Home < Human
Resources and Benefits Briefing < July
2005
UC Pharmacies Maintenance Prescription Benefit
Blue Cross PLUS, Blue Cross PPO, Blue Cross High Option Plans
UC Med Center Pharmacies will be able to dispense approved maintenance medications
- In mail order quantities (usually a 90-day supply)
- At the mail order copays ($30/generic; $50/formulary;$80/non-formulary)
Who is eligible to use this benefit?
- UC Employees and Retirees and their eligible dependents (family members) enrolled in the Blue Cross Plus, Blue Cross PPO, and High Option Medical Plans.
- These Medical Plans have a Retail and Mail Order Pharmacy Benefit with a copayment.
Which UC Med Center Pharmacies are participating?
- There are a total of 12 pharmacies at the following Medical Centers - UCSD, UCLA, UCI and UCD.
- There is NO Med Center Pharmacy at UCSF
- A list of participating pharmacies will be posted on the HR/Benefits website, “At Your Service”.
How will employees and retirees be notified about the new benefit?
- Blue Cross sent a letter to all individuals who used the Mail Order Prescription benefit with Express Pharmacy Services during 2003, informing them of this special benefit from UC Pharmacies. All employees and retirees also read about this benefit in their Open Enrollment materials.
What are my options for getting maintenance prescriptions at the mail-order price?
Option 1 – Blue Cross Mail Service Program through Precision Rx
- The employee/retiree mails a prescription or the physician faxes a prescription to Precision Rx.
- Precision Rx retains the prescription and the employee/retiree will get all refills for this prescription from Precision Rx.
- The medication is delivered to the individual’s home address by U.S. Postal Service/UPS, etc.
Option 2 – Participating UC Med Center Pharmacies
- The employee/retiree obtains a new prescription from their Physician and brings it to the participating UC Med Center Pharmacy.
- The UC Med Center Pharmacy retains the prescription and the employee/retiree will get refills for this prescription from this pharmacy.
- The prescriptions will be picked up at the UC Med Center Pharmacy. This is a “walk-in” service which is not structured for individual mail-out or delivery.
What if an employee/retiree has an open refill at Precision Rx and wants to get a refill at a UC Med Center Pharmacy?
If the employee/retiree wants to get refills at a UC Pharmacy for a prescription that was originally filled at Precision Rx, they must get a new prescription from their provider and bring it to the UC Med Center Pharmacy. The UC Pharmacies will not be able to get the prescription transferred from Precision Rx.
Can an employee/retiree have prescriptions filled at both Precision Rx and a UC Med Center Pharmacy
- Precision Rx and UC Med Center Pharmacies are stand-alone options operating independently.
- Members can have prescriptions filled at Precision Rx or a UC Med Center Pharmacy.
- A member can get one prescription from a UC Med Center Pharmacy and a different prescription from Precision Rx.
- However, a member cannot have a prescription on file at a UC Pharmacy and have Precision Rx mail them the medication, and they cannot have a prescription on file at Precision Rx and pick up the medication at a UC Med Center Pharmacy.
When did the UC Med Center Pharmacies start filling Maintenance Prescription Drugs for Blue Cross members?
All UC Med Center Pharmacies began filling Blue Cross Plus, PPO and High Option Maintenance Prescription Drugs on January 1, 2004.
