Caremark Termination of Walgreens Pharmacy Network
Friday June 11, 2010
Effective July 9, 2010
June 11, 2010
CVS Caremark Termination of Walgreens' Pharmacy Network Participation
On June 9, 2010, CVS Caremark - the Pharmacy Benefits Manager for BlueCross BlueShield of
Tennessee - made the decision to terminate Walgreens' participation in their pharmacy networks, to be effective July 9, 2010 (subject to state law and contractual obligations). What this means to
BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee members is any prescription currently filled by a Walgreens retail pharmacy will need to transfer that prescription to another pharmacy within the CVS Caremark network before July 9, 2010.
CVS Caremark will be providing BlueCross members with a list of alternative retail pharmacies in the network so they can preserve uninterrupted access to their pharmacy benefit and their prescriptions. In addition, BlueCross members may also locate other nearby network pharmacies by using the "Find a Doctor" feature on bcbst.com or the store locater tool on CVS.com. Below is a list of commonly asked questions regarding CVS Caremark's decision and the options available to BlueCross members.
Q. Is it true that I can no longer access Walgreens pharmacies to fill prescriptions?
A. Yes. On July 9, 2010, BlueCross members will no longer have the option to fill or refill their prescription at a Walgreens retail pharmacy.
This means members will no longer be able to use their prescription benefit at Walgreens retail pharmacies after termination. If you choose to fill prescriptions at Walgreens, you will be required to pay the full price charged by Walgreens, rather than your usual copayment or coinsurance amount under your BlueCross benefit plan.
Q. Why did this happen?
A. Walgreens was making demands of CVS Caremark that would have potentially increased costs for BlueCross and its members.
Q. Do I now have to pay more for prescriptions filled at retail pharmacies?
A. No. As long as you fill your prescription at an in-network pharmacy, your regular copayment or coinsurance will not change. However, if you choose to go to Walgreens after July 9, 2010, then normal out-of-network charges will apply.
Q. Am I required to use a CVS pharmacy when I need to fill a prescription?
A. No. There has been no change in your BlueCross health care plan. You may fill prescriptions at any of the approximately 57,000 locations in the CVS Caremark national retail pharmacy network, excluding Walgreens. If you would like help identifying other local pharmacies that are in the retail network today, call BlueCross Customer Service at the phone number on your BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee member ID card. You can also locate other nearby network pharmacies on your own, by using the "Find a Doctor" feature on bcbst.com or the store locater tool on CVS.com.
Q. What if I have refills at Walgreens? What are my options?
A. You may continue to take full advantage of your prescription benefit by using other pharmacies that participate in the CVS Caremark Retail Pharmacy network. If you have an existing prescription at Walgreens with refills remaining, in most cases, you can easily have your new pharmacy transfer the prescription for you. Please be sure to allow enough time for the pharmacy to call the physician if needed. Please note, some medications (i.e., narcotics, compounds, expired prescriptions and prescriptions with no refills, etc.) will require a new prescription.
Q. Am I required to use mail service to fill my prescriptions?
A. No. You do not have to use mail service unless your health care plan requires it. Speak with your employers' benefits administrator or call BlueCross Customer Service at the phone number on your BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee member ID card to determine your specific plan details.
Q. Did my copayment change?
A. No. The only change is that Walgreens is not participating in your retail pharmacy network. The medications that are covered and the copayment amounts are not changing.
Q. If I fill a prescription at Walgreens will they charge me more?
A. After July 9, 2010 - or a later date if required by legal or contract requirements - Walgreens will no longer be part of your pharmacy benefit plan's retail network. Normal out-of-network charges will apply.
Q. What other options do I have?
A. We understand this is a challenging situation and we're here to help. Call BlueCross Customer Service at the phone number on your BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee member ID card to determine your specific plan details and assist you with other options.
Q. Will this change affect my Walgreens specialty drugs (SpecRx) benefits?
A. No. BlueCross holds the contract directly with Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy on its SpecRx specialty drug coverage and is not impacted by this change.
