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Conference 7.286::digital

Title:	The Digital way of working

Moderator:	QUARK::LIONELON

Created:	Fri Feb 14 1986
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	5321
Total number of notes:	139771

2314.0. "PRESCRIPTION COVERAGE DELAYS" by GRANMA::GTOPPING () Thu Jan 07 1993 18:05

    I have some concerns about the DIGITAL prescription drug programs.
    
    In particular, I recently enrolled in the Digital Medical Plan; up
    until this Jan 1, i was covered by my wife's DMP coverage. we just
    swithced to coverage under my name (we both work at DEC)
    
    i am trying to figure out how to get prescription medicines covered
    now.
    
    i called Hancock, and they said it would be a few weeks until new,
    updated PCS cards are sent out - in the meantime, I can pay for
    prescriptions and apply for reimbursement.
    
    however my real problem is accessing the Express Pharmacy Service. 
    This is the place where you get medecine that you will take for a long
    time (90 days for $2).  I have used it in the past under an
    'enrollment' thru my wife's coverage.  when I called Hancock, they were
    somewhat vague, but said i must wait for my PCS card to come then phone
    Express Pharmacy with the number on the PCs card to get enrolled.  this
    didn't sound accurate, but I asked for the number that will be on my
    PCS card, so I could get some medecine ordered now.  the rep at hancock
    said they didn't know what number would be on my PCS card, so I would
    have to just wait.
    
    I really feel this information is inaccurate, but i don't know where to
    get accurate info about enrolling in Express Pharmacy.  If I'm paying
    big bucks for coverage, i don't want to have to pay high fees for my
    medecine whe it is supposed to covered.

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
2314.1	where is my pharmsy card?	STAR::ABBASI	iam your friendly psychic hotline	`Fri Jan 08 1993 04:36`	24
	.-1 i cant believe this, this just happen to me just 2 hours ago, i went to the pharmacy here in Nashua to get a precipitation to make me see better (my eyes become sensitive sometimes from allergy), iam in the Harvard medical plane and i told to wait in line for 45 MINUTES only to find then when the pharmacists did my card number on the computer that it is EXPIRED! and the bill was too expensive for me to take care of at this time (cant believe how expensive medicine is), so i have to go again tommrrow , WHY HAVE WE NOT GOT OUR NEW CARDS YET ??? i had no idea iam using an expired card, i have no idea what card iam suppose to use, i usually open my wallet get out all the cards and they picked the one, any way, what is going on here??? we want our cards please !!! sooon !!! i bet what happend is that the person who print the cards for us was TFSO'ed, that must be it. is any one really listening to us? thanks, \nasser
2314.2	I have not had any problems...	WHYNOW::NEWMAN	Alpha Personal Systems Marketing	`Fri Jan 08 1993 18:13`	7
	I have John Hancock Plan 2 insurance and have not had any problems with prescriptions as of 1/1/93 (other than the fact that the PCS copayment went up to $8.00 but we knew about this). I also use the EPS "mail order" drug program without any problems
2314.3	it was my mistake, holding on to old cards	STAR::ABBASI	iam your friendly psychic hotline	`Fri Jan 08 1993 20:02`	15
	i just called the Hancock digital number (DTN 223-3300) and i found out what i did wrong, since i moved to harvard plane i should throw away the Hancock prescription drug program card, i got confused, i thought that was the card to use, they told me to use the harvard community card the same one i use to see my doc (dr Myer) and this same card i can use to the prescriptions. so sorry about complaining in .2 i need to go find a wall now and bang my head on it, so many cards i got confused. life is hard. but thank you for you help. \nasser
2314.4		POBOX::RILEY	I am the D.J.	`Sat Jan 09 1993 03:27`	18
	To be basenoter... Express Pharmacy Services (EPS) doesn't appear to be related in any way to John Handcock. What I did was to ask my personnel rep for an EPS application. The application package outlines how your Dr. should write up the prescriptions. Send in the application along with your prescriptions and in about 10 working days the stuff will be express delivered to your address. P.S. The EPS billing reflects your charge ($2) and what the "company cost is". In my case a years supply of my current Rx will cost me about $36, and the company cost over $10,000. Without this insurance, my life expectancy will be greatly reduced! "jackin' the house", Bob
2314.5	medicne delays with Healthsource	ILUVNH::BADGER	One Happy camper ;-)	`Mon Jan 11 1993 11:09`	24
	I switched from MTHP to Healthsource. I went to renew my prescription, warned the pharmistis that I had new insurnace. She called up Healthsource, and they knew nothing about me. No, I han'd recieved my new card yet, but I expected to be about to get a phone ok. The next morning I called Heathsource, they didn't know me either. They blamed digital on late submission of forms. Said just for me to pay any bills and I'd get reembursed as soon as the forms came in. I don't now about you, but I've been to hospital emergency rooms before, and if you don't have proof of insurnace, they kiss you off. Not feeling too good about this, I get digital involeved. By afternoon, I have an ID number. With ID in had, I went back to get my presciption filled. NO GOOD. The number must be in the computer system of a pharmacy network. a two week delay. But of course, if I had a few hundred laying around, I could pay for the presciption myself. My own note to myself is that if I ever switch again, I will be after new cards, IDs to be issued and ready by the 1st of Jan. ed
2314.6	This has become an annual ritual	TOOK::MORRISON	Bob M. LKG2-2/BB9 226-7570	`Sat Jan 16 1993 02:12`	8
	There are times I wish the computer had never been invented. Life was so much simpler when we could buy stuff without depending on computers in stores. This "drug snafu" has become an annual winter ritual. The only safe rule is to draw lots of cash from the ATM and bring it to the pharmacy until you are SURE your health insurance is in the pharmacy's computer. Of course, raising the cash can be a problem sometimes. Re Jan. 1 purchase: sometimes the old card remains in effect several days after Jan. 1.