Venting on Medco

[Karlynn]

I have been waiting for my new supply of 5mg Coumadin for a week now. My last 90 day Rx for the 5's was 90. My dose has gone up since that Rx was written, but I can't refill anytime I run out, only after Medco says I should need to reorder (I'm sure to prohibit stock-piling). So I had my card write a new Rx for 180 and send it in. Medco is refusing to send it until after the refill date of the old Rx because the instructions say the same thing - take 1 at bedtime or as directed. Now my card has to fax in yet another Rx w/ take 2 at bedtime or as directed. I was furious. Is that being picky or what. They only told me I needed a new Rx with a different # on it. They didn't say anything about the instructions on it.

Argghhhhhhh!

 

[Georgia]

I'm sure it's maddening. My favorite tale is when I got a letter from the prescription insurer telling me that the dosage of medicine my cardiologist had prescribed was greater than the guidelines and I needed to get in touch with him and blah blah blah.

These companies really don't do well with presciptions like coumadin that can change doses quickly. I wonder if there isn't a better way - maybe like insulin which is not prescription - it's not like coumadin is anything that anyone would take if they absolutely didn't have to; and as far as I know, it's not a constituent of meth

So it would make sense if there were some sort of "open" prescription (for a year or something) so we could just get what we need.

 

[jeffp]

Yeah, the way the mail order companies (I deal with Medco also) work is a real pain in the rear for us as the dose changes and sometimes we're on one pill a day, sometime 1 & 1/2, sometime one of one dose and one of another. My PCP wrote a few scripts of 30 day supply and I fill those locally when I get low (Medco always takes longer than my runout date; if I send it in too soon, they send it back). I usually wind up paying out of pocket (as the insurance has a Rx on file or pending) but it comes to about $15/month vs. the $10 co-pay. Currently I have about month in reserve past whent he Rx runs out. (not a bad idea in light of the Katrina situation - how many of those folks couldn't get life supporting meds and wound up a "statistic"?)

 

[RCB]

Remines me of that great movie line

Remines me of that great movie line

"So it would make sense if there......................"

This is where the insurance companies say to say customer in a heavy
mexican accent:

"SENSE!...We don't need no stinking Sense!"

 

[tommy]

Karlynn,

My script had to articulate ethe dose for each day of the week - but left Thursday out by accident. Medco filled the scrip by adding up the numbers for 3 months and converting all to 5s. It was short by a bunch and din't address any dose changes (that happened the next day). The cardio called them to straighten it out (thier mistake). Now I have 2 scripts on the system with 2 copays for refills.

 

[Karlynn]

Yep, ran into this problem this evening. The delightful Medco pharmacist this a.m. told me that he would recommend I have my Card. call in a script for the 5's to my local pharmacy, in order to get some to tide me over until they can get the right Rx for the 5's and get it sent out. So I did that. And promptly got a call this evening from my local pharmacy saying my insurance had rejected the Rx because, according to them, I wasn't due for a refill until 9/25. What the Medco pharmacist failed to tell me was that my local pharmacy would have to call Medco for an override.

I also had a tough time dealing with my Card's tech today. She wanted to send in an Rx for 10 mg. tabs. I told her that was not as usable as the 5's, because sometimes I'm not taking 10 and need the 5's to combine w/ my 3's.

This is so ridiculously stressful. I'm about to bite the dog.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Currently I have about month in reserve past whent he Rx runs out. (not a bad idea in light of the Katrina situation - how many of those folks couldn't get life supporting meds and wound up a "statistic"?)

NBC News interviewed a lady whose house had flooded. She told them her husband had a mechanical heart valve and had left in search of Coumadin. Hope he found some!

Maybe we ALL need to stockpile a weeks worth (or two) "just in case"!

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Blanche]

A number of years ago, when we were on vacation, one of our bags was lost, it strayed, or it was stolen. Al's Coumadin was in that bag. We were able to get an emergency supply with some difficulty. Since then, we each carry a prescription for his medication when we travel. This was back in the pre-stroke days when we both thought Coumadin was something you just took and got tested monthly. I remember suggesting that he probably could do without for a few days and handle it when we returned from vacation. Just remembering this is making my blood run cold.

Since Al's stroke, I have become a real worrier, and I will admit, somewhat of a nag when it comes to his anticoagulation medication. In addition to the scripts that we carry (renewed each year), we also purchased, out of our own pocket, a three month "stockpile" of the Comadin strengths that he uses. Some might think this is a waste of money, and they may be right. For me, it buys some peace of mind. It's been years since we got the extras and we have never had to use them.

Blanche

 

[tommy]

I always take 2 extra days' supply of meds in my carry on luggage. For a while I was able to have some safety stock, but not any longer. My cardio comps me Coumadin to tide me over to cover for Medco.

 

[Karlynn]

I always take double the supply. One set in my luggage and one in my purse.

 

[John & Joann]

How to beat the PBM System. Have your Dr. write the prescription for 1 or 2 as needed. They MUST fill the order for 2 every day. This reduces your deductible, gives you extra for emergency, etc. and gives you a cushion when the shipment does not come on time!

This DOES work!!!!

 

[catwoman]

I always take double the supply. One set in my luggage and one in my purse.

I have a Travelpro Rollerboard for fly-to trips and a small Travelpro for short trips. Each has at least a week's worth of warfarin + amoxi. I also carry 1 week's worth in my purse.

I have 3 scrips for warfarin: 1, 2 and 10s. Medco has been filling them, with instructions "take as directed."