Kroger Pharmacies (all divisions) to stop accepting Express Scripts 1/1/23

[Alpha8472]

CVS has been accepting state Medicaid(Medi-Cal) in California for quite a while. Walgreens appears to have stopped taking Medi-Cal in recent years. Walgreens sometimes just claims not to take an insurance because they are understaffed and don't want to fill any more prescriptions that day.

[storewanderer]

CVS has been accepting state Medicaid(Medi-Cal) in California for quite a while. Walgreens appears to have stopped taking Medi-Cal in recent years. Walgreens sometimes just claims not to take an insurance because they are understaffed and don't want to fill any more prescriptions that day.

I really do not know what has happened to Walgreens... lying about if they take an insurance in an effort to turn customers away?

How does it work if a pharmacy does that? Can the customer file a report against that pharmacy with the insurance company and will the insurance company look into it/discipline the pharmacy?

[bryceleinan]

CVS has been accepting state Medicaid(Medi-Cal) in California for quite a while. Walgreens appears to have stopped taking Medi-Cal in recent years. Walgreens sometimes just claims not to take an insurance because they are understaffed and don't want to fill any more prescriptions that day.

I really do not know what has happened to Walgreens... lying about if they take an insurance in an effort to turn customers away?

How does it work if a pharmacy does that? Can the customer file a report against that pharmacy with the insurance company and will the insurance company look into it/discipline the pharmacy?

Oh, that's a whole OT discussion, but, short answer is yes, they can get in trouble with the insurance carrier.

Going back to the original subject... looking through "pharmacy Twitter", many Kroger pharmacies are in somewhat of a meltdown over this policy, especially in areas where the largest employers are ESI customers.

[Alpha8472]

Walgreens turned away a customer once saying they didn't take the Blue Cross Medi-Cal card. Technically that was correct, but the patient actually had another health plan that Walgreens did take. So it was an error on the patient's part.

Mistakes do happen, but patients need to verify if their insurance card is their current card and not an expired card.

[storewanderer]

Walgreens turned away a customer once saying they didn't take the Blue Cross Medi-Cal card. Technically that was correct, but the patient actually had another health plan that Walgreens did take. So it was an error on the patient's part.

Mistakes do happen, but patients need to verify if their insurance card is their current card and not an expired card.

Definitely if the customer presents a card they do not take, that is the customer's fault.

I can see how the customer may want to blame the store as the store may have the customer's other (accepted) insurance in their computer profile, but with the fast paced drop off process sometimes the drop off window takes the paper prescription does the DOB verification and asks for an insurance card and does not immediately go into the computer. So I can see how if a customer walked up and presented paper script, verified DOB, and presented that BC Medi-Cal card, the clerk would default to saying oh we do not take that insurance. At that point if the customer does not actually communicate clearly with the clerk and explain they have another insurance card that they have used there in the past, then that is moreso the customer's fault.

[bryceleinan]

CVS picked up the majority of TRICARE beneficiaries in our area, since they were the first pharmacy listed on the mailer TRICARE sent out. I received something similar from the state, and we’re using Safeway / Walmart/Costco/Raley’s for right now.

[storewanderer]

CVS picked up the majority of TRICARE beneficiaries in our area, since they were the first pharmacy listed on the mailer TRICARE sent out. I received something similar from the state, and we’re using Safeway / Walmart/Costco/Raley’s for right now.

CVS units are crazy busy the past month at the locations that had Smiths nearby. I knew Smiths ran pretty high pharmacy volumes but this is very interesting what is happening.

Not noticing any more traffic at Safeway's pharmacies though, or Raleys...

[Alpha8472]

CVS has does advertising that draws in people. The other pharmacy chains do not seem to be advertising as much. I don't know why people flock to CVS as many of their pharmacies are understaffed with long lines and long wait times on the phone. Other smaller pharmacy chains actually provide better customer service.

There is a strange thing happening now. It is busy during the day at pharmacies, but after 7 PM people seem to be staying home. I don't know if it is due to the cold winter weather or because it is getting darker earlier. The pharmacies are really slow after 7 PM and many corporate people are planning reducing pharmacy hours to close sooner such as at 7 PM in the coming months. This will inconvenience many customers as the pharmacies are planning to close much earlier. Pharmacy workers are already overworked, but closing at 7 PM means that they will have to leave much of their work unfinished for the next day. The corporate people are trying to save money by cutting employee hours no matter the cost to customers. When March comes around the pharmacy hours will be slashed.