Im so frustrated with this Mail In Pharmacy!

[momof3boys]

I hate the fact that our insurance changed things, and in order to get three or six months supplies of medications, we cant no longer get them through our local pharmacy, but now has to go through Express Scripts (A mail in pharmacy) I had no trouble getting my Keppra XR, name brand... not generic. But Ive been having to deal with them over my Glucophage XR (used to treat PCOS). I submited the two prescriptions at the same time, and recieved my Keppra XR last week. I should have recieved the Glucophage XR then too. But instead of giving me the name brand, (which the pharmacy says is my drs office's fault, because the pharmacy has a policy stating that they always send out forms to drs asking for approval of generics, and my dr's nurse said it was ok to take, without looking at my chart) But what was said on the prescription when I mailed it in, was BRAND NAME NECESSARY! Why they should even ask for the generic when its stated on my prescription that I need the brand name, is beyond me!?

So since October 22nd, when they changed the Glucophage XR to the Metformin XR, Ive been making phones left and right to this company asking what needs to be done to get the right medication!

Today, I spent the whole day talking with so many stupid people at that place! Telling me it was over-rided and would be approved within 48 hours... when it was canceled! Then trying to charge me $35 for the metformin, when it wasnt my fault that they gave me the generic. Then telling me the prescription I mailed them, now states Metformin, and cant be changed. So I had to have my drs office fax over a brand new prescription, have it pre authorized, which the nurse calls me and says that wasnt necessary, based on what the pharmacy told her!? But they tell me this?

I swear, Im so done with these people! I just wish I can go to a local pharmacy to get a three months supply. I can only get it through a local pharmacy for a 1 month supply, but then it costs more to go that way. $10-15 more each month.

Has anyone else had a bad time with Express Scripts?

Im praying they get this prescription for the Glucophage XR processed soon!

[Eve]

My insurance changed too about 5 months ago and I have to go through Express Scripts also. It'/s a hassle. At one point they wanted me to change to the Generic Keppra but the Dr didn't want me to take it because he doesn't like the generic drug of Keppra so he had to write and call the Express scripts. It was really annoying. It was so much simpler to get my medications through the local pharmacy and maintain my one on one relationship with my pharmacist.

I really don't like the mail order often my pills come in a very hot bag, it feels like its been sitting in a truck for months. And sometimes when I get the pills they are broken. It costs alot more for me to get 1 month prescriptions at my local drugstores but they won't even let me get more than 1 month . They only let me get the 1 month from the local drugstore when its a brand new dosage.

Last time I called them they had me on hold a while. I need to call them soon and cancel some pills I don't take anymore otherwise they will keep sending me pills I don't take anymore all at the same time charging my credit card.

Yeah I miss the days when I could get ALL of my pills from my local pharmacist who knows me a heck of alot better than the mail order company............express scripts.

[momof3boys]

Our insurance changed so we have to do the same now too. Instead of being able to go to our local pharmacy and get a six month or three month supply, we can only get a 1 month supply, and then have to go through express scripts for the 3 or 6 month supplies. The hassell of them trying to get the drs to approve a generic when I cant even take it due to medical conditions, is crap. Then telling me one thing, like getting it over-rided, and letting it go for 48 hours, and it will begin to process... when it just went to the cancel files. Its all crap. The pharmacy people there, and the customer service reps are use less. Why they would tell me I have to get prior authorization when Ive been taking this drug for the past 12 years, and my insurance paying for it, then telling my drs office they dont need prior authorization is confusing as hell!

I dont think these people dont know what the heck they are doing!

They told me to wait a couple of days for the prescription that the drs faxed over today, to show up and begin processing. Knowing my luck, in a couple of days, when I check online at my order status there wont be anything about Glucophage being there, and then I will have to call again to hear the same crap, saying they didnt get it! Its driving me nuts!

[Eve]

Overrided?? Yeah I remember that word. I did not know what they were talking about. I had a prescription about 6 mos ago when we first started the Express Scripts and the pharmacy wouldn't let me have it cause it needed to be overrided or something about how I had to check back in 2 days. with the Pharmacist it was really annoying. I was really frustrated. I don't think it was the fault of my local pharmacist, they've always been nice . They get fed up with these insurance companies too. Out of all of them Express Scripts has been my least favorite! Although sometimes the pharmacy passes the buck over to the Doctor blaming them for something going wrong in my prescription. And the Doctors Secretary gets mad and says she sent it over (the prescription) and they the Pharmacy lost it. I just wish they'd all get along . But seriously its the Express Scripts that gets the Pharmacist and Doctors mixed up. If I were you..........and this worked for me,have your doctors office call Express Scripts (again) and straighten it all out. Well my Doctor finally called for the 2nd time on 1 prescription Express Scripts finally fixed it

Thank you for reminding me that I need to call them tomorrow. I stopped taking Zoloft and they will keep sending it to me and keep charging my credit card unless I call and tell them to stop.

oh BTW my Dr had started me on Klonoplin and I got 1 month and I had to wait a while because the Pharmacist said it was because it is a "Controlled Substance" . It used to just take 20 minutes to get a 1 month at the pharmacy but with the Klonplin it took almost a whole day and they know I have seizures and all I think its got something to do with Express Scripts.

[momof3boys]

Yeah Its pathetic the way Express Scripts works. I was literally chewing the costumer service reps and the pharmacy people! To my suprise, they are calling me about my glucophage getting filled just minutes after hanging up.

Ive been checking my account online, and its now saying the Glucophage XR 500mg tablets, are in Process.... (waiting for my drs response) which I dont know why it would, when my drs nurse said she faxed the prescription immediately after getting the request. Now the express scripts people say it takes alittle bit for it to pop up, I dont know if I beleive that or not now... since geting the run around from them for over two weeks now... If nothing changes by noon tomorrow, Im going to be giving them a call.
Gosh this makes me just stressed thinking about it!

[Nakamova]

My insurance requires I switch to mail order too. So far no major problems, but it makes me nervous knowing that I can't just go pick up my prescription the day after I call it in.

[Eve]

I haven't gone online yet for Express Scripts. Maybe I should. Will I get better service that way?

I know its stressful. I really liked going to the drugstore to pick up my medicine. If I'm gone a few days the bag will sit in the mailbox and where I live it is HOT. ! always worry about the safety of the medicine. And I see the mailman he just throws it in the mailbox and often I get broken pills. Before I had express scripts I had Medco mail order and I think they were better. Before that I had United Health Care and they were ok. Before that I had Humana and they were awful.All due to the changing jobs,,changing economy..The best deal I had was with United Hlthcare and I was paying $40 for all my medicines together....migraine, anxiety and seizure but then they switched to Medco and I was introduced to mail order pharmacies. But Express Scripts has been my least favorite so far. Maybe I '' go online with Express Scripts and see if I can get better service.

[momof3boys]

I only go online to check my order status of medications, see what requests they sent to my dr, and if I put any payment in, it lets me print off a copy of the payments for my records. Other than that, I have to call the number on the back of my express scripts card to get to their customer service line to talk to someone.

[Eve]

I have yet to go online. Just got off the phone with ES told you all about on a different thread. I call the number 1 877 266 1880 and then i press 0 to get what they call a Patient Care Representative.

I should probably register online. But not today. I have a migraine.

[momof3boys]

The number thats on the back of my card is 1-866-790-8277
Its an automated line, where you can choose which area you need, like refilling a prescription, check order status, etc. I called this morning after getting the kids off to school, and they said they recieved the Glucophage XR prescription that my dr faxed over to them yesterday, and that its in the "Processing and Reviewing" section in the pharmacy now. I went back to bed, but later got up to check, and its in my order status. Hopefully nothing wrong happens and it gets processed and shipped. Im sorry you have a migraine. I hate when I get those! It ruins my whole day! Hope you start feeling better soon!

[Eve]

1 877 266 1880 is the phone number that is on my prescription bottle of Keppra from Express Scripts in St. Louis. I just checked and it is also the number on the back of my card.and the website is listed as www.express-scripts.com.

It is also an automated line when I call but they never give me the options I want so I cut over to option 0 and that gives you a patient care representative. They don't list option 0 on the automated line. I just learned elsewhere that if you key in 0 you will get a real person to talk to.

Thanks my migraine is getting a little better I took some Coenzyme q10 and I think it helped a little.

Plus i had a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks and that helped!

[momof3boys]

Yeah I think they have different numbers based on where you live. They were giving me out the same number you listed yesterday, since were in Nebraska, they had to look up my location to get me a fax number for my dr to fax over my prescription. They must be located all through out the U.S. and have different numbers they give out, based on peoples locations.

Starbucks sounds so good right now! I went out earlier with my son, and so badly wanted to stop by McDonalds to get a Carmel Frap! Those things are so good! I have to run out to get some errons done in alittle bit... I may be tempted to stop and treat myself! LOL

[Eve]

Do you use the above listed website to track your meds???? I really should register so I can maybe have better control over my meds and especially keep track of the payments on my card. I am not sure if I can trust these people not to mess up my payments and all.

www.express-scripts.com.


It says on my bottle that it is filled in St Louis by Express Scripts. Is that what your bottle says?

[momof3boys]

Yes, when you register online, you can check your order status, which supplies you a tracking number when your medications are shipped. It will let you keep track of where your medications are, and gives you a date of when they are planned to arrive at your home. I will have to check to see what my Keppra bottles say. I didnt pay attention to any location labeled on them. But its a good way of keeping an eye on where your status of your medication is.

[momof3boys]

Here is what the screen looks like after you register... it will let you know the status, check prices of different medications, has a request center, etc...

I tried to print the screen and paste it, but it wouldnt work for me.
So I selected the items on the page and pasted it here. It gives you an idea of what they offer you when you register.


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[Brent]

I have no experience with Express Scripts, but am I understanding correctly that you can get 1 month's supply through your local pharmacy, and the only reason you need to deal with Express Scripts is if you want to get a longer supply?

If that is the case, why would you deal with Express Scripts at all?

I've always picked up my meds 1 month at a time. Never even occurred to me that I could do otherwise.

[momof3boys]

I have no experience with Express Scripts, but am I understanding correctly that you can get 1 month's supply through your local pharmacy, and the only reason you need to deal with Express Scripts is if you want to get a longer supply?

If that is the case, why would you deal with Express Scripts at all?

I've always picked up my meds 1 month at a time. Never even occurred to me that I could do otherwise.

Our insurance changed in July this year, and instead of being able to go to our local pharmacy and get a six month supply of my Keppra XR for $100, they now only offer us to get a 1 month supply, which is more expensive than getting the 6 month supply.

For us, its cheaper to get a 3 or 6 month supply than it would to get a 1 months supply through our pharmacy. I was on Keppra for years, and they would charge me $40 a month at the pharmacy, but if I got a six month supply, it was $150, which saved me $90. Since our insurance changed things, and now we can only get a 1 month supply at our local pharmacy, any larger amounts, like 3 or 6 month supplies, we have to go through the Express Scripts. If they offered the same prices I wouldnt even mess with Express Scripts. But by being able to save money, especially only having one income at the moment, its what I have to do now.

[Endless]

Momof3boys,

I so agree - it's frustrating when the pharmacy and doctor's office don't get it right, let alone don't talk to each other to get it right. Sometimes it helps to ask each person their name, write it down with what they said and the day/time they said it, and if it doesn't get straightened around ask for a supervisor. Like being sick isn't enough. You have to put up with this too. <<<<hugs>>>>

I use a local pharmacy because I like to be able to talk to the pharmacist and have things filled quickly on new prescriptions and changes. On some things it's cheaper for me to just pay for the drug on http://www.healthwarehouse.com/ than it is to pay the copay on my insurance. I'm incredibly grateful for insurance. But it's nice to know there are other options. My monthly Lamotrigine is only about $25 at healthwarehouse. It would be even less if I split pills.

[Eve]

Thanks for all your help. With Express scripts they would only allow me 1 month of a new order from the Doctor for a new medicine and then the rest after that one month has to come through mail order. I do save money with the mail order but I still don't like it,where I live it is HOT and whenever ever I get the package out of the mailbox it is very very HOT which makes me nervous about the safety of the medication. Also the postal service throws packages on the truck and when they drive by my house they throw the bag with my medication into my mailbox and I get on the average of 5 broken pills per bottle.

Today I was able to pick up a prescription of Lunesta which is a sleeping pill. They allowed me to pick it up at the drugstore whenever I want and it does not have to go through mail order.

I don't take it everyday maybe once a week at most I take it for Insomnia. When I go to the Drugstore they know me by name, they know my seizure disorder and everything there overall goes through smoothly. It was $25 for the bottle which normally lasts me up to 4 months
. But with my seizure medications the rules are different it has to go through mail-order and every now and then they try to slip a generic on me on the Keppra which the Dr has specifically told them at least 4 times now that I am only to have the brand because of the breakthrough seizures. Between the Dr, the Pharmacy and the Mailorder...Express Scripts, the Express Scripts gives me the most grief and every-time I call I am on hold an half a day. I've had to call them twice to cancel my Zoloft because I stopped taking it but they still went ahead and sent it to me and of course they wouldn't let me return the bottle but I got the credit,


I need to work on registering online with Express Scripts maybe it will help me sort things out better.

[momof3boys]

endless- Thanks for the information! Ive never used any pharmacy besides our local pharmacy in town to get my medications, other than this new online pharmacy we now have to go through to get a 3 or 6 month supply. I will have to check out the site you posted about information regarding the medications I take! Thanks!

Eve- thats just terriable that you recieve broken tablets from Express Scripts! When I recieved the Metformin on Monday 10-31-11, they were shipped by UPS and they just left it between the front door and the screen door! Why on earth would a shipping company leave medication like that outside!? Its just pathetic! I think they should do what the USPS does and leave a note on your door to let you know its in, rather than leave it in weather conditions that might destroy it!

I would register online and see if it helps you out. I like being able to check on the updates of my medications, gives me a good idea on where things stand with them. But I would do anything to change the insurance back and be able to get a 3 or 6 month supply at our local pharmacy!