Express Scripts' New Plan: Prescription Drugs Go to Employees' Homes

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A couple of years ago, my company switched from Ex. Scripts to MEDCO. Right before the end of their contract, ES called all my doctors and had them refill my Rx's which they sent to me with a bill for over $300.00. I usually pay for my meds when I order them, but since I didn't order these, they billed me. I told them they could forget about payment and why, and ever since then they have these less than intellegent goon bill collectors call me a couple times a month. I got tired of explaining the situation to them, which they were incapable of understanding anyway, so now I just don't answer. Unfortunately, ES bought out MEDCO, and now I'm having the same problem. They just sent me an Rx with a $200 co-pay, and charged it to my cc, saying it was on auto-refill, which it wasn't. Moral: Don't ever have anything on auto refill with these dishonest, unethical people.

Fraud Detector of MI 2:03PM February 17, 2013

I have been so frustrated with my doctor's receptionists and express scripts. My doctor kept an old mail order pharmacy address on file from 2 years ago and kept sending my prescription there instead of express scripts. I called the doctors office 4 times over the course of a month to have the same conversation because they were not updating my information each time I called. When I finally ran out of my medication (I have asthma), I had the doctor fax an rx to a local pharmacy and express scripts contacted my doctors for me (by my request since my doctor's system was obviously not working) and got one month filled there.
I then called express scripts to tell them not to fill my doctors RX yet (which hadn't gone through at the point that I called) since I already got my Rx filled locally and I was assured it wouldn't. 5 days later I get 3 months of medication in the mail and express scripts tells me that 'of course' they filled it because the pharmacy was only for 1 month supply (which lasts me longer than a month). Now its cost me over $300 for medication that will last me well over a year (maybe 2). And there is nothing I can do since express scripts wont take 'sent' medication even if it is unopened. Basically I've been screwed over. At least they won't do 'auto refill' on this Rx because I made them write a note on file. All I got was "we are sorry".

Nicole of CA 1:16PM September 15, 2012

If you do take a medication regularly simply have your doctor write out the number of prescriptions you will need each month and fill them as "new" rather than as a refill. Don't get any of your scripts refilled [all as new] and you can keep your regular pharmacy.
Check all the ES rip off reports online.
Tell your employer to change plans!

karen of NJ 6:55PM January 03, 2011

Express Script should be investigated immediately! They are ripping people off. I don't understand how they are getting away with it. The Columbus City School System in Columbus, Ohio switched from Aetna RX home delivery to Express Script two years ago. BIG MISTAKE! We would have rather paid more money and stayed with Aetna RX home delivery. In the beginning, Express Script messed up the transfer of prescriptions. My husband and I had to go back to our doctor and get new prescriptions to submit. Our second experience with Express Script was paying for a prescription by credit card. Another BIG MISTAKE! Months later we received an auto-refill by mail and was charged for medication that we did NOT request. It was a prescription that was transferred from Aetna to Express Script without us knowing about it. Also, my husband was on other medication that didn't allow him to take the auto-refill medication. So, we are now stuck with two bottles of medication that we cannot use, and we were also charged for the prescription. We were on the phone with them for over an hour trying to find out why they sent us an auto-refill and charged our credit card when we DID NOT request it. There was nothing they could do for us. My husband told them to NEVER send anything by auto-refill, and he also told them to remove our credit card number from their system. Recently we sent in a prescription to fill. (You would think we learned our lesson by now.) The prescription didn't arrive in the mail until four weeks later. When we opened the package we discovered that Express Script took it upon their own to charge our credit card for a medication that our insurance did not cover and charged us $60.00. Why didn't they call us first before filling the prescription? Anyone with any common sense would see that we do indeed have drug coverage. So why would we want to pay $60.00 for something that should cost only $12.00? Then come to find out, our insurance plan through Express Script does not carry the simple drug of Meclizine (generic form) or Antivert. They had our contact information and they could have called to let us know that the medication was NOT covered under our plan. When we asked if it were possible to return the medication, we were told NO because we opened the package. Duh! You have to open the package to get the paperwork out. Why don't they send the bill separately? This way if there is a problem the package can be sent back untouched. Both women I spoke to sounded almost robotic. It were as if they repeated the response on a daily basis. WE WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS WITH THEM AGAIN! I will make it a point to let every person I know how deceitful Express Script is. I will also file additional complaints.

Bianca Kelley of OH 7:23PM December 21, 2010

Nice post, thanks for writing!

seolace of AL 6:55PM May 06, 2010

I can't get my medications refilled because express scripts give's the clinic the wrong fax number. Have tried for 1 and 1/2 weeks.

jean of NM 7:11PM March 16, 2010

Their newest thing is you can opt out of mail order for what they determine are maintenance meds, only if you also opted out in 2009, but not for specialty meds, but in doing so you will pay 2 times the deductible after the 2nd refill, if you continue to use a retail local in-network pharmacy. Specialty meds are determined only by Express Scripts and the Employer using them, and although some are generic, the are refusing to fill them under any circumstances, unless it is through their subsidiary CuraScript. An example is - They refused to pay for a chemotheraputic generic ($8.00 a month) with no preservatives (made in Ohio) at RiteAid locally, demanding that it can only come through them delivered to us made in an Austrialian company with alcohol preservatives that costs me more. Their phone tactics are akin to those of a collection agency or worse. And the companies who are 'self-insured' who use them to admininster benefits help them make up their rules so they both can make more money.

Don of CT 3:36PM December 28, 2009