(venting!!!!) MEDCO GRRRRRRR!!!!!!

[kingrex]

I get 6 different prescriptions from Medco and I've never had a problem. I DID have a huge problem with Walgreens, which submitted two prescriptions to my OLD insurance company when my current one denied it (it was for 90 days, which required pre-approval). Then the OLD insurance company approved it (?) and I got a call saying my prescriptions were ready. I knew nothing of what had gone on, and I picked up the drugs. After the old insurer discovered their error, they began dunning and threatening me for the full cost of the medication.

I flatly refused to pay, and they've finally stopped hounding me. But again, I've had no trouble with Medco - sorry you did.


rex

[sexygatubela]

Medco and Acreedo suck! I live in Germany and can only start to tell you all the non-sense I have been through with them. Just saying: "I hear you". They are really terrible. I used to have CVS Specialty Pharmacy through my former insurance company and they were very good. Anyhow, good luck with getting your prescription soon.

[Sir-Voor]

I’m sorry and I will like be hated for saying this, but I feel a strong need to defend Medco on this.

Waiting until you only have a 7 day supply, before contacting them was your mistake not Medco’s.

Pharmacies commonly give a 2 week reminder call, but that is just a perk that good pharmacies offer.
And something we should rely on, it up to us to have a system in place to give us reminders. ( mark it on your calendar, ask a family member or doctor to help you, I’m sure there is even a App for it.

Medco has 100s of thousands of customers, and do millions prescription fills. Expecting them to do every one perfectly is unreasonable.

It has been my experience that a common reason for a delay in getting prescriptions filled is because there were no refills and my doctor could not be contacted. (In other words, it has been my soctor’s office fault)

Again I’m sorry but this everyone seemingly better of then yourself most be PUNISH and sued mentality turns my stomach. And is destroying this world.

And when you do get you Copaxone, be grateful for that fact they jump though all the hoops , doting the I s and crossing the Ts that is needed to make sure you are getting the real drug and a syringe filled with tap water.

<Rant mod off>

[Scooter24]

Sir-Voor- you apparently never delt with them, I always called 2 weeks ahead of time, 4 times they told me that I had an outstanding balance and they couldn't ship w/o payment, the amount they said I owed was the copay assistance amount, I could tell by the amount they said that I owed, the cust service rep said she couldn't tell me what it was for and transferred me to accounting all times they told me they didn't have access to my records for payment so they couldn't tell me either, lets see accounting dept has no access to an invoice ??????? Who does then and they couldn't give me an answer. They shipped my meds to the wrong address 2 times, I had never changed address and they verified my address when I called for a refill?? Also note these were not new prescriptions but rather reg monthly refills.

I have been in customer service for over 30 yrs and know that you can't make everyone happy but they don't even try. By the way my wife and daughter have also had similar problems with them and when I contacted the insurance company ( BC-BS ) they said they have had many complaints but couldn't do anything until thier contract was up for renewal. My wife's co has changed insurer and now use a different co and have had 0 problems with them in 2 yrs.

They aren't jumping thru any hoops, that is thier job but they don't seem to think it is either. Your opinion sounds like what I would expect to hear from Medco. Just be happy that you don't have to use them as apparently you haven't.

[kingrex]

Originally Posted by Scooter24

They aren't jumping thru any hoops, that is thier job but they don't seem to think it is either. Your opinion sounds like what I would expect to hear from Medco. Just be happy that you don't have to use them as apparently you haven't.

Well, I've dealt with them regularly for six different prescriptions simultaneously and I've had no trouble with them. As Sir Voor wrote, these people deal with thousands of patients, so things will happen - as they will at local pharmacies. I've spoken with Medco's customer service people - I was nearly out of a medication and hadn't received the refill - and they very nicely informed me that the meds had been sent out 2 days ago, and sure enough, they arrived the next day. The woman was polite, helpful and effective.

Few things in this life are all good or all bad. People here tend to be more than a little excitable, and not always too receptive to reasonable but opposing views on things.


rex

[Blessings2You]

My insurance company switches mail order pharmacies every few years. I never had a problem with Medco; in fact, I was sorry to hear I would have to switch.

[Marleigh123]

I too have positive things to share about Medco. Don't throw in the towel in them yet. I am surprised to hear of your experience. And i am so sorry you are going through this. The person to person phone calls for each refill can be repetitive and a nuisance, but they're always friendly, so I try to enjoy the conversation. I think they are just very thorough--they probably need to be to process all the insurance claims as efficiently as they can, and it's easier to get that done before they ship than after.

I recall having a year to switch through my hubby's insurance, and also being rather annoyed at the time, but grateful for having insurance at all, and actually having these drugs available to me...and well, the annoyance passed. Did they need instructions from your doctor? I ask bc they require some annual thing my doctor has to do stating why I need the med, that is different from the Rx and it was a lot of chasing paperwork and dotting is and crossing ts, so they can decide if I need the Copaxone. If u allow enough time and jump through the insurance hoops in the beginning, once it is all set up the first time, it will run smoothly after that. They call me to remind me i need a refill sometimes before i even realize i do. I hope it gets worked out for you!! Do what they ask, as frustrating as it may be, and try to be patient until it works out. And try not to stress. Not good for our MS. Good luck!!

[sulphur kennel]

In 2009, I found out that I could use a particular local pharmacy. By that time I had had problems EVERY time I had to get a refill of my Copaxone. So, I went with the
local pharmacy. I never had any problems EVER using the local.

A medco Rep called me nearly a month after I would have run out of my Copaxone wanting to know when I wanted the shipment. I asked to speak to her supervisor, and told him that Medco was fired as my pharmacy. I was not rude to the rep, it wasn't her fault.

As for letting the ins. co know the problems, they know. So does the Union, the company that my DH works for, and my doctor.

SIR-VOOR I made sure Medco had in their possession everything they needed to fill my script. Also, they filled the other 2 scripts that were sent at the same time, in the same envelope, and told me that they had no record of the Copaxone script when I called to check on it the day after I got the other meds. I think you either work for MEDCO or you are lucky enough to have never had to use them for your pharmacy.

I know that some problems are unavoidable, but it seems to me that they have more problems with my scripts than any pharmacy should have. I would love to fire them again, but it looks like I will be stuck with sub-par service for the next 5 years.

[woodstock]

I was dx with CIS 11/30/11 after having my first MS event at the end of June 2011. My neuro prescribed Copaxone in November. I have US Family Health Plan (which is a choice given to folks who have Tricare Prime) which only allows me to have my prescriptions filled at Rite Aid.

My local Rite Aid does stock Copaxone as they have another pt who gets it from them. The local pharmacist is not aware of a mail order pharmacy for Rite Aid and their website doesn't show a mail order company for them. USFHP said that all the pharmacist had to do was call them for an override if the prescription was over $3K a month (which it is).

My neuro sent the prescription first to one specialty pharmacy who after 2-3 weeks called me to say my insurance didn't cover their services. I told them ins covered Rite Aid. Another 2-3 weeks later, I get a call from CVS specialty pharmacy telling me the same thing. They claim they transferred it to Rite Aid.

Since mid-January my local pharmacy has had the prescription. They say USFHP will not cover without documentation from my neuro that it's medically necessary. My neuro is now on maternity leave and has a new nurse (the old one never returned my calls). The new nurse says USFHP does have a specialty pharmacy and she's trying to get the prescription through...and has been working on this for almost 3 weeks now. She also called my pharmacy and said that the dr's office never received the three requests they sent for documentation of medical necessity.

We're going on 9 months since first clinical event and 4 months since prescription issue with still no Copaxone. Not sure where to turn at this point.

[JerryD]

I want to register my distaste with Sir-Voor's statements that '...you can't expect everything the on-line pharmacy does to be perfect every time... ' !!! UH HELLO !!! It's a pharmacy, genius !!! I expect something like NASA accurate !! How would you like them to be mixing up plain old saline or worse instead of
Copaxone. Come on dude. They need to be hair splitting accurate and on time. Every time!! There are nearly no excuses acceptable !!! Please don't kill the messenger. We, as MS' ers, are at their mercy. It is cruel and inhuman to take advantage of our sickness.
With that said, I get my prescriptions from Medco and have not had any problems. Thank G.

[KarenR]

** Let's not turn this helpful thread into a discussion between members who disagree. No one will win such a discussion.
MSWorld guidelines state: "1. INTERNET ETIQUETTE: Show respect for others at all times."

Thanks

[kingrex]

Originally Posted by JerryD

I want to register my distaste with Sir-Voor's statements that '...you can't expect everything the on-line pharmacy does to be perfect every time... ' !!! UH HELLO !!! It's a pharmacy, genius !!! I expect something like NASA accurate !! How would you like them to be mixing up plain old saline or worse instead of
Copaxone. Come on dude. They need to be hair splitting accurate and on time. Every time!! There are nearly no excuses acceptable !!! Please don't kill the messenger. We, as MS' ers, are at their mercy. It is cruel and inhuman to take advantage of our sickness.
With that said, I get my prescriptions from Medco and have not had any problems. Thank G.

I take most of what I read with a grain of salt. People are emotional; they're sick, frustrated and in some cases they're scared, and I think they are prone to interpret and recount events in a way that eliminates consideration of reasonable, alternative explanations for what they believe has happened.

"NASA accurate"...hmmm. I have a friend who was a project manager on the Mars mission in 1999, when the lander never sent back a signal and was presumed to have been damaged upon landing on the planet's surface. So we know that even NASA is capable of spectacular failure.

Anyway, I doubt Medco is persecuting MS patients. And I'm sure the truth here lies somewhere to the left of what we've heard.


rex

[MiSunderstood]

Originally Posted by kingrex

I take most of what I read with a grain of salt.

Unfortunately that might be the attitude taken by *some* of the people working at the specialty pharmacies.

To the individuals here who have posted about their difficulties, you have my sympathy. I know how frustrating it can be. Luckily I have had mainly positive communication with my pharmacy but there were a few big mishaps over the years. It involved a week of phone calls, lots of notetaking on my part, and dealing with some apathetic people.

[JerryD]

Rex,
And how many lives were lost on the Mars lander ? I state it again... it is cruel and inhuman for customer service to treat any of us with this kind of indifference ! There is way too much of it in this world ! Here's another bold example you may recognize. "Good job, Brownie" ! It clearly wasn't. All everyone can expect is to be treated like a 'valued' customer, who is paying for the service they receive. I have had many such situations in my life. And again, let me repeat, Don't kill the messenger!! If you're in the customer service business...DO SOME SERVING. Stand up for your customer. After all, They bring you money !!!

[kingrex]

Originally Posted by JerryD

Rex,
And how many lives were lost on the Mars lander ? I state it again... it is cruel and inhuman for customer service to treat any of us with this kind of indifference ! There is way too much of it in this world ! Here's another bold example you may recognize. "Good job, Brownie" ! It clearly wasn't. All everyone can expect is to be treated like a 'valued' customer, who is paying for the service they receive. I have had many such situations in my life. And again, let me repeat, Don't kill the messenger!! If you're in the customer service business...DO SOME SERVING. Stand up for your customer. After all, They bring you money !!!

I guess I don't understand why people are assumed to be cruel, inhuman, apathetic or indifferent just because Customer #965,876 says she's missing one of three prescriptions on one occasion. You've already stated that, essentially, nothing short of perfection is acceptable. So I probably would put you in the category of the patient who expects the impossible.

There are more drugs on the market today than ever before, and I'm sure doctors are writing more scripts than ever, too. Moreover, patients have more responsibilites in regard to keeping track of what's running out and what needs a new prescription. This is all about lowering the cost of the presciptions. These mail-order pharmacies are likely working with fewer people than they actually need to provide the level of service you became accustomed to in better times. We can't always have our cake and eat it, too. Rather than attacking the honor of the folks who work for Medco and other mail-order pharmacies, perhaps we should be asking why our insurance companies are insisting that we use them. I'm not sure who you're referring to when you say, "Don't kill the messenger," but let me ask you - what is the customer service person supposed to do to make you believe that they care?

I don't disagree that this is important, although I think you're going a little over-the-top when you talk about people dying - can you die from missing a dose of Copaxone?


rex