Medco Mail Order issues....

[CaptainMike]

How do you go about getting a decent price on strips?
My Dr says according to UnitedHealthCare she can only prescribe for a max of two strips per day.(for T2's) My copay for test strips through Medco (United's perscription coverage in my case) is $50 per month, which is for only 60 strips (2 a day)

Anybody have a way around this? Do I need a more rebellious Dr.? Any advice?
Thanks!
Mike

[bryan42]

I use Medco all the time, but not for strips. I use my regular insurance for that (Signa). I got my doctor to write a scrip for testing 3 times a day,because my insurance only covers 1 month at a time. For a box of 100, my share of it is $25.00, the insurance picks up the rest.Do you have just prescription insurance included in your health insurance? Try your local pharmacy with your docs prescription, and ask them what the coverage would be?

[Funnygrl]

I have Medco and got 800 strips for 3 months through them.

[RLK]

Mike-
My suggestion would be to call your benefits manager at work, and get your hands on a copy of the rules book for your insurance plan. It's typically a pretty big book with lots of small print, but it will detail all of your plan's exclusions. It's the only way to know if your doc is blowing smoke, or telling you the truth.
Unfortunately, your employer (assuming you have group coverage) sets the rules for your plan. So, while one person may be able to get 300 strips a month through Big Insurance Company, another may only be able to get 100 through BIC.
Good luck getting some answers (and test strips)!

[princesslinda]

Mike, i'd as my doctor to write an Rx stating test 3-4 times a day. Your insurance might pay for it then, as your doctor would be prescribing it that way...the doctor's office might have to do a "prior authorization," I know we do it a lot where I work when we prescribe something different than the ins. companies think we should, it's a form that we have to list what we want and why and fax it to the ins. company. Most times, it works in our favor.

Good luck! The strip situation is a biggie for us..the more we test, the better our control...yet docs only tell us to test once a day (or that's what mine did). When he saw how my A1C was trending downwrd, he was willing to give me what I needed.

[kgm0612]

CaptMike.........I also have United Health along with Medco for my Rx's. I go through a company called Focus Pharmacy (Diabetes Supplies Chronic Illness Aids Focus Express Mail Pharmacy Mail Order Prescriptions (http://www.focuspharmacy.com)) because they accept the 80% paid by United as full payment. NO copay. Give them a call and they'll do all the leg work and call you back within an hour to let you know if you can go through them.

Also..........I'm sure your doctor will write you a new script saying you need to test 4-6 times a day, which will up the amount of strips you need.

Karen

[Cyborg]

I also have UHC. I have the option of using Medco for Rx, but it is not a requirement and I don't use them.

What your doctor told you was incorrect. The insurance companies and product manufacturers cannot limit the prescription written by your doctor. It's up to you to demand that your doctor write the script for what you want. You may have to battle the insurance company to get an override authorization to deal with their limits, but that is quite common.

[JediSkipdogg]

Firstly, if you are paying $50 for 60 strips you are getting ripped off and would be easier just walking into Walmart and buying them without insurance.

Secondly, what you need to do is have the prescription written out for how many times a day you need to test. Then the pharmacy may have to call that in and get a prescription override authorization which may take a day or two depending on how fast everyone moves. So basically don't go down to the last strip before doing this.