Blue Cross Prescription Issues

[MIGrandma]

I will call them Monday but in the meantime if anyone else has had the issue I’m dealing with I would love to hear about your experience.

This has happened a few times recently, my doctor will write a prescription for one of my medications for a 90-day supply and 1 refill. I will have the prescription filled, no problem getting the 90-day supply. But, when I try to get it refilled they will only let me have a 30-day supply with 2 refills. The pharmacy tells me my insurance will only pay for a 30-day supply.

It’s annoying that they will pay for a 90-day supply one time but not the next. I really don’t see a reason for it.

And these are medications I have been taking for years, not new medications.

 

[BLAZEY]

I will call them Monday but in the meantime if anyone else has had the issue I’m dealing with I would love to hear about your experience.

This has happened a few times recently, my doctor will write a prescription for one of my medications for a 90-day supply and 1 refill. I will have the prescription filled, no problem getting the 90-day supply. But, when I try to get it refilled they will only let me have a 30-day supply with 2 refills. The pharmacy tells me my insurance will only pay for a 30-day supply.

It’s annoying that they will pay for a 90-day supply one time but not the next. I really don’t see a reason for it.

And these are medications I have been taking for years, not new medications.

Looks like the pharmacy is trying to get 2 extra prescription filling fees out of you. I would call the insurance company and find out the policy from them as per your plan. See if the will send it in writing and take it to the pharmacy.

 

[disneychrista]

I can only get a one month supply of my birth control even though the scrip is written for a 3-month supply. Blue Shield will only allow it to be filled one month at a time.

 

[dclpluto]

They probably want you to go to express scripts.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

I had the same problems with BCBS of MA and now with Cigna. I had to take Synthroid when I was trying to get pregnant with fertility treatments. My RE would write a prescription for 90 days with 1 refill, so 180 days should have been covered. But the pharmacies - and I tried several (Stop and Shop, CVS, Walgreens) - all would only give me 30 days with 2 refills, making it 90 days total, and then I'd have to get a new scrip from the doctor. Which in turn confused them; when the pharmacy called/faxed them, they'd ignore it because they'd written it to cover 180 days.

And I did contact customer service at each insurance, who told me that what they're doing is not right, I am to get what the doctor ordered. They even called the pharmacies while I was on the phone with them, listening, and the pharmacy said okay, they'd fill it. Then I'd go to pick it up and what do you know..."You can only have 30 days, that's all your insurance will approve at a time"

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My guess is it's because there is a lot of "waste", i.e. people fill the scripts but then stop taking them. They know if you're ordering them you're usually taking them. And yes, you'd be surpsised how many people stop taking their medications.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Is there a reason you don't just call today?

 

[MIGrandma]

Is there a reason you don't just call today?

Because yesterday was Thanksgiving, most offices are closed until Monday.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Because yesterday was Thanksgiving, most offices are closed until Monday.

Many are open.

 

[ImprovGal]

Many are open.

BCBS of RI was closed today as an employee paid holiday. I don't know about the other Association plans.

 

[here757]

My doc wrote my ambien 90 days 2 refills. My military base filled first one. Then refills limited to 30 days..

 

[ols386]

Because yesterday was Thanksgiving, most offices are closed until Monday.

I’m pretty sure bcbs of Mighican ARE closed both Thursday and Friday.

 

[ols386]

I have a prescription where they do this too. Prescription is for 4 month supply, but pharmacy dispenses 30 day supply at a time. They said it’s an insurance thing.

 

[sonnyjane]

Super frustrating but I think it's happening widely now. I used to always get 90-day supplies of all my medications. Last year, that changed for me and now I have to go in monthly because they said insurance won't let me have more than 30 days... even for my BC which is FREE! Stupid.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

I will call them Monday but in the meantime if anyone else has had the issue I’m dealing with I would love to hear about your experience.

This has happened a few times recently, my doctor will write a prescription for one of my medications for a 90-day supply and 1 refill. I will have the prescription filled, no problem getting the 90-day supply. But, when I try to get it refilled they will only let me have a 30-day supply with 2 refills. The pharmacy tells me my insurance will only pay for a 30-day supply.

It’s annoying that they will pay for a 90-day supply one time but not the next. I really don’t see a reason for it.

And these are medications I have been taking for years, not new medications.

DH ran into this with Cigna. He has to use a specialty pharmacy for three of his Rxs. The doc would write it for 90 days, Cigna Specialty would only fill for 30. After digging for more than 6 months, we found out that because Medicare was the primary, not our private Cigna insurance, they could only fill for 30 per Medicare regulations. Now that he has termed out of Medicare, we are back to the 90 day refill. It's a pretty safe bet he's not stopping these meds, only might have dosage adjustment, because without them, he'll reject the kidney!

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I know when I fill Rxs at Costco they will only dispense 30 days at a time on all medications....however if the script was written for 90 days with 3 refills, they give me 30 days with 11 refills. Same length of Rx, just broken up differently than written.

 

[Allison]

Many are open.

I have to ask, is there a reason you would know specifically that many BC associations were open?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Replying to the OP's non-specific statement regarding 'many offices.' Had she been referring to BC offices - which she was apparently not, based on how would she know about BC offices in most states but only guess about Michigan - I would have responded differently or not at all.

 

[DebbieB]

With my insurance, if you want 90 days you have to go mail order.