A few weeks ago, I contacted our Part D provider (Silver Scripts) about a vacation over-ride (early refill) for certain medications for Barb.. we were leaving for an extended period of time to our condo in Florida. At first the CS representative declined to speak with me.. because she could not find the POA/authorization on file allowing me to speak for my wife.. that form had been on file with them since 2006.
Finally, got the authorization for the vacation over-ride.. touched base with the pharmacy and all were approved except one.. so I called back and again talked to CS representative and was told that this particular med needed a PRIOR AUTHORIZATION (PA) … this med had a active PA since 2006 and they had paid for it the month before.
Even though I was asking for a vacation over-ride.. I was told that I simply had to get another prior authorization taken care and they would process it.. which is a several week process… Apparently this CS person did not comprehend the issue of vacation over-ride.. getting ready to walk out the door in the next couple of days and the time frame needed to get a doc’s appt.. the PA paperwork filled out and approved.
It seems to be of little concern to this CS rep that this was a “quality of life” med for my wife… that we were going out of town – to FLORIDA no less .. and the med was a controlled med..
I had in my trusty Iphone the direct number of some sort of “supervisor” with Silver Scripts that I had to deal with another issue previously with them.. who at the time.. call me .. if you ever have a problem… So.. I called.. and got a voice mail… and I called and got voice mail a few days later and I called and got voice mail a few days latter… never received a return phone call…
So as I have told so many others … I went to www.cms.gov and actually ended up calling 1 -800-MEDICARE and filed a complaint verbally.. here again.. I told the CMS rep that Barb had 2-3 weeks of meds left.. and was informed that someone would get back with me in THIRTY DAYS … so much for concern about pts being compliant with their medications..
Today I get a call from a “supervisor” from Silver Scripts and stated that she had listened to the recording of the conversation that I had with their staff… and come to find out.. apparently while I was on hold with their staff .. two of their staff was having a conversation and they had FOUND THE PA.. but .. seemingly forgot to follow thru on that fact… telling me that a new PA was needed…
According to this supervisor, apparently there is now going to be some “re-training” at CS at Silver Scripts. Why there wasn’t proper training up front… is the question…
Maybe the BIGGER ISSUE is that the parent company of Silver Scripts is CVS HEALTH… the same company.. that is playing PAC-MAN with our healthcare system… proposed acquisition of Omnicare – the largest nursing home pharmacy in the country .. filling Rxs for 1.4 million people in nursing homes.. the most frail among us… Then there is the proposed Target Rx dept acquisition …
I now have the phone number of two different supervisors at Silver Scripts.. as well as one email address…
As I have said time and again.. you do nothing.. you get nothing… Thank goodness, I didn’t have to go further.. but.. I had already started lining up my future game plan to get them to understand that I was RIGHT and they were WRONG..
Filed under: General Problems
your story sounds similar to one I have dealt with many times in the last 10 years. I tell them they are not selling they’re handling people’s medicine which affects their health. they don’t seem to see the difference.
Seems like CVS is taking over everything. They have in fact bought out the Target Pharmacy’s.. This is just more trouble brewing.