3 ms·
Part of the problem is that insurance has typically mandated which specialty pharmacy, and the two different ones I've used have had almost identical behavior.
by pacaro 7y ago
Part of the problem is that insurance has typically mandated which specialty pharmacy, and the two different ones I've used have had almost identical behavior. It's nothing overt, but the pattern seems so consistent and the end result is filling my prescription at a slightly slower rate than as prescribed, which clearly offers them a saving which probably more than offsets the overnight shipping costs.
In terms of shopping around, the most effective tactic for me is to find the job with the best insurance
- mindslight 7y agoI agree that the pattern is likely deliberate. If not explicitly designed, then at least constructively where rules kept getting added to optimize the amount paid out, leading to novel ways of saving money such as kind-of reneging on the contract. I had thought there would be more specialty pharmacies, with the real need for them just being that those drugs wouldn't be stocked at every single branch in case someone needs them. I've personally seen competing offers (in my situation, the PBM is not CVS, and has its own mail-order pharmacy so it encourages you to switch), but haven't had to investigate them because CVS is still working fine. But why would CVS be buying up other "specialty pharmacies" if they weren't a racket of one kind or another. Maybe insurance companies act less shitty when they're tied to Medicare (this is actually for my father), or maybe I'm also in a glass box and haven't yet noticed the walls. Which well, is the general problem with all the ongoing political dumpster fires. "Looks fine to me" say the people who just haven't run aground yet. I do apologize if I came off that way.