Anyone else use Medco speciality pharmacy for Humira? Or another drug?

I've had another issue with them.

If you use them, when do you arrange for a refill (how many days before you need your next injection) and how long on average does it take for them to process your request and ship it out to you.

I want to see if I'm completely off base in my expectations. I'm already 6 days overdue for my injection and still don't have my refill in hand.

I have had multiple issues with Medco. I get my HUmira at the local pharmacy but the authorizations have to go thru medco. One of the Morons there decided to put the CD starter pack in as a 3 month supply. It took a week of my doc faxing things to them the pharmacy telling them they screwed up and they wouldnt fix their screw up. I went to the pharmacy after work when I was due for it and spent 70 minutes on the phone with a supervisor there and eventhually she said oh I see a mistake we made have the pharmacy run it thru but use the date of the 17...it was the 19 they told medco we cant go back in time medco said well you should have tried putting it thru then....I had informed my local pharmacy 1 week before I needed the script since only 2 of us use humira so they special order it when it is needed. CVS had tried putting it thru every day that week.. Eventually they went to the head managing pharmacist and he okayed the refill they told me ok it is all set for next month you wont have the issue.

That was a HUGE lie. I had the same issues again but that time they told me that they wouldnt pay for it til December 20th....I was trying to fill it for my Nov dose. Not only that but my Gi needed to up my dose to 1 injection a week rather than the maintanance dose. Due to that they were dealing with Medco for over a week trying to get it approved. THey denied it 3 times in that week even with ammendments etc. I was also due that week for my regular dose and had no HUmira. I talked to my GIs secretary who was trying to assist in getting my new dose approved. She was told by medco that they would not even script out my old dose to me even tho I needed it that day since the doc changed the dose. Keep in mind when I am due for humira (yup even my weekly dose) my fistula is more painful and has more drainage. I get nice and graphic with Medco about my fistula telling them that "it is what I use for the CD it is the only med I am on for it and I have a fistula." I also inform them yup even the supervisor what a fistula is. "A fistula is a tract from my intestines to my stomach, I have feces coming out of my stomach it squirts out and farts" I got even more graphic about it too. Since I have been hospitalized 6 times this year Unitet Health assigns you a nurse that calls you and makes sure you have everything you need etc. she is the one who was able to at least get me my old dosage of humira when I was still waiting on the approval of the new dose.

The following Monday my GIs office got the approval for the new dose. Then they got 2 letters from Medco both made and sent out together on the same day. One stated that the new dose was approved the other stated it was denied. I was able to get the remaining 2 for that month at my local pharmacy. The nurse called me and did tell me that it was declined so I am unsure how the heck it went thru the insurance when I got the new dose scripted to me. I finally recieved a letter last week that it was in fact approved and I called CVS last Friday when I used my last injection telling them to order it since I need it for today...told them next fri when I talked to them.

They said ty for calling we will order that and have it ready for you on Next Friday. I got a call later that night that someone else decided to fill it. If you dont pick up a script in 7 days they reshelve it so I had my Mother take me on Monday to get it. All I could think about was them reshelving it and then since they do that they are supposed to take it off the insurance then when u come to get it they r supposed to run it thru the insurance again. What I thought was oh goodness if they reshelve it I will have a mess to deal with again.

I HATE THE PEOPLE AT MEDCO...sry if any of you work there or have relatives that work there but all i have dealt with there are morons. At CVS...I recently moved but the stores are all linked so I can just change stores and they use the pc to pull up the scripts for transfer. The tech at my old CVS told me that Medco was sold to a middle eastern country and when they call they have trouble speaking to the customer service people there since most do not speak english....Yes exactly as I said it...not a heavy accent but not a word of English


They say you have a 28 day supply in the humira therefore you need to fill it in a 2 day time frame or something stupid like thatif you try before or after those dates I was told then you are SOL...nice huh...I suggest getting yourself a nurse who works for your insurance call and speak with them that is the only way I got this mess fixed my GIs letters and speaking to them did not help 1 iota

Aimee - I have Medco but I've never been brave enough to use their mail order for Humira.  I was afraid of not getting it in time or it not being kept cold, etc.

Can you go through Walgreens or CVS or someplace and get the 90 day supply?  Our insurance is from my hubby - he's a state employee - and the pharmacies here honor the 90 day price from Medco.  Just a thought.

Aimee - I see. That stinks. Hopefully they'll get their act together so you won't have to go through the hassle all the time.