Complain about a product or service

Caremark RX Inc

Caremark Rx • Changing Prescriptions • Delivery Problems • Refusing to Fill Prescriptions • Shorting Prescriptions --- News • Caremark Settles Drug-Switching Charges • CVS, Caremark Rx Agree to Merge • CVS In Merger Talks With Caremark • Feds Side With Whistleblower In Caremark Case • Pharmacy Benefit Managers Scrutinized • Class Action Filed

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.

Noel of Agnew Dr PA (03/16/09)
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

Kathy of Upper Darby PA (03/06/09)
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!

R of Concord, CA February 24, 2009

R of Concord CA (02/24/09)
Caremark continues to fail to send me my perscription with a vacation override for my Nasal Spray even thought they have authorized a vacation override at least twice. They stop processing the perscription and do not notify via me their website or by phone.

When I happen to check my messages on their website, I end up calling them again to only find out that the pharmacist is waiting for another authorization from my doctor, even though my doctor has given me a perscription with refills to cover a whole year. I travel for an extended period of time annually and always need this nasal spray and getting Caremark to fill their authorized vacation override takes me at least one month worth of calls and follow-ups. Their response is that the pharmacist does not call the doctor. So in brief, they need the doctor's approval, but they do not call my doctor or me to tell me that and they just sit and wait for me to find out. I have had this problem with Caremark for the past 6 years for the same perscription and the same reason!

I spend hours on the phone trying to get this taken care of. It is very stressful and frustrating to deal with Caremark year after year for the same reason, and they do not fix their problem or even care. They failed to provide me with my perscribed medication with the vacation override before my last assignment to another country and I ended up with a very serious sinus infection that took months to treat, out my pocket expense with acupuncture. My doctor wanted to perform surgery but I chose acupuncture treatment instead and ended up paying for it. If I had the nasal spray, I would not have had that infection. Now I am getting to take on another assignment abroad in a few days and am still trying to get my nasal spray from Caremark since the beginning of February.

Brenda of Valley Center, KS February 2, 2009

Brenda of Valley Center KS (02/02/09)
I am trying to get my husbands ONE-TOUCH ULTRA TEST STRIPS. We sent a new prescription from the doctor. after several attempts, still no test strips. I received mine but he did not. Now they say the plan does not cover them. I received mine in January after ordering them in January.

They are also denying me access to the website. I went on the NALC website to find the drug list to find out it is on there. They said they only cover ACCU-CHEC, then why are both listed on the preferred drug list.

Shirley of Magnolia, NJ January 27, 2009

Shirley of Magnolia NJ (01/27/09)
When I was first diagnosed with IBS my doctor perscribed Levbid. I went to my local pharmacy and it was filled with generic, Hyoscyamine. I have been using this since Sept. 2008. In January on my doctor's visit she e-mailed it to Caremark and when I received it it was for Levbid at a cost of 80.00 for 3 months. My cost for generic is 12.00 for 1 month. I called Caremark to ask why no generic and they told me there isn't one.

Now that confused me as Rite Aid filled my script with Hyoscyamine, generic. I asked why, if Caremark had no substitution they did not call me or e-mail me and let me know. Their reply, they don't have to! Well, no-one has to do anything, but common courtesy would dictate a telephone call informing the patient. So what it comes down to is they are forcing me to accept the Levbid at a cost of 80.00 when if the generic was used the cost 22.50. Now perhaps if I was still working I would overlook their discretion but I was laid off and really have to watch how much is being paid out.

Thomas of Malverne, NY January 22, 2009