Complaint Review: Express Scripts Inc. - Internet

Greetings to all Express Scripts customers. I understand that some of you may not understand how the pharmacy business work but please allow me to explain. All the rants and complaints on here is only one side. As you are aware we services over 100 million patients every day. The percentage about the complaint on here is only .05 % of the pharmacy business. Some has true validity and some don't. I can say, as someone that works in the pharmacy benefit management industry I can only provide you my viewpoint and tips that you can do to ensure you're satisfied with the service.

The first thing I want to respond about people mailing in medication. You must understand that this is a mail order pharmacy and not your typical local Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Publix  etc. Mail order generally takes about 2-3 weeks for you to get your medications. If you don't plan ahead, and yes you will run out of your medications. It's also up to the patients responsibility to make sure they have at least 30 days on hand before mailing in or ordering. I'd suggest, it's better to have a little left over from your next order than run out.  For those that think mail order pharmacies are urgent care facilities and can just process their medications in a few days, I'm sorry to say and don't want to give your hopes up however,  it doesn't work that way. I'm appalled by the many customers that send in their medications and expect something in the mail the next week. So let me say this, when you mail in the Rx, it takes about 3 business days to get to our facility. The facility has to open your mail, that could take another 24 hours, then the mail order pharmacy has to enter your Rx's (another 24-48 hours) and try to read the Doctors chicken scratch before processing. When it's in for processing, it takes additional 3-5 business days (not including weekends), remember there are millions of other patients waiting for their meds too! We can't just cut you infront of line simply you lack poor organization and not prepared to have enough while its being processed. Then when its done shipping you want to allow standard shipping for mail order pharmacy. Sometimes you will get it in in 3 days, however, general turn around time is 7-10 bus days for medications.


Secondly, for those that want to mail their medications back without authorization, you will not get your credit. Why? Because medications rather its open or unopened, by law we CANNOT dispense the medication again. I'm sure you wouldn't want to take the risk by having medications being sent back to us and filling it for another patient. There are only certain times when we ask you to mail it back, that if it's only the COMPANY's error!  If your Doctor sent in the new Rx and and we get it to process, we will fill it automatically, and no its NOT THE COMPANY's ERROR - It's your DR's error for sending us the RX to be processed. SO GO AFTER  YOUR DOCTOR's office not the processing company. So everything is blamed by the company for processing the Rx by their request. Shouldn't you have a discussion with your Dr office? If you don't want your medications, thed DON"T send in the prescription. Patients like some of those on here don't take full responsibility for themselves and continue to blame...blame... because in reality it's their mistake. Own up to your mistakes and quit blaming other people. If the company had to give people back medications for everything they say they don't want when we mail it out, The company will go bankrupt. We gave over $3,000,0000 in credits last year for doctors mistakes and patients as courtesy. That's something the patient don't see and only believe it's about them. Again, we only do it for certain circumstances and you can help by following the process and procedures. If you don't want meds, don't mail in your RX's and don't put your medications on automatic refill. Take some responsibility and manage your meds.

Thirdly, I want to say that people don't read their d**n benefits. Before you select a plan make sure you know what you're selecting. If your plan has a deductible, that's out of pocket for your expense and people blame the company for charging too high. NO - it's YOUR plan, not the PBM. If your medication requires prior authorization, It's not the company's fault, its the plan, they put those restrictions on their to help save you and them money. Do you really need a brand medications? if you do, then have your DR office call it in rather than fax it for you.  Are you on new meds? Then call in advance to know the price rather than just mailing it in, when the company mail it out and you say its too expensive. The company filled your request, based on the plan YOU SELECTED, and you want us to give you money for your mistakes? Some patient don't take the time to do what they are suppose to and want other people to cover for them. This is what America has become to be, Lazy, and incompetent of managing their own benefits.  Americans believe they are so entitled to anything because they are customers, when they could easily prevent this by taking a few moments out of their day and read the benefits or call in advance to understand. 

These are just a few things I want to express rather than the bad complaints we hear. Again, the bad complaints is less than 0.05% of our patients that we service everyday. I'd say, we do a pretty darn good job for mailing out 99.999 % percent on time. For those that don't like the mail order pharmacy, go to your local pharmacy and pay MORE for your meds, if you can't take the time to manage your own medications. 

Thank you

Pharmacy Guy

Express scripts is a pharmacy just like cvs or walgreens, the only difference is express scipts done through mail . Express scripts has to abide by the same rules laws and regulations just like any other pharmacy . Express scripts is not walmart where u can return ur used or unused goods they are a pharmacy that dispenses rx ,medications of course they would destroy your rx that you returned what if they were tampered with ,they can't reuse recycle them .let's think logically about this. I mean really ???? I've never had problems with them. And I've used them now for over a yr.

I have learned through my own problems with Rx reimbursements that Tricare has nothing to do with Express Scripts. My local Tricare office has tried to help with my claim, even though they didn't have to and told me that Express Scripts is a separate contractor and they have no relationship with them.

It has been pointed out to me that NO pharmacy gives refunds on returned prescriptions. This I can understand if you are using a pharmacy with a physical address such as a Walgreens or CVS. But, when you are dealing with a pharmacy over the Internet where there is no physical address, I think the rules should be different. I am suggesting that whoever is the power-that-be in Express-Scripts should consider the differences between an Internet pharmacy and a neighborhood one. There needs to be changes in the return policies for all Internet pharmacies.