General Discussion

starroute

(12,977 posts)

15. I think they're trying to drive local pharmacies out of business

Tue May 21, 2013, 02:55 PM

May 2013

Maybe not intentionally -- though who knows? -- but that will be the net effect of their attempts to maximize their profits.

Our last locally owned independent pharmacy closed this winter when Medicare Part D essentially froze them out. Now we're using Rite-Aid -- but even there, it costs $5 more per prescription that it would if we bought our medicines at the supermarket, which is the only place in town that has the lowest available co-pay. Or we could drive a few miles up the road to Target -- but no pharmacies are included.

No doubt forcing people to buy drugs only by mail will be next.

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I'm PISSED!!..need a little help from the smart folks here... [View all] one_voice May 2013 OP

Perhaps a call to your state's insurance board ---- hedgehog May 2013 #1

I thought about my state's insurance board... one_voice May 2013 #2

You sign up for a year and can't change anything, but they can change any services at any time. SharonAnn May 2013 #65

It's because the insurance company's think "single payer" is on the horizon. xtraxritical May 2013 #72

No answer, but thanks to Obamacare you have no choice but to remain their customer Demo_Chris May 2013 #3

I was wondering how long it would take... one_voice May 2013 #5

Well said, once_voice. Bravo! Aristus May 2013 #24

AMEN. calimary May 2013 #50

GREAT COMEBACK! chillfactor May 2013 #29

Few to tide you over evilhime May 2013 #45

Here! Here! solara May 2013 #46

Thank you. Ms. Toad May 2013 #55

THANK YOU! VOX May 2013 #81

Thank you, one_voice. Only suggestion I have at the moment is... Hekate May 2013 #85

thank you, one_voice.. you did say you wanted to hear from "the smart people"! Cha May 2013 #106

((hugs)) one_voice after all that -- that you need to respond to this bullpuckey... Raine1967 May 2013 #112

This is not the case, Slick, in fact it's a blatant lie Warpy May 2013 #56

Are you seriously suggesting there is no mandate in Obamacare? nt Demo_Chris May 2013 #59

Not the way you think it is. Warpy May 2013 #62

Sweet, a mindreader! That's one seriously awesome gift! Use your powers for good. Demo_Chris May 2013 #68

so DO TELL US Skittles May 2013 #91

Single payer. Period. Demo_Chris May 2013 #94

I'm afraid I don't understand how the health care reform either initiated this particular problem... LanternWaste May 2013 #82

I was targeted by a push-poll on Sunday that was more subtle than your post Hekate May 2013 #83

I am concerned about the trend... dixiegrrrrl May 2013 #4

My lyrica was a little... one_voice May 2013 #6

the other trend I am hearing is that insurance payouts dixiegrrrrl May 2013 #10

Life insurance is unrelated to health insurance - Ms. Toad May 2013 #57

They're trying to discourage the use of brand name, on patent drugs Warpy May 2013 #58

Usually it is cheaper, and you often save on copays. Hoyt May 2013 #61

Not all generics are created equal. One made me really, really sick. Now, every year... Hekate May 2013 #86

Different buffers... one_voice May 2013 #95

Also, the extended release formula stays on patent while the rest of the med goes generic Hekate May 2013 #96

U.H. are scumbags. DCKit May 2013 #7

AARP is like the Hotel California..you can never leave. dixiegrrrrl May 2013 #12

I am not even a member of AARP and solara May 2013 #47

Kinda scary, but they have a way of knowing when your turn 50. dixiegrrrrl May 2013 #48

It's pretty scary actually solara May 2013 #52

There's an alternative, I don't remember the organization's name though. cui bono May 2013 #70

Nice to know there is an alternative solara May 2013 #87

UHC should be facing RICO charges for this, which is one of thousdands of examples. Scuba May 2013 #8

What difference does it make to them if you get it locally or via mail order? cui bono May 2013 #9

Honsetly I don't know... one_voice May 2013 #14

Price. jeff47 May 2013 #19

And often the insurance company farms out Ms. Toad May 2013 #63

Because it's company sponsored sharp_stick May 2013 #11

I will go back and look over the paper work... one_voice May 2013 #13

Check with your doc about this sharp_stick May 2013 #21

No, UHC does this all the time, and not just at re-enrollment. jeff47 May 2013 #20

Well that's interesting... one_voice May 2013 #22

Wow sharp_stick May 2013 #23

United Healthcare flat-out sucks. Fuddnik May 2013 #44

I think they're trying to drive local pharmacies out of business starroute May 2013 #15

United pays their CEO $50 million a year. pa28 May 2013 #16

United/Optum had our state Behavioral Health Admin contract duhneece May 2013 #49

That salary is obscene. n/t cui bono May 2013 #60

United has the worst ratio of ceo to employee pay in the country. 1737:1 pa28 May 2013 #67

That is excellent advice BrotherIvan May 2013 #100

GEHA does the same thing with Medscripts...why must things be so difficult?nt FLyellowdog May 2013 #17

Sharp Stick's post seems to have the most practical information. CBHagman May 2013 #18

Was this for Walgreen's? Didn't they drop a number of health insurance prescription plans recently? randome May 2013 #25

Good God I hope not! chillfactor May 2013 #33

It isn't the pharmacy in this case, it is the insurance company formulary MiniMe May 2013 #36

Express Scripts dropped Walgreens for a while but has now allowed them csziggy May 2013 #54

It won't help much, but all I can say is... Behind the Aegis May 2013 #26

I go through this with Nexium liberal N proud May 2013 #27

I don't know how smart I am, but this is kind of my field, so I'll try to help. Aristus May 2013 #28

I didn't know there was a generic for Lyrica... one_voice May 2013 #38

They usually notify the provider first. Aristus May 2013 #41

You need to talk to your HR rep about that. haele May 2013 #30

Ask your insurance company if you can use Express Script. They are pretty good. They southernyankeebelle May 2013 #31

In my experience, they stink. n/t Ms. Toad May 2013 #69

Really? I have never had a problem with them. I have been using them over a year now. southernyankeebelle May 2013 #79

I use Express Script as well, and have never had a problem. n/t tammywammy May 2013 #77

me neither. southernyankeebelle May 2013 #78

I've used Express Scripts/Medco for years now and have nothing but praise for their service. Nay May 2013 #97

I haven't heard of Medco. Do they handle everyone? I know Tricare handles retired military families southernyankeebelle May 2013 #99

I started out with Medco, but ExpressScripts bought Medco and now they are the same. nt Nay May 2013 #102

Oh I see. I just never heard of them before. southernyankeebelle May 2013 #103

The same, but not. Ms. Toad May 2013 #108

This certainly may be true -- it does seem that they have kept all the same Medco processes, Nay May 2013 #109

They already have. Ms. Toad May 2013 #110

Talk to your husbands benefits representative, ASAP. M0rpheus May 2013 #32

I'd write the same letter as your OP dickthegrouch May 2013 #34

Oh, crap. We now have United Healthcare. LiberalEsto May 2013 #35

Oh, God. UHC is a nightmare. Butterbean May 2013 #37

I'm on the Pfizer Connection-to-Care program to receive free Lyrica to treat neuropathy. TexasTowelie May 2013 #39

it costs money to notify you, money that would be better spent by rich people. you've made HiPointDem May 2013 #40

This is a very simplistic answer but I had trouble once and had to switch to a different snappyturtle May 2013 #42

Message auto-removed Name removed May 2013 #43

This message was self-deleted by its author Tuesday Afternoon May 2013 #74

UHC = Satan's jockstrap. They are the Monsanto of "health." n/t TygrBright May 2013 #51

I use Optumrx, too (United Health Care) lillypaddle May 2013 #53

l'd start by creaming them with the truth on FB, LI, TWITTER williesgirl May 2013 #64

Wow. LiberalAndProud May 2013 #66

They were hoping you'd die. Turbineguy May 2013 #71

First - I'd follow up with the person from UHC who posted here. Ms. Toad May 2013 #73

^^^^THIS ^^^^^ Hekate May 2013 #105

Thanks. Ms. Toad May 2013 #107

Good Grief!! 2naSalit May 2013 #75

United (Senior's Choice) is doing that to me, too. Jane Austin May 2013 #76

When I had United they were always pushing me to use mail order leftyladyfrommo May 2013 #101

I think the thing that is so wrong about these problems Jane Austin May 2013 #80

If you are that sensitive to any particular drug you should check before you go to the pharmacy. dkf May 2013 #84

I was just switched to United Healthcare in January Ruby the Liberal May 2013 #88

This is only the latest issues with them... one_voice May 2013 #90

I went through similar aggravations with my insurance a few years ago when I had a lot medical issues Glimmer of Hope May 2013 #89

I checked the formulary and your Lyrica is non-preferred and yes, has a specialty pharmacy only TheKentuckian May 2013 #92

I don't mind the mail order... one_voice May 2013 #93

Many policies have a mandatory mail order vanlassie May 2013 #98

I hate fucking insurance companies gopiscrap May 2013 #104

Something like that happened to us recently MountainLaurel May 2013 #111