Painless prescription options are still available

By Mrs. Brandy Gill (Army Medicine)March 27, 2012

New CRDAMC pharmacy option will be available soon
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Stan Lefler, a pharmacy technician at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, fills a medicine bottle for a beneficiary's prescription. New pharmacy options at CRDAMC are designed to reduce wait time and improve beneficary satisfaction. (Photo by Brandy... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center helps patients through Tricare pharmacy options transition
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – CRDAMC pharmacy technicians prepare patient prescriptions at the hospital pharmacy. Beneficiaries who had prescriptions initially filled at Walgreens can transfer those prescriptions to the Main Pharmacy located in the hospital basement upon request.... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT HOOD, Texas -- Love it or hate it, military life is always changing. Whether it's a new duty assignment, a new uniform, a new commander or a new policy, change is something we've all come to expect.

One of the more recent changes includes Tricare beneficiaries' pharmacy options.

In June 2011, Walgreen Co., one of the largest commercial pharmacy corporations in the United States, chose not to renew a contract with Express Scripts, Inc., the administrator of the Tricare pharmacy benefit.

The change went into effect Jan. 1, 2012, forcing many beneficiaries who got their prescriptions filled at the chain pharmacy to transfer prescriptions to other participating network pharmacies or to CRDAMC's Main Pharmacy, Lt. Col. Gwendolyn Thompson, chief of the CRDAMC pharmacy department, said.

"Walgreens has stopped participating as a provider in the Express Scripts pharmacy network because the prices Walgreens offered to Express Scripts for filling prescriptions would cost Tricare more than other pharmacies filling the same prescriptions," she said. "It would mean the cost to Tricare -- and ultimately our beneficiaries -- would have increased."

While Walgreens is no longer available, there are still several other options for beneficiaries, Thompson said.

"If you had a prescription initially filled at Walgreens that you need to have refilled, CRDAMC pharmacies can transfer that prescription to the Main Pharmacy upon a patient's request. Please bring your Walgreen medication bottles so we can obtain all pertinent information for the transfer. All prescription transfers require 24 -- 48 hours to complete. So please plan ahead," she said.

Of course there are many pharmacy options still available to Tricare beneficiaries that do not require going through retail pharmacies at all. Those options include self-care prescriptions, prescription drop-off, the drive-through pharmacy at Thomas Moore Health Clinic, or the mail-order pharmacy. Every CRDAMC clinic also has its own pharmacy where patients enrolled to those clinics can get most regular prescriptions filled immediately following their appointment.

"The most convenient way to get over-the-counter medications is the 'self-care' option, especially when you or a family member has a minor illness or injury that doesn't require a doctor's appointment," Thompson said. "If you already have a self-care card, you can go to the Thomas Moore Health Clinic drive-thru pharmacy to obtain these medications."

Some of the medicines you can get through self-care are Tylenol, Motrin, antacids, diarrhea medications, hydrocortisone for itching, and bacterial cream for infections. For a complete list of available over-the-counter medications and instructions on obtaining a self-care card, talk to your pharmacist or visit the CRDAMC website at www.crdamc.amedd.army.mil, and click on the pharmacy link located in the left hand column.

CRDAMC pharmacy also offers a prescription drop-off option which is the best choice for long-term medication renewals. This option is available from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Thursdays. If your prescription is dropped off before noon, it will be ready the same day at 3 p.m. If your prescription is dropped off after noon it will be ready to pick-up the following morning. You can go back to work, run errands, or even come back the next day at your convenience.

You don't need to pull a ticket when you use this option. If your prescription has been entered into the computer by your provider, you just go to the drop-off box location in the handwritten pharmacy lobby and fill out a drop-off ticket. Drop the top part of the ticket in the drop-off box at that location. A time stamp will also be located on the same table as the drop-off box. Make sure you stamp the bottom half of your ticket and bring this with you when you come to pick-up your prescription. If you have a written prescription from your provider just go to Window #13 where a pharmacy technician will screen your prescription and give you a blue ticket. When you return to pick-up your prescription go directly to the Customer Service Window.

The Tricare mail order pharmacy is another great option for patients who require medications that aren't regularly stocked in the CRDAMC pharmacies or who have prescriptions that require regular refills.

All mail order medicines are delivered directly to your house which eliminates the hassle of dealing with traffic, parking or lines at the pharmacy and it saves you money in fuel costs. Small co-pays do apply with this service. Usually those fees are $0 (no copay) for generic prescriptions, $9 for brand names and $25 for non-formulary medications.

To use the Tricare mail order pharmacy just ask your doctor for a 90-day supply (one prescription with three refills) of your medication, then log on to www.express-scripts.com and print a prescription order form, or call 877-363-1303. Once you've filled out the form, mail it with your written prescription and payment to the address on the form.

Beneficiaries who prefer retail pharmacies can still use the fourth option, which would be to transfer your prescription to another retail pharmacy.

Sometimes this option is necessary, especially if the military pharmacy doesn't carry the prescribed medication and you need it immediately, but remember all retail pharmacies will require a co-pay. There are other benefits for using a retail pharmacy, too, like shopping while you wait or easy drive-thru access. If you live off-post it may also be closer to home. For a list of retail pharmacies that honor Express Scripts/Tricare visit the Express Scripts website at www.express-scripts.com.

Regardless of your choice, it's important to remember the CRDAMC staff is ready to help you, Col. Patrick Sargent, the CRDAMC commander said.

"Our Soldiers, Families and Veterans are our top priority, and we are honored to serve them every day," he said. "Despite the recent changes to the Tricare pharmacy benefit, CRDAMC will continue to provide world-class healthcare and excellent patient services to every patient we see. If a beneficiary has questions or concerns I encourage them to talk to their providers or pharmacists so together we can determine the best option for them."

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