. 8th and I received my mail-in order on Sept. 15th. But when I opened the package, Caremark had sent me the generic Vicodin brand again, the brand that made me throw up blood after being notified what they had done to me. I called them the same day and they said they would have it taken care of by Wednesday.

They sent FedEx to come to my house to get the generic vicodin Tuesday at approx. 3:30pm. Wednesday came and no medicine so I called them and they said they could not send them until they get the generic Vicodin. I checked the tracking number from the shipping ticket from FedEx on the internet before I called them and it said the medicine arrived at their dock at 7:30 am Wed. so I told them it was there and they said they would check and call me back. They call back 30 to 45 minutes stating that the new prescription had not arrived from the doctor's office because FedEx didn't pick it up Tuesday. But they made sure to come by my house to get the medicine Tuesday.

I told them I was not paying for it and hung up. I call them back 15 minutes later and told them to put it on my MasterCard because I needed the medicine because I was in great pain and been out since Sept the 8th, she said they would ship it right out. It is now Sunday and the Caremark website states that the order is still being processed.

I have sent several emails telling them about the pain that I am in. They have not offered calling a local pharmacy for me to pick up some medicine to last me until my order comes. Also other times they have approved for me to go to my doctor to get another prescription written due to their slowness. But I have to set up an appointment, drive out of town and pay the doctor money. Where are they saving me money?

I am in chronic pain and been on disability since Jan 2001. Had neck surgery last August and need another again on my neck. I have had ten surgeries to my left median nerve, where the nerve was severed when a stick went through my left wrist and the last doctor that operated informed me that the nerve was damaged so bad that I would have severe pain for the rest of my life.

I think that something needs to be done to Caremark before they hurt someone else, not just me.