Caremark Rx is one of the big three pharmacy benefit managers, companies that supposedly save consumers and, not least of all, their insurers big bucks on prescriptions. But these savings, if indeed they exist, all too often come out of the consumer's hide, as the complaints in this section demonstrate.
Angela of Chubbuck, ID June 16, 2009
To start Cvs caremark is the prescription insurance provided by my husbands work.
I had gone to the Dr. in February to get my presciption refills which are Lexapro for depression and Levothyroxine for my bad thyroid. The Dr. filled my prescription and I went to Walmart to have the first one filled cause that is what Caremark will allow, after that you have to use the mailorder for maintenence meds. So the last week of March I called Caremark and my dr. and thought everything was fine until I logged into my account on Caremarks website and my prescription was cancelled the first week of April 2009.
We called caremark to find out what was wrong and they told us that the doctor did not write the prescription dispensing information the right way. So we called the dr. and they resent the information to Caremark, this was now the first week of May 2009. My husbands debit card was charge for the prescriptions which is for 3 months worth of both Lexapro and synthroid(caremark did not have levothyroxine). I watched the website everyday and finally on May 14,2009 my meds were shipped and they had put a tracking number to track it. I put the tracking number into the USPS website and it showed that I could not track from their website, so I looked everywhere to find where I could track this number to no avail.
I waited for 2 weeks and tried the number everyday with the same results. We then called Caremark to find out where it was and they told us they did not know and pretty much told us we are not telling the truth. We waited another week and no meds, and the tracking number still did not work. So we called Caremark again and they said they would send out a new prescription asap and if the other one arrived to send them a blue card so that we would not be charged again. Now we have already paid them almost 58.00 for meds we have not ever recieved!
On June 3, 2009 I recieved an email saying that they would not fill the prescription cause they needed the dr. to send them a new prescription, they said they had talked to the doctor and she would not refill the prescription cause I needed blood work, but I have not been able to take my meds consistently because of this HUGE mistake by Caremark. We found out they did not ever talk to the dr. because she only works 1 day a week at the local office. We have repeatedly called Caremark and the drs. office to get this taken care of but no one wants to help us. I refuse to pay Caremark another 58.00 for medications that are nowhere to be found. And since I have not been able to take my medications regularly I will not go to the doctor for an appointment just so she can ask why I have not been taking my meds. I am so tired of the run around with Caremark on this matter, and my drs. office too. But my main concern is Caremark. I dont think it is fair to deny someone their medications that they need, just because someone made a mistake.
manuela of Cranston, RI May 6, 2009
The Pulmicort that was sent to me in March was not requested by me nor my physician. I had been taken off Pulmicort in January and placed on other medications. However, have charged me a 40 co-pay for a medication that I do not even take. Representatives (Ashley, Rosey, and Janice) claim they received a fax from Dr. Sherman's office. I contacted Judy who handles the prescription refills for Dr. Sherman's office, and she has no record of sending any such fax. There is no record of having any contact with company since January 2009. CVS Caremark refuses to credit my account. I do not want my credit ruined for their mistake.
Tom of Jenkintown, PA April 29, 2009
On April 9, 2008, my daughter had broken out into a very bad rash, and the doctor has prescribed the medicine that was purchased under this claim. When I went to the pharmacy, they said that Allison was not on my policy. I corrected them, but they told me to contact Caremark. I called Caremark that night and spoke with a representative who said that there was an error on your end and that Allison was covered. She told me to buy the medicine and submit the receipt for reimbursement (less my standard co-pay of course).
So this medicine was purchased with authorization from the representative at Caremark. Please do not deny this claim again. I need that money refunded. The current economy has left me in a personal financial mess. I cannot have this claim denied again. Please check your records to see that I did call on the night in question, and your representative said I should buy the drug (as my daughter was in a lot of pain) and that Caremark would correct the problem and reimburse the difference.
This has been going on for a little over a year. I want it resolved. This error on their part has cost me 187 less my co-pay (30), so I'm out 157.
Dina of Hamden, CT April 14, 2009
I have multiple sclerosis. I have been on Provigil for fatigue for years. for some odd reason they denied it at prior auth this time. they lied and would not tell me the denial was their doing (cust serv kept saying to call my doc and the pharmacy and that was where the hold-up was - but it turned out the hold-up was that Caremark was denying). then despite [providing journal articles and a convincing letter from my doc (an MS specialist) they have denied me on the two additional appeal levels. now i am filing the external appeal. they count on the fact that most just give up
when i run out i will be barely able to do my job as i will be falling asleep in the afternoon. i am counsel to the majority leader of the state senate. i am using all the political pressure i can but to no avail
Adrienne of Long Island City, NY April 3, 2009
I mailed a prescription for Lyrica 75mg along with the new prescription paperwork. Script was for 2 pills per day for 30 days with 5 refills. Pills came in the mail today, a 30 month supply (60 pills). I saw I was charged 70 while a previous order I had filled in my local drug store was only 40 for same quantity. When looking at the Caremark website 'Check the cost of a presciption' feature, I put in the number of pills per day and did a search and the cost came up as 40 for a 30 day supply from the drug store and 111 for a 90 day supply with mail order.
I did another search to try to find the cost for mail order one month supply but that did not come up. Very shady. On the original order form it indicates that you should have your Dr. write for a 90-day supply, but it does not state that if you don't you will have to pay a penalty over the cost at a drug store. I received no help when calling customer service, sounded like she was just reading off of a script. I asked if I got Dr. to rewrite prescription for 90 days, could I receive any kind of credit and was told no. If you don't get 90-day supply, that's the cost-30 over retail. I suppose I paid for the full cost of the drug. Extremely deceptive practices.
I paid almost twice the amount for this prescription and was basically denied my benefits.
Lila of Mars Hill, NC March 28, 2009
I sent 5 prescriptions by fax to this company 3/16/09. I called 800 no. today and they said they just received it on 3/26/09. That is ridiculous. I am now without my medicine and was waiting each day thinking it would be in the mail every day this week.
I didn't ask the Dr. for a short order to tide me over because it has already been 10 day till the order had been sent to them.
Susan of Hilliard, OH March 25, 2009
I have used Caremark for over 4 years now, only because my insurance requires me to use this pharmacy. During this time I have dealt with many mistakes. One of the biggest was last year Caremark charged my credit card over 1200.00 without my knowledge. A charge that should have went to my insurance company. When I called to question it I was told that since the card was on file it was used and it was a mistake. I asked that the card be taken off file. I then went through the mess of getting the insurance company to reimburse me for the charge. Which was not an easy task. At the beginning of this year I received a very polite phone call from Caremark. It had come to their attention that I had an insurance change.
When the insurance company was contacted it was found that I had a flexible spending account that was linked to a debit card and could I please give Caremark the number of that debit card. I replyed that I would not need a refill for a full 2 months and would give the card number at that time. I am a little wary now of giving out card numbers to this pharmacy. The person from Caremark then confirmed my insurance co-pay and deductible with me and stated it as a correct 20%. Before the call ended she reiterated the importance of Caremark getting the card niumber as soon as possible as it could delay shipments.
Last week I called in a refill and was told that I needed to pay 25% of the prescription charge. I stated that I had it in writting that I pay 20% and had just spoke with my insurance company confirming this. She told me that she had two notes on my account one said 20%, the other 25%. She would check on this, call me the following week and accept a credit card number at that time. The following week the same person (Annette) called back and told me a dollar amount for the co-pay and asked for a credit card number. I asked if this was 20% or 25% since she was only quoting the co-pay not the total. She said 25%. We then had the same conversation we had the previous week and she suddenly remembered she was suppossed to check on this, but hadn't. I was told checking on it now would delay the shipment.
So I gave her my credit card number, and called the person would had typed in the note of 25% and the note of 20%. She was the same person that had called at the beginning of the year wanting a my debit card number. She could not confirm the 25% or the 20%. So she did the math of the total minus my deductible and said it looked like 20%. No apology for making the incorrect note. When I get theese shipments I NEVER receive any billing paperwork with them like you would at a neighborhood pharmacy. It is only the medication in a box with a cold pack. I must rely on their word for it, and wait for the monthly statement from my insurance company to see if I was charged correctly or not.
The shipment was scheduled to arrive on my day off, March 25. However when I returned home from work on the 24th it was on my porch. A very expensive medication that requires refrigeration on the porch all day while I am at work. I ask that I do not have to sign for deliveries because it takes me some time to answer the door, but I always schedule the delivery on a day that I am home. When I called to asked about why the medication was delivered early I was transferred and then told to call a different number. I did I was told to call Annette later (she was away from her desk) because the computer showed she scheduled the shipment for the 24th. I really don't want to talk to Annette again ever.
Aside from the shock of the credit card charge and the wondering if I had been a victim of identity theft. I then had to go throught the time and effort of being reimbursed. My calls to Caremark take a large chunk of time out of my day since I am often transferred or given another number to call. The stress of each mistake can not be good for me. I would love to send Caremark a bill for my time wasted fixing their repeated mistakes. It has come to my attention that I made now use the local CVS for my medication. Unfortunatly CVS and Caremark are now merged. I do not want to reward such poor customer service with any more money.
Jennifer of Claremont, CA March 17, 2009
Roughly around Jan 19,2009 a very warm day in CA, I received a prescription from CVS/CAREMARK mail order for a patient. The package lists my correct address, but the recipient does not live at this address. I wrote return to sender this person does not live at this address. Ironically, we were in San Luis Obispo the next day helping the pharmacists fight CenCal Health; which wants to use CVS/CAREMARK for their mail order prescriptions to local patients.
Then again on March 3, 2009 I received a package again from CVS/CAREMARK for the same patient. I reported them for HIPAA violations and to the California state Board of Pharmacy. This poor patient hasn't received their prescription since January to my knowledge. Also they broke a law by delivering to a door and just leaving a package without a signature confirmation.
Noel of Agnew Dr, PA March 16, 2009
I have expensive topical cream that I call and explain ndo not send it to me at the moment I still have plenty at the moment , and I will ask for the script to be sent next month , I went on line the following month and my perscription for the cream was deleted I call and explain that I did not want the script cancel and deleted just prostpone for a month , I contacted Care via the Web and called and I was Told by the phone rep that need to contacted the doctor and have a new script sent In (Faxed) ask to talked to a maniger and they said , that there was no manger at that time, I left my phone to call me at there convience no phone return phone call nothing ?
Kathy of Upper Darby, PA March 6, 2009
several phone calls about refills on prescriptions especially Soma for back pain from car accident. When you call them depending on the day or time of day you either get a different story, put on hold for an inordinate amount of time, are told you are taking too much medication by someone who is neither a pharmacist or doctor, refills not filled or sent in a timely manner, when you ask to speak to somone who generally knows and cares what is going on with your prescriptions (soma is not the only medication I have had issues with; they have delayed my seizure medication and told me to go to my PCP to ask for samples) there is either total silence or rudeness depending on the day or time. Truly a non-professional, non-caring organization. I use them only because it is my employers prescription plan. I could not recommend them to anyone!
Delays in getting my seizure medication,back pain medication and thyroid medication. I was in a mva and need both seizure meds and medication for back spasms in order to work, when i don't have either, i run the risk of having a seizure, losing my drivers license and my license to practice my profession as an x-ray tech. I also have thyroid cancer; without the synthroid, i run a risk of my TSH levels begin to elevate, and any mets that i already have be fed and grow by the elevating hormone levels. The consequences of that are obvious. I just want my medications when i want them and have on occasion paid out of pocket to have some scripts filled just to be able to have them when i need them and not deal with caremark!
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