Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Don on June 10, 2011 at 8:36am

Am I doing something wrong? I first go to Anthem website and from there get routed to Express Scripts and it takes some doing before I'm on my scrip page. Once there, it is well-done with options for Auto-Refill. Never had a late order.

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Permalink Reply by Donna H on June 10, 2011 at 3:34am

My plan requires me to us a pharmacy called Future Scripts. I have had a problem every single time i order insulin. I've now become a hoarder as a result. I order the second I'm able to do so and stock pile insulin. This is after too many times having my order held up inexplicably for as long as 8 weeks. I have used mail order pharmacies before that with no problem but this one service is just incredibly frustrating.

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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on June 10, 2011 at 4:51am

I use the mail order service provided by my insurance provider. They give me some savings, at the expense of timeliness, significantly reduced service and more attention to enforcing the stupid details from insurance rules. I have learned some different numbers to call to "speak to a pharmacist." And I've learned some of the tricks. It can take upwards of 4 weeks to complete the cycle of getting a paper prescription and having your medication in hand. The mail order Rx can take take up to 14 days and then they say delivery can take 14 days. But often, if the prescription is not written "exactly" and "correctly" you won't have any opportunity to fix this. In the case of pen needles and syringes, my mail order Rx requires exact spec, you get 8mm, you can't ask for a substitution of 6mm like you can at a "real" Rx. Since switching to doctor that support eRx, my doctor can place an electronic prescription request directly from the mail order formulary, that helps reduce errors and cuts the time it takes to get my medication in half.. If my mail order Rx service makes an error, I don't hesitate to have them make it right and they have always done that. With insulin, you always worry about handling, mine gets shipped in a large styrofoam box and I always check arrival temperature and I've never had a problem.

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Permalink Reply by MyBustedPancreas on June 10, 2011 at 5:12am

I get my humalog vials via Liberty Medical, but that's only because that is where I get my pump supplies too. However, I always make sure I have a standing prescription for humalog (pens and vials) at my local CVS, just in case my Liberty order doesn't come through in time. I've had a couple of close calls over the years in terms of coordinating package pick-up. FedEx will not leave a package at our door, so if I miss the delivery I have to either get my butt to the FedEx facility that night or stay home the next day and have them redeliver. CVS is definitely more convenient, but they are also more expensive than the pharmacy via liberty.

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Permalink Reply by Patra Philips on June 10, 2011 at 7:38pm

I am having to use Liberty Medical as well for my test strips since my insurance requires that I go through a durable medical supply company or they will not cover them. And there is no where else in Texas that I can get Freestyle test strips that contracts with BC/BSTX. I wrote about my process with this in another thread in the Omnipod users group. IT WAS SUCH A BOTHER!!! I still get my insulin at the pharmacy and I get my pump pods from insulet, but probably will start getting those from Liberty as well.

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Permalink Reply by Meda-Kay on June 11, 2011 at 7:30am

I've had BC/BS insurance for a long time. I've used both Byram Healthcare and Edgepark for testing and insulin supplies under my DME. I like Byram the best because they would always work with me on the payment for supplies at the beginning of the year when my deductible wasn't yet met. I never had any problems with Byram and could return things that weren't correct. I'd still be with them but when I started on my pump they didn't do pump supplies for BC/BS patients. I believe that may be different now. I do use Liberty for my pump and CGM supplies.

I don't do any prescriptions for medications through mail order, just my supplies. Plus, like others, I keep a prescription for some supplies at CVS just in case I can't get supplies as quickly as I need them, but that's never been an issue. I'm just being overly cautious.

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Permalink Reply by Cosumne Jan on June 10, 2011 at 9:28am

This is maybe not the input you're looking for. I have a cousin who is a T2. She was doing fine on low-carb, no meds. Then she had to take Arimidex. Her fasting bs shot up 30 points, from 85 to 115. She did some research and thought Metformin might help, but her doctor wouldn't prescribe it because her A1C had "only" gone from 5.3 to 5.7. So she got online and found a place that sells it without a prescription. I think it's in India. She's been using it for a year and she's down to 5.2 and maintaining. She is perfectly happy. I'm not sure I'd do this, hope I never have to, but just wanted to mention that sometimes people use alternatives the rest of us aren't accustomed to. I'm sure her insurance doesn't pay for it.

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Permalink Reply by Nell on June 10, 2011 at 10:16am

I am Type 1. My insurance company (secondary now that I am on Medicare) contracts with a mail order company. Currently it is Medco but every few years they change. I have been happy with all my mail order companies for many years. I just have one copay for a 90 day supply. That includes whether I get it through Medco or at CVS, which is cheaper on Synthroid than Medco. I get 90 days worth of Synthroid at CVS also.
The only glitch I have had is once early this year, Medco was out of one drug I needed. That had never happened before. But I read that drug shortages are getting more common.
Every insurance contract is different but I am fortunate to have mine thru the fed program. Also, I have no trouble getting the meds in a timely manner, mainly because I don't wait until I am about out to reorder. Check your insurance details and check the reviews on your drug mail order business. It should be available through your insurance information, at least once a year.

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Permalink Reply by Ginger Vieira on June 10, 2011 at 10:32am

Ya know, this is a great topic -- just Rye said, I'm so afraid of issues happening wiht mail-order. OR if I ran out of test strips earlier than usual, and had to wait three days for a new order to arrive? How do you plan ahead so you always have them when you need them? I'd worry too much!

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Permalink Reply by Brian (bsc) on June 10, 2011 at 3:13pm

Why Ginger, didn't anyone ever tell you to become a closet diabetic hoarder? It helps to follow rules to the letter. Always reorder your strips as soon as you reach the allowable date. I don't care if you have three boxes left. Any extra strips can be kept on that top shelf and become part of your hoard. No diabetic is truly safe until they have filled their house or apartment to eye level with diabetic supplies.

I have other things to help, but I fear disclosing them because insurance companies read these forums.

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Permalink Reply by acidrock23 on June 10, 2011 at 3:25pm

I have like 6000 syringes in my garage in case the %$#& goes down. I also live about 1/2 mile from the 24 hour Walgreens so I'd steal all of their insulin immediately as well. Come to thing of it, I'd probably only need about a dozen syringes until the insulin ran out and it'd be "down to a sunless sea..."

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Permalink Reply by MossDog on June 10, 2011 at 3:33pm

I pursue this line of thinking often. If the %$#& does actually go down I do have access to basically a fridge full of insulin but then I think how would I keep it cool if there was no electricity? Dig a nice big hole in the ground and cover it with moss I guess?

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