Complain about a product or service

Medco Health Solutions

255 Phillipi Road, Columbus, OH

Gayle of International Falls MN (04/07/09)
Medco requires a prior authorization on a medication that I take. The medication was prescribed on 3/19/09 and I was not able to get the medication until 4/03/09. I had to continually call Medco to ask them to take care of this authorization over a 2 week period. Each time I phoned Medco, I was told there was no record of my earlier calls. Each time, I requested to speak with a supervisor. Several times, I was told that I would have to wait on hold. I waited on hold, but was disconnected and had to call back only to go through the same procedure yet again. It took from 3/19 until 4/3 to get the prescription filled. During which time, I was given various different reasons as to why the prescription could not be filled.

The first reason I was given for not filling the prescription was that Medco was not given the authorization request from the physician. I initiated a request with Medco on 3/23/09 and notified my physician who told me that the request had been filed on 3/19/09 by them. Then, Medco said that the pharmacy was using the wrong Group number - I asked just how this could be true when several other of me medications were filled at the same pharmacy at the same time? I was given a group number to give to the pharmacy along with a Medco Help Desk number for the pharmacy to contact. The pharmacy did contact Medco, but was told that there was no authorization request for the medication. I was told on 3/31 that Medco would authorize a temporary 5 pills at the pharmacy, but by the time Medco said they would authorize it (I estimate that I was on the phone with Medco for 3+ hours that day), it was too late to go to the pharmacy, it was closed for the day. T

hey told me to call back again on April 1st to get the 5 day supply reauthorized as it had to be filled on the same day that Medco authorized it. When I called back on April 1, I was told that I no longer had Medco coverage. There was a gap and it would become effective again on April 3. I spent most of April 1 & April 2 on the phone with Medco without results. I finally got someone with my employer HR department to conference call with Medco to try and figure out what the problem was. This was done several times alone on April 2, 2009. It never did get resolved.

On April 3rd, I was notified by the pharmacy that the medication was now filled. How can this happen? I am just one person and do not have the ability to call, wait, call again, get disconnect, call again, etc. What is going on with our insurance regualtions that allow an insurance provider to continue to operate in this fashion? This is only one of the outrageous stories that I personally have to tell about my interaction with Medco. I can now see by looking for somewhere to make a complaint, that I am not the only person who has had this level of difficulty with Medco.

This needs to stop. If this is not stopped, there are going to be people who encounter actual irreversible physical difficulties due to not receiving their medication. Certainly there has to be some government regulatory agency who can check into this. Please provide me with information on how to file a complaint with them.

K of Los Angeles, CA April 4, 2009

K of Los Angeles CA (04/04/09)
In Mid March 2009, I received a letter dated February from Medco noting that in January they decided to remove one of my medication, an injectible, from the formulary. This short notice left me with just a few days to take the time and spend yet more money to go back to the doctor to get and send in a new prescription. I sent it in (for a known inferior and unstable medication that I am sure Medco is getting kickbacks and rebates to sell) and was told Medco wouldn't fill it because I still had a few days of my old medicine left. My wife's HR benefits office had to intervene to get them to send the new medicine.

The new medicine arrived, using a new type of injection pen I was not familiar with. I struggled through the instructions and ended up injecting half of the vial, a two week's supply as an accidental overdose on the first use.

My wife went to our United Healthcare web site to find that the 24 hour nurseline phone number was disconnected and the live chat nurse could only ask stupid questions and then tell us to contact Poison control center.

So we called Poison Control and thankfully found out that since I am a diabetic I can monitor skyrocketing sugar levels with my current glucose meter gear to try and control the overdose side effects.

So in an effort to save money, these cheapskates at Medco now have to send me another prescription to make up for the amount accidentially injected as an overdose, and I have to pay another 100 co-pay

I cannot wait for this greedy and poorly run company to be regulated out of existence by the government when socialized medicine takes over!

Accidental overdose of medication due to new/cheapened injection device, used up 15 days of 30 day supply in one injection which resulted in highly elevated blood sugar levels. Also had to reorder medication and pay another 100 co-pay for inferior goods that my doctor would not prescribe if he had another choice.

Jack of San Francisco, CA April 3, 2009

Jack of San Francisco CA (04/03/09)
I am permanently disabled and currently take 12 different prescriptions. In addition to my Medco coverage, I have secondary insurances from the state and federal governments. You would think that with 3 insurances getting my medications wouldn't be a problem, but for 8 of them, every 30 days, it's another song and dance. Dr. Medco has deemed 8 of these maintenance medications which means, according to the almighty policy, I am supposed to mail order from them 90 day bulk quantities and pay out of pocket up front. Medco doesn't take any insurance. This idea has caused me more pain and grief than I can possibly describe here. If one script needs to change for some reason, it could easily affect 5 or 6 others. Just the amount of paperwork on 8 different mail ins would be a full time job.

Medco has led me to the conclusion that no insurance company should ever be allowed to also provide the thing they insure against. They are just a giant pharmacy who feeds on the sick and injured. Here's the thing, if they would just deny the coverage outright, the secondary insurances would pay the full cost at the pharmacy for every single one of them. It is not for lack of trying. I have called and pleaded with them to refuse coverage - TO REFUSE IT - which you think they would be happy to do, but they won't. I have tried to go a more personal pharmacy that helps manage 12 prescriptions only to discover they require me to go to Walgreens, where I stand behind a little plastic stop sign.

A few years ago my doctor and I filed all kinds of forms and had a bunch of phone calls and faxes and jumped through a number of flaming hoops; just to get permission or an exception to get 1 [one] of my prescriptions filled at the local pharmacy. 90 days later, naturally, it was denied. When I called to find out why they said that I had only gotten permission to TAKE the drug, not get it at the pharmacy. From that moment on I have changed my personal policy and I no longer send Medco any mail whatsoever. They do not care one tiny iota about me or my decade long struggle with disability and pain, nor the 19 years of surviving a terminal diagnosis. They clearly do not care if I can digest my food, or control my bowels, or lay flat. They happily even acknowledge my anxiety or stress but that doesn't change the policy.

The real story is the one about Providgil. Many years ago my doctor thought that, even though not directly indicated for my condition, it might help. I am able to get around pretty well (at one point I could not walk 2 steps) but after about 10 blocks the pain becomes overwhelming. It was truly like a miracle. After about a week I could walk as far as I wanted or even run or dance! Going into that third month my life had totally changed. I even thought at one point I might go back to work! But the results are not what mattered, it was the price. All were appeals denied.

Every year the one little break was in January when the policy reset. At least for 90 days I could get the things I needed before this song and dance began. This year though the policy has changed and it didn't reset. I managed to find alternatives but that's about up. Medco sent me an appeal form but they want it for each of the 8 meds. I am afraid of what will happen when I don't get the drugs I need. There are some long-term potential for serious mental health complications from my disability. I do not know what would happen if dementia does set-in but I have no faith in Medco to do anything about it.

I hobble along, using refurb and second hand equipment, pretending that I'm fine so everybody can have their fun. I keep trying to enjoy it because inside I have given up hope that I will ever do any better. I survived without things and without hope before, but it is only because of medications that I am alive today. It was also, sadly, a known side effect of those life-saving medications that caused my disability. I have survived that for a decade now and yet it all stands to come apart because of Medco's convenient mail-order savings. I don't know if there is a legal issue for me but I feel the need to tell somebody about the grief this company has elected for me before I am unable to anymore.

Karrie of Ringsted, IA March 24, 2009

Karrie of Ringsted IA (03/24/09)
We have had a problem with this company from day 1. My step-daughter has ADHD and needs the meds or she just doesn't function well. First problem we had was that the scripts had to be written out for 90 days not 30 days and have refills on them. Then when we got that right they constantly called to verify our address. I finally told the last person that we haven't moved since the last time we talked to you! Now recently-they increased the price and because it is over 100 we have to pay for it first before they will ship it. Nice of them to do.

Then in the mean time if you use a regular pharmacy they threaten you that you will pay full price! The people I have dealt with are very rude! This is a very poor mail order prescription company. I believe that this should be our choice if we use mail order or not!

Diana of Hastings, PA March 20, 2009

Diana of Hastings PA (03/20/09)
My husband Richard Waksmunski ordered his medication 2 weeks ago. He did not receive it so he called Medco on 3-18-09. He was told at that time that it would be shipped out right away and that he would have it by Friday 3-20-09. He called Medco Friday around 3:00pm because he did not receive it. He spoke with Lori and she told him that it was not mailed out. Needless to say my husband was very upset. The doctors office was closed so he couldn't call to get medicine to hold him over until he received his shipment. He depends on his medicine. He takes heart, diabetes, cholesterol, and a variety of meds. His life depends on this medicine. This company needs to be held responsible for this. They should not be allowed to do this to people. I think they need to be investigated. We are very unhappy with the service we have received from this company.

My husbands health depends on this medication. He was very upset and with all his health problems we don't need this treatment from this company

Amy of Fox River Grove, IL March 17, 2009

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