It's All in the Fine Print
Okay. I admit it. I take sleeping pills. Generics. Tiny doses. Not every night. I am about out and the bottle from Walgreens says I have two more refills available before the end of the year. Yesterday, August 30, I called their automated prescription number and ordered a refill for pickup today.
This morning, I got a recorded message from them that they needed a “preauthorization” for the drug before they could fill the prescription. I called as asked what that was all about and was told that Medco wanted it “preauthorized” even though it was a standing prescription that had been dispensed and paid for twice in the past. She also told me it usually took five to seven days to have the form processed before I would be able to get my refill. I asked who I could call in the middle of the night when I was out of pills and couldn’t get back to sleep. She didn’t blink and told me to call Medco.
Getting through the Medco automated “How may I help you?” voice at the beginning of the call took me about four times repeating “customer service” before I was referred to an “agent.” I went through the history with this person. She looked up my file and said that the sleeping pill was only authorized (regular use) for no more than 60 pills in 90 days. If I needed to take them daily and have them pay, I would have to have a “preauthorization form” filled out by my physician and faxed back to them. I asked for the history of my filling the prescription for this drug.
“Well, you ordered one 30-day supply on June 1 and another in July.” I countered with this was now August 31 and that 90 days had transpired since June 1. I was told that since the order had been placed when it was (i.e., yesterday) it was under 90 days insofar as they were concerned and the form was required. I asked her who I could call in the middle of the night when I was out of pills and couldn’t get back to sleep. Long pause at the other end of the line.
This morning, I got a recorded message from them that they needed a “preauthorization” for the drug before they could fill the prescription. I called as asked what that was all about and was told that Medco wanted it “preauthorized” even though it was a standing prescription that had been dispensed and paid for twice in the past. She also told me it usually took five to seven days to have the form processed before I would be able to get my refill. I asked who I could call in the middle of the night when I was out of pills and couldn’t get back to sleep. She didn’t blink and told me to call Medco.
Getting through the Medco automated “How may I help you?” voice at the beginning of the call took me about four times repeating “customer service” before I was referred to an “agent.” I went through the history with this person. She looked up my file and said that the sleeping pill was only authorized (regular use) for no more than 60 pills in 90 days. If I needed to take them daily and have them pay, I would have to have a “preauthorization form” filled out by my physician and faxed back to them. I asked for the history of my filling the prescription for this drug.
“Well, you ordered one 30-day supply on June 1 and another in July.” I countered with this was now August 31 and that 90 days had transpired since June 1. I was told that since the order had been placed when it was (i.e., yesterday) it was under 90 days insofar as they were concerned and the form was required. I asked her who I could call in the middle of the night when I was out of pills and couldn’t get back to sleep. Long pause at the other end of the line.
posted by Bud Hirsch at 2:36 PM
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