Express Scripts
Reviews and Complaints

Mail order is suppose to be easier, cheaper and more efficient...so far..not so much. I am a 37 year old, new customer and I called in about a week ago to set up my 5 perscriptions. The agent was friendly, polite and I left the call with a feeling that this service was going to be cost effective and save me time.
Today I get a voicemail that there is an issue with my order and to return the call. When I called in I was informed that I have an outstanding balance and my order would not be shipped until my balance was brought under $150. I thought that was interesting since I haven't received any medication.
I specifically asked how I would be billed. The agent said "We will just invoice you when you receive the medication." Had the 1st customer service rep explained that since I didn't have a credit card on file I would only be able to have $150 in outstanding co-pays, I would have provided a credit card.
I authorized the agent to charge $40 which was at his suggestion and this would prompt the rest of my order to be shipped. Only for him to place me on hold and tell me that he was mistaken and the balance needed to be paid in full for the meds to be released. Needless to say my first week with your company has not been a good experience.

I would suggest that at the end of a new customer sign up a short disclosure be read to the customer explaining payment and other important policy.

My doctor's office accidentally faxed Express Scripts a prescription instead of mailing it to me. Express Scripts took $347.31 from my checking account without my authorization even though I had told them I no longer wanted automatic prescription shipments. When I noticed they had taken the money, my doctor's office called them to cancel the prescription. One man said the order would be cancelled and my money would be refunded. The next day a woman said the order would not be cancelled because the order had already shipped. It was not shipped until 4 days later. They refused to take the shipment back. Visa refused to get involved saying the issue was too complicated. Medicare Part D and CMS said Express Scripts had to take the order back. They said not to open the package, they would call me back and tell me what to do. Neither called back, returned my calls nor answered my letter. The California State Attorney General said they would investigate the issue if more people complained. Someone needs to do something to get this company in line as they are harming people and putting people's lives in jeopardy. The complaints on the internet about this company are serious.

On 12/7/11 I called and requested to speak to a CSR for urgent information on my delivery of a prescription which was just dated for refill..I told her the details of needing my medication delivered express delivery to my home address, as I am about to leave for an extended trip to Az./Ca.. She took down all the the info. and asked if I would accept the $21. chg. for express delivery. I agreed and thought everything I specified was in place. Today 12-11, I called to find the status of my prescription, and was shocked to find it had been processed in regular mail delivery and would be received approximately 12-20! I asked to speak to a Supervisor, she brought up all the notes taken by the CSR, but blamed it on the Pharmacy Dept. for neglecting to follow the instructions. I will now be required to call and ask my doctor for an interim refill and have it called into a local Pharmacy. Plus I will have the added burden of not having my daily meds. until I return home where it has been sent REGULAR MAIL! This Company is very ill-run, slip-shod, and has a careless attituude about satisfying all it's paying members.

This is not only a terribly incompetent and unorganized company, but they lie! I've been trying to get my prescription for almost a month and they always have another excuse. Here are a few of their lies - my response is in parenthesis):
- we tried to call you to verify your address, but the phone was constantly busy ( I have call-waiting and caller ID!)
- we will overnight it to you at our expense as we couldn't reach you. (never got it)
- your credit card is expired (why didn't you tell me that when I spoke with you last week! And why didn't you call and tell met that!)
- your number was busy. (that's what you said last week - again I have caller ID and call waiting + I gave you my cell in case there was a problem)
-well what is your number? (the same number I gave you last week - here it is again.)
- oh that's the problem we didn't have your number down right (I verified it 5 times before I hung up last week - you're liars)
-we'll over ride it so you can go into a local pharmacy and pick up enuf til you get it (I can't afford the copay)
-well that's all we can do (ok, then just call it in)
-we can't do that, you have to take in a prescription (you have my prescription)
-call your doc (he's away)
- go to the ER (I CAN'T AFFORD THAT - JUST GIVE ME MY *&(&^)%$# MEDICINE!)
- we'll over night it and you should have it in 5 days (THAT'S NOT OVERNIGHT!)

And on and on. I can't take these people! And then there's my compounded prescription. My blood levels went down and the doc said it was as if I wasn't taking anything. This is thru our the UFT & GHI. Those of you with these problems...we should get rid of this company.

I had dealt with this company, on a billing basis for the past year. Upon calling in early June 2011 to refill a prescription I informed Express Scripts I had no insurance coverage, but would like to fill my prescription. I was told that would be fine. 10 days later BY MAIL I was told they could not fill the prescription without an up front payment (I had done billing with them for the year prior). This was time sensitive medication so I called back immediately to pay $290 and asked they please send right away since I would be out of this medication in a week. I was assured by a Supervisor that it would be send expedited mail & it would arrive in 2 days. The following day, I checked my bank account to find that Express Scripts had billed me twice, my checking was now account overdrawn. I called Express Scripts to ask why I was double billed, they said that the initial billing was a "hold" to ensure I had enough money in my account to cover the costs of the prescription, the second was the actual billing of the product! During the conversation I also found out that the order was sent regular mail, not 2 day as promised! I called my bank with Express Scripts on the line to have this "hold" of $290 removed. 10 days after that conversation, still no prescription. I called again to find the status of the order. They told me it shipped on June 21, but could provide me with any further information since they don't track their orders! A nearly $300 item was not tracked? I was to continue to wait for my medications & hopefully it would arrive. Now missing my daily medication for the first time in NINE YEARS I called and asked for a supervisor to plead for them to send out a refill right away. Each supervisor was either very rude or overly nice, none could resolve the problem. The only answer was to wait. Note, those who were overly nice were doing so to get me off their backs. They promised they would contact their highest managers and try to get me discounts or a quick refill. Those supervisors never called despite their promises or me leaving voicemails asking to please follow up with me. As of early July I gave up and just waited for my prescription to arrive. At this point I am suffering side effects of the lack of medications including mood swings, insomnia, acne and hair loss. Today, July 17th, nearly one month after the prescription was allegedly mailed, I called to see if we could please NOW finally send out a new prescription. I was told yes they could, but they would need to recharge me the $290 again! I told them that was absurd and on top of that, I dont even have the money to pay for the medications. I spoke to an especially nasty supervisor today who kept screaming "Ma'am I cant hear you, speak up" I got so frustrated at the end of the call, I said what if this was you on the other side of the spectrum, you would be angry too. She replied "I would take my ### to the emergency room to get my medications". Disgusting attitude. After speaking to her supervisor who was more polite, he asked that I call back in 4 days, making it a FULL month that that the medications had been shipped and not received and at that point only would they resend the medications at no costs. So while at work, I will need to take the time to call this supervisor with the hopes that he picks up the phone, or returns my call to finally get this item resent. In total I have spent nearly 500 minutes on the phone with this company. I have had to pay extra minutes on my cell phone plan. I had to pay a $15 overdrawn fee to my bank for their double charge. This company could care less about their customers and only think about money. Although they have screwed up since day one, they refuse to make good on their multiple mistakes. All they say is "I'm sorry" or "I apologize" with no feeling or an extreme attitude. This company should be closed down. I intended to call the Better Business Bureau once I hopefully receive my medications. BEWARE!

Last year, I ran out of insulin and this year, so far, have yet to get my blood pressure medication. I sent prescriptions by mail and they waited 2 weeks before filling them and THEN...omg, they claim to have sent only 1 when both were mailed together. They say they have no record of the other one. Now I'm out of BP medicine and so mad that it's hard for me to breathe. This company thinks all medicine is something you really don't need. LISTEN UP EVERYONE: PLEASE COMPLAIN TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND LET'S GET A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT GOING! I am and did because no company like this should ever be in business! Being out of your meds is serious problem and can kill someone.

Ok so after 10 years working for express scripts, I was fired. The company messed up my own personal order to where I was out of meds. After the third time, I was promised by the pres. George paz it would get resolved and it didnt so I went in and fixed my own order. Got fired because I was told by hr that it was against company policy for employees to work their own orders. Come to find out there is no policy nor is it in wirting in the handbook. I found what happened was that the workload was backed up over 7000 orders and and any accout with a balance was deleted and returned with no call to the customer. So I often wonder how many patients on cardiac or seizure meds had problems? Its all about the money their. The employees I worked with were awsome but the ones in st louis who actually work employee orders were absolutly horrible.

I had the great pleasure to speak with someone in your customer service, also with a supervisor, and pharmacist. However they have all been unwilling to help me get the medication that my daughter needs. My daughter is a type one diabetic on an insulin pump. Her insulin needs have increased and there for a new prescription was faxed to you. She had been receiving 6 vials of insulin and the change was upping it to 8. When we received the order we only received 5 vials which clearly is not enough when we were running out on 6. We have been told that it was filled correctly according to doctors instructions. After speaking with the doctor it was clear that a mistake had been made in her instructions. She offered to call in a new prescription and see if you could edit the old one so that we could receive the needed 3 vials but all that we have talked to have been unwilling to do so. They are very happy to send out more as long as they can charge us again for a copay. We are a working family where money is tight and can't really afford to put out more for a mistake like this. If this had happened at a local pharmacy we would not have picked it up until it had been sorted out. We also feel that if the script was showing differences then the doctor should have been contacted to see what was correct. Overall just very upset and dissatisfied with my experience and the way that all that we talked with couldn't care less. All had the attitude of get me off the phone and be done with this. So sad to see a company care more about money then the customers who support them. If we can not get this worked out we will be letting you go, surely there are other pharmacies who would be happy to give us what we need along with great customer service.

This company promises things to its employees that do not happen. For example, they say there are opportunities for training and advancement, but not for the vast majority of its employees. If the company wants you doing a particular job, you will be in that position for the duration of your employment with them.

Technically, employees earn 4 weeks of PTO each year, but getting the necessary approval to take any of it is another story.

During the recent blizzard, those who did not come in to work were not only received penalty points; they were not allowed to use PTO for it, so they were not paid either. This included employees who were pregnant and those who had children.

Now this company is planning to lay off 700 workers and replace them with temporary contract workers.

They treat employees like commodities rather than humans, unless of course you are connected to the right manager or supervisor. If you know the right people and kiss the right backsides then you receive all the praise and job security that you would ever need.

Company erroneously fills the wrong prescription multiple times yet refuses to issue a refund, correct the order, or accept return. Please file your complaint with the ftc! The form is a little long, but is the best chance of government intervention. Thx

My wife works for FCPS and their insurance uses Express Scripts for prescriptions. I have high cholesterol and the doctor has prescribed the generic drug Simvastatin 20mg. The price last year was $14 for a 90 day supply, and it jumped to $50 this year. I can go to the Harris Teeter and pick up a 90 day supply for $9.99, plus $4.95 for their pharmacy membership card.

I called Express Script and they claim that the $50 co-pay is the right amount for the 90 day supply of Simvastatin. I mentioned that it was $14 back in December 2010, which she stated that "everything goes up in price". Terrible customer service and downright rude!

Even though it's their pricing mistake, they will not admit it.

George Moy
Falls Church, VA

I mailed 2 prescriptions to Express-Scripts in Pennsylvania, I live in Vermont which is only about 2 days by mail. After 7 days not hearing from them I went on the website and saw only one of my prescriptions being processed. I called them and they could not find the other saying it may have fell on the floor! They searched some more and still can't find it. How unprofessional! How can you have one but not the other? And WHY would it fall on the floor and be left ?
I now have to call my Doctor AGAIN and have another script written and called in to my local pharmacy. I had already done this to cover the time in transit for Express-Scripts to fill, but they took too Long and now have lost it.I will be sick tomorrow, there is a blizzard coming and I am praying my pharmacy will be open! I will NEVER send Express-Scripts another order.

Ordered prescription in June, as of July 31 no medicine. Have talked to 5 supervisors and as many services reps. NO person has the same story. The story changes between chats even with the same supervisor. I have been misinformed and lied to. My Dr. has called them 3 times. Last refill was a long drawn out delayed mess, as well. I am out of med and they could not care less.

I was employed with Express Scripts, or ESI as they call themselves for 10 months. During this time, I was both mentally and emotionally abused. How, you ask? 1) My father passed in July of '09, during his last few days with hospice, I spent 5 days with him until he passed. I was given 3 days of bereavement, and upon my return to work 2 days later, first words from my mgr.'s mouth was that they need a death certificate or official announcement. Then, I was escorted to a private office and was given an "official" write-up (disclipanary action) on my permanent record for missing the additional 2 days. Not one person asked anything about my mental state or about the family. However, the young lady next to me, same tenure with the company, had her grandmother pass away (according to ESI's own Policy manual, this is not immediate family, and is only granted 1 day of bereavement). Well, because she was applying for a spot to management, and, it was well known she was extremely well like and upper management wanted her moved to that position, she was allowed to not only leave the country to go to Peru for 10 days, for the funeral, but all disclipinary action was waved, and nothing was entered to her personell record at all. 2) 3 months later, in October, I began to have chest pains while at work. An employee called 911 and I was transported and subsequently admitted to Florida Hospital. I received a call from ESI's HR Director, while in the E.R. wanting to know if I was coming back to work. After I was released, 4 days later, (coronary artery blockage), I went to return to work and found my electronic key was "locked" and I could not get in the building. I was met by several security officers and escorted to H.R. Where again I was placed in an empty office in the back of the building, placed in the back corner while the HR "Director" and another manager sat, blocking the door and told me I was fired. I was RELIEVED! 3) You see, not only did I work for ESI, but I worked in there very expensive, very high powered "biologics" division, CuraScript. CuraScript dispenses life sustaining drugs for such as cancer patients, HIV, Hepatitis C, and Renal Failure patients who have been forced to try to obtain these very delicate, very temperature and time sensitive I.V. treatments by mail order. I had witnessed, first hand, mishandling of prescriptions that had been faxed or called in by Oncologists, and other Specialty M.D.'s. Rx's misplaced and lost. Life sustaining meds held back from shipping to patients desparate to receive it because ESI's own incompetence in dealing with the patient's insurance, could not get verified. Calls to our insurance verification dept., with "kids" 18 to 25, hastily trained, and unconcerned, losing contact phone numbers, Prior Authorizations, coverage determination and documentation, lost, or sent to us, but because of their inexperience and disorganization, was never followed up on. Or, the answer I usually got, I don't know how to do that. All the while, all day long, while I'm fielding calls from doctors, patients, treatment centers and hospitals raising holy H-e-*-* wanting to know where there patient's therapy drugs were. It was stomach turning. I remember once receiving a call from a young man with Hep C, desparate to get his Ribivirin and Pegasys, but was waiting for his insurance to make a coverage determination. Because these medications are extremely expensive, and generally NOT available @ your neighborhood CVS or Walgreens, he offered to pay with his credit card just to get a few days worth to hold him over, because he was getting so sick and his viral load was rising. I was specifically told by a manager, "No, we do not do that. We would have to break a package open, and worse, pay for the shipping ourselves, we don't like not dealing with the insurance payments, so tell him he'll have to wait or go to an E.R. in his area". Problem is, even some E.R.'s do not have many of these specialty, biologic modifiers "readily" available and the cost to patient, of course, can be devastating if they have to visit the E.R. They did me a great favor. It was heartbreaking and very heavy on my soul to see this, everyday, and unable to do anything to help or change the situation. My heart goes out to anyone who is forced to use this "mock" mail order pharmacy, simply because the company that you work for and provides your benefits, really doesn't know just how bad it is behind that corporate vail.
Maxsdad

I was employed with Express Scripts, or ESI as they call themselves for 10 months. During this time, I was both mentally and emotionally abused. How, you ask? 1) My father passed in July of '09, during his last few days with hospice, I spent 5 days with him until he passed. I was given 3 days of bereavement, and upon my return to work 2 days later, first words from my mgr.'s mouth was that they need a death certificate or official announcement. Then, I was escorted to a private office and was given an "official" write-up (disclipanary action) on my permanent record for missing the additional 2 days. Not one person asked anything about my mental state or about the family. However, the young lady next to me, same tenure with the company, had her grandmother pass away (according to ESI's own Policy manual, this is not immediate family, and is only granted 1 day of bereavement). Well, because she was applying for a spot to management, and, it was well known she was extremely well like and upper management wanted her moved to that position, she was allowed to not only leave the country to go to Peru for 10 days, for the funeral, but all disclipinary action was waved, and nothing was entered to her personell record at all. 2) 3 months later, in October, I began to have chest pains while at work. An employee called 911 and I was transported and subsequently admitted to Florida Hospital. I received a call from ESI's HR Director, while in the E.R. wanting to know if I was coming back to work. After I was released, 4 days later, (coronary artery blockage), I went to return to work and found my electronic key was "locked" and I could not get in the building. I was met by several security officers and escorted to H.R. Where again I was placed in an empty office in the back of the building, placed in the back corner while the HR "Director" and another manager sat, blocking the door and told me I was fired. I was RELIEVED! 3) You see, not only did I work for ESI, but I worked in there very expensive, very high powered "biologics" division, CuraScript. CuraScript dispenses life sustaining drugs for such as cancer patients, HIV, Hepatitis C, and Renal Failure patients who have been forced to try to obtain these very delicate, very temperature and time sensitive I.V. treatments by mail order. I had witnessed, first hand, mishandling of prescriptions that had been faxed or called in by Oncologists, and other Specialty M.D.'s. Rx's misplaced and lost. Life sustaining meds held back from shipping to patients desparate to receive it because ESI's own incompetence in dealing with the patient's insurance, could not get verified. Calls to our insurance verification dept., with "kids" 18 to 25, hastily trained, and unconcerned, losing contact phone numbers, Prior Authorizations, coverage determination and documentation, lost, or sent to us, but because of their inexperience and disorganization, was never followed up on. Or, the answer I usually got, I don't know how to do that. All the while, all day long, while I'm fielding calls from doctors, patients, treatment centers and hospitals raising holy H-e-*-* wanting to know where there patient's therapy drugs were. It was stomach turning. I remember once receiving a call from a young man with Hep C, desparate to get his Ribivirin and Pegasys, but was waiting for his insurance to make a coverage determination. Because these medications are extremely expensive, and generally NOT available @ your neighborhood CVS or Walgreens, he offered to pay with his credit card just to get a few days worth to hold him over, because he was getting so sick and his viral load was rising. I was specifically told by a manager, "No, we do not do that. We would have to break a package open, and worse, pay for the shipping ourselves, we don't like not dealing with the insurance payments, so tell him he'll have to wait or go to an E.R. in his area". Problem is, even some E.R.'s do not have many of these specialty, biologic modifiers "readily" available and the cost to patient, of course, can be devastating if they have to visit the E.R. They did me a great favor. It was heartbreaking and very heavy on my soul to see this, everyday, and unable to do anything to help or change the situation. My heart goes out to anyone who is forced to use this "mock" mail order pharmacy, simply because the company that you work for and provides your benefits, really doesn't know just how bad it is behind that corporate vail.
Maxsdad

For months I have been getting mail at my home for Dr. Michael Dattoli. I have written on the envelope "Does not live here, return to sender", I continued to receive information. I finally opened it to see if I could contact Express Scripts and I called the phone number listed on the letter and left a message as I was instructed to do so. I then followed up with an email and got the response someone was looking into it. I received a phone call and was given a number to speak with a supervisor and it would be taken care of immediately. I called and the supervisor acted annoyed with me! I continue to get the mail and each time it is for a different patient of this doctor"s. I now use the number on the letter to fax all the information that I have received again requesting my address be removed from their computers. I get no response, I then contact the fraud department and leave a message for the Chief Medical Officer Ed Weisbart, MD who by the way signed the letter that I am getting these numbers from. I get a phone message from his asst. Susan Gaffney and of course no phone number to call back to and they are working on it. Bare in mind this is now going on for about two weeks since I decided to open the envelope. I get a call from Melanie Fogarty to tell me they are working on it but no one got any of the information I faxed, that was not the number, well updated your form letter with the proper information! I even went as far as to google Dr. Dattoli and called his office in Florida! and informed them. The sad part is that the information is for differenct patients and their information is going God knows where.
I received another call from Melanie and she told me it was all fixed and I reminded her that I wanted something faxed in writing explaining what happened. Here is what I received: "Dr. Michael Dattoli's address has been changed from being in Glen Gardner, NJ to his Florida address." Gee, I feel better, I would like to know how my address got into their computer system and I was told she could not tell me that! But it was not a third party! Woohoo! I am still waiting to find out what happened! Beware of using this company!