My husband's Rx insurance has been HELL this year.

In January, he began having problems. CVS Caremark has been horrible. They have used all the following reasons not to fill his Rxes: Rx must be for 90 days, Rx must be for 15 days, Rx cannot be filled for more than 15 days, RX must go through mailorder, Rx must go to a CVS, Rx can go to any pharmacy you want...

My husband has been getting 2 weeks worth of his meds at a time, and then going through hell to get another 2 weeks, with at least two of the above "excuses" of why CVS won't fill his Rxes each time.

He's jumped through all of their hoops, as have his doctors, and he still can't get his meds.

I don't understand how this is legal. He's about to run out of an antidepressant. He will stop taking it cold turkey after tomorrow, because there won't be any more to take.

I am working, so I can't be with him on his lunch breaks when he is calling his doctor, or driving from pharmacy to pharmacy to work out this bullshit. I can't call his insurance company, but even when I do grab the phone from my husband and accuse them of slow-walking and threaten to call the insurance commissioner, I get nowhere.

I don't even know if there is an insurance commissioner or where to turn next. I'm tempted to call one of my doctors that I work for at home to ask for advise tonight, but I know it won't change anything.

This is so draining. My husband can't be the only one this is happening to... and we don't know where to turn. I don't want my husband to be in harm's way by stopping his medications abruptly.

I am usually more help with health care when it comes to my husband. I feel helpless this time and it's making me insane.

I'm sure he has already done this, but have you called the insurance company? Also - it sounds like his doctors know how they are jerking him around. Ask them to give him some free samples to help him until the pharmacy comes through.

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And my understanding of Caremark is that they want him to get a 3 month RX and use the mailorder for long term meds. Thats usually easier and cheaper.

Yes, we have called the insurance company many times.

I suggested samples to hubby. I fully intend to harp on him until he gets them, or gets his Rx filled, whichever comes first.

Contact the manufacturer of his medication. Tell them about the crap he's going through. They probably have more clout than the doctors and might even be willing to spot him some meds until this gets cleared up.

Yes and yes to the suggestions above.

And I find this very troubling - my CVS here goes above and beyond to make sure that all of my hubby's meds are taken care of in a reasonable manner. The insurance has jerked us around a couple of times by dragging their feet, but that was strictly on their end, it had nothing to do with CVS.

CVS is his insurance It really stinks. I know they got in trouble earlier this year for doing things like this to patients, which was WHY they mailed him a letter saying he could go to any pharmacy... but yet... meh.

All of the above AND find a customer office that he can go to and talk to someone in person. That was the only way I got any real help in Feb. when I was going through health insurance/prescription madness. On the phone, it's impossible. Either no answer or lies to tell you something but not EVER following through on their end...which then means you lose another week of BS.

Can't you pay for the RX cash, and then fight to get the money back? It beats going off them cold turkey

Oh, I didn't realize that CVS offers insurance as well. Down here it's strictly the drug store.

He wound up getting a 15 day supply (for now) on one, and a 90 day supply, after a struggle, for the other. So... ok for now... but I keep pushing him to find a way to not get 15 day supplies on the sleeping meds or to get weened off of them. You can guess what is going to happen though... you can lead your husband to the drugstore but you can't make him be proactive about getting his refills.

Every 15 days is crazy for an ongoing medication.

I can see it for a sleeping pill though. Especially if the doctor is trying to wean you off of them.

Drug stores are usually stingy with pain medication, anti-depressants and sleep medication for obvious reasons. Some people abuse these meds and the drug store monitors how often a patient takes these. Sometimes patients who are doing all the right things get penalized, too.

Many of those RX sleep aids are not intended for long term use. They are habit forming and very difficult to get off (I speak from experience with Ambien). The anti-depressant shouldn't be an issue, but like Amy said, I can understand why they may take more stringent precautions with the sleep aid. Glad he got what he needs.

I always deal with our pharmacist for me and for my husband. Unlike some businesses, they don't seem to mind who picks up the prescription...I just sign my name. Maybe you could try doing what he's not doing.

Kevin and his doctor have discussed getting him off Ambien, but I don't think it's a priority to anyone except me. Kevin is not really being weened off of it. His doctor hasn't said he needs to (although he's suggested where to start on getting off of it).

I think Kevin's been taking that garbage for 5-10 years.

Oh Margaret..... he's been on it a long time. I was on it two months and had a horrible time getting off it. If and when he is ready, make sure he weans off it slowly with his doctors advice. It may not be fun.