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Medco and Express Scripts are now one company managing the prescription benefit for those whose health care plans include Express Scripts or Medco.

You should continue to refill your prescriptions as you normally would by using your current prescription drug ID card, member ID number, mail-order refill forms, www.medco.com, and the toll-free member services telephone number on your ID card. 

The combined company is in the process of changing the name on all of its communications to Express Scripts. Until the renaming process is complete, you may see messages from both Express Scripts and Medco. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

Who is Express Scripts?

Express Scripts, like Medco, is a prescription benefit manager. The combined company will now be known as Express Scripts.

How did Express Scripts get my prescription information?

Since Medco and Express Scripts have come together as one company to manage your prescription drug benefit, the information Medco had on file for you is now available to the merged company. Express Scripts will protect your private health information with the same level of security you’ve always received.

Do I use the same phone number I’ve always called?

Yes. Continue to call the number on your prescription drug benefit ID card.

Will my member ID number change?

No. Continue using your current prescription drug benefit ID card and the member ID number on the card. 

Can I continue ordering new prescriptions as I normally would?

Yes. Continue to submit new home delivery prescriptions by mail or have your doctor send them via fax or ePrescribing. Also, continue using your member ID number, order forms, www.medco.com, and the toll-free member services number on your ID card.

Can I still order refills on the member website or by phone? 

Yes. Continue to use www.medco.com or call the toll-free Member Services number on your ID card. You can also use the refill forms enclosed with your prescription orders.

Will my home delivery packages look different?

The packaging may look different because your medication may be shipped from an Express Scripts Pharmacy or the Medco Pharmacy, depending on factors including weather, medication supply, and the distance between the pharmacy and the delivery address. There may be differences between bottle caps, bottle colors, and the labels used. You may also notice changes in the materials used to package temperature sensitive medications. There will be no changes to your medications.

Can I still use the same participating retail pharmacy that I do today?

Yes. You can use the pharmacies in the current retail network.

What name changes might I expect to see?

The Express Scripts name and brand will begin appearing on most member communications around Sept.1. Some communications may still reference Medco along with Express Scripts until the name transition is complete. Below are some examples.

* Member website. The address will remain www.medco.com. The branding on the website will change to Express Scripts.

* Letters. Most letters to members will reflect the Express Scripts branding.

* Literature enclosed in home delivery packages. Information related to prescription orders will refer to Express Scripts and Medco.  

* Member Services greeting. When you call, you will hear reference to Medco is now part of the Express Scripts family of companies.

What won’t reflect a name change as of Sept. 1?

Certain communications and organization names such as those listed below won’t change on September 1, but will likely change over time.

* Medco Pharmacy

* Accredo Health Group, Inc. (specialty pharmacy)

* Prescription drug ID cards for existing Medco cardholders

 

The following was received June 11, 2012, from Medco/Express Scripts:

On June 5 Sandoz announced it is conducting a voluntary recall of 10 lots of its generic oral contraceptive Introvale in the U.S., following a recent report of a packaging flaw.

Introvale is an extended-cycle oral contraceptive. Sandoz is not aware of any reports of related adverse events.

The recall was decided after a consumer reported the white placebo tablets were mistakenly in the ninth row (labeled “Week 9”) of the 13-row blister card, rather than in the correct position in the 13th and final row (labeled “Week 13”).

Each three-month blister card contains 84 peach-colored active tablets and seven white placebo tablets in 13 rows. Details on the recall are below: 

Product and strengths: Introvale (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets, USP) 0.15 mg/0.03 mg

Indication: prevent pregnancy

Manufacturer: Sandoz

Date of recall: June 5, 2012

Type of recall: voluntary, patient-level

Reason for recall: packaging error

NDCs of recalled products: NDC 00781 5584 36

Affected lot numbers: The lot numbers involved in the recall are: LF00478C, LF00479C, LF00551C, LF00552C, LF00687C, LF00688C, LF00763C, LF00764C, LF00765C and LF01261C. These lots were distributed only in the U.S. between January 2011 and May 2012

Express Scripts patients impacted: approximately 240

Return/Replacement information: not yet available from Sandoz

Implications to Express Scripts and clients

 Express Scripts is taking the following action in response to this recall:

 · Calling impacted patients informing them about the recall and advising how to detect if they have impacted product. If the patient has affected product, Express Scripts will advise them to begin using a non hormonal form of contraception.

 · Advising patients to contact their doctor to discuss other concerns they may have and to obtain a new prescription for an alternative hormonal therapy because due to this recall, Introvale is currently not available.

 · Advising patients they may contact the Sandoz Drug Information Direct Line at 800-525-2492, 24 hours/day, seven days a week, or via email at qa.druginfo@sandoz.com. Specifics about return and reimbursement have not been released from the manufacturer.

 Developing/distributing a frequently asked questions document for pharmacists and customer service representatives.

Posting web messaging on www.medco.com.

Retail impact:

Retail patients will be managed by retail pharmacies according to their professional practices.

Railroad employees and/or their eligible dependents covered under the national railroad medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits plans may now find information about those benefits on a single web page.

The Railroad Information Depot webpage address is www.rrinfodepot.com 

Note that this web site pertains only to the nationally negotiated railroad health and welfare plans. If you and/or your eligible dependents are not covered by those benefits plans – and this includes Amtrak employees – you should continue to seek information about your health care benefits from your employer.

Each of the benefits administrators for rail employee health care insurance negotiated under the national railroad medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits plans hosts a home page at the Railroad Information Depot. The providers include Aetna, Highmark, MetLife, Medco, vsp, and United Healthcare.

By logging on to www.rrinfodepot.com, rail employees will find a central point of access for information about health care benefits, regardless of which benefits administrator provides coverage.

Here are some of the categories that will be available at the new website:

* Information on completing a health risk assessment to help you stop smoking, lose weight or become a happier person.

* Tips on reducing risks of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases that are largely preventable.

* Alerts and important dates regarding annual open enrollment periods.

* Current topics of interest and news on specific health issues.

* On-line access to each of the summary plan descriptions.

* Information on medical care, mental health, substance abuse, disease management, wellness programs, pharmacy, dental care, life insurance, vision care, and sickness benefits – regardless of the health care benefits administrator.

* Links to network providers, helpful tools and educational materials, contact information, and the various forms necessary for filing for benefits.

* A dedicated retirement section providing information and links to assist you in transitioning into retirement.

* Railroad Enrollment Services information to ensure you understand who is eligible for coverage under your plan and the documentation required.

Once at the website, you will be able to navigate over a topic to read more about what it offers; and, if it’s what you are looking for, you will need only to click on the topic to find more in-depth information.

Again, the website is:

www.rrinfodepot.com

Many UTU members obtain their prescription drugs through Medco, which has been acquired by Express Scripts following Federal Trade Commission approval of the corporate combination.

Notwithstanding the acquisition by Express Scripts of Medco, UTU members receiving mail order prescriptions through Medco will continue ordering and receiving their medications as they have in the past, without any changes.

All packaging and labels will remain the same, as will addresses and phone numbers for pharmacy-related questions and other information. Nor will there be a need to change retail pharmacies or alter home delivery orders in any manner.

The combined Express Scripts and Medco, known as pharmacy-benefit managers (PBMs), now control 40 percent of that market, according to the Economist magazine. PBMs, reported the Economist, encourage consumers to fill their prescriptions through the mail instead of going to a more costly pharmacy. 

Express Scripts recently launched a program, ScreenRx, which utilizes software to sift through hundreds of factors that affect patients and forecast who is most likely to forget a refill or simply stop taking their drugs. The company then plans to contact those patients to help them stick with their doctor’s orders.

Living in the Nashville area, affected by the floods, and in need of your prescription drugs from Medco?

Medco advises that the U.S. Post Office has established temporary mail facilities at two locations in the City of Nashville:

  • The Melrose Station, located at 798 Berry Road, was damaged by flood waters, but a mobile postal van is available in the parking lot of the facility to meet the needs of customers. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday only, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. CT. Post Office box customers at Melrose may also pick up their mail from the mobile van during normal hours with proper identification.
  • The homes of many customers served by Nashville’s Bellevue Station are still inaccessible for mail delivery. Mail is being held at the post office located at 7619 Highway 70, and may be picked up during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 am. – 6 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. CT). Customers must present proper identification.

These special services will be available at both locations until further notice.

Earlier, Medco advised that flooding in the Nashville area was affecting timely delivery of Medco shipments.

Medco said Accredo’s Hemophilia Health Services (HHS) location in Nashville is inaccessible due to flooding.

HHS Clearance Management employees were working from home to clear priority shipments and local operations management and on-call staff are available via cell phone and are moving to a backup site. HHS is shipping immediate-need orders to patients through its other pharmacies to maintain continuity of care.

The Medco Pharmacy has placed shipping restrictions on temperature-sensitive and narcotic orders to specific ZIP codes in the Nashville area.