University of California Human Resources and Benefits

Home < Human Resources and Benefits Briefing < July 2005 What is the UC Medical Center Pharmacy Maintenance Prescription Drug Benefit?

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 ($20/generic formulary/selected brands; $40/brand-name formulary; $70/non-formulary)

Who is eligible to use this benefit?

UC Employees and Retirees and their eligible dependents (family members) enrolled in the PacifiCare HMO, and PacifiCare Secure Horizons 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 this new benefit?

There will be an announcement in the July 2005 issues of Briefing and New Dimensions.

What are my options for getting maintenance prescriptions at the mail-order price?

Option 1 – PacifiCare Mail Service Facility

The employee/retiree mails a prescription or the physician faxes a prescription to the PacifiCare Mail Service Facility.
The PacifiCare Mail Service Facility retains the prescription and the employee/retiree will get all refills for this prescription from the Mail Service Facility.
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 the PacifiCare Mail Service Facility 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 the PacifiCare Mail Service Facility, 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 the PacifiCare Mail Service Facility..

Can an employee/retiree have prescriptions filled at both the PacifiCare Mail Service Facility and a UC Med Center Pharmacy?

The PacifiCare Mail Service Facility and UC Med Center Pharmacies are stand-alone options operating independently.
Members can have prescriptions filled at the PacifiCare Mail Service Facility or a UC Med Center Pharmacy.
A member can get one prescription from a UC Med Center Pharmacy and a different prescription from the PacifiCare Mail Service Facility.
However, a member cannot have a prescription on file at a UC Pharmacy and have Pacificare mail them the medication, and they cannot have a prescription on file at the PacifiCare Mail Service Facility and pick up the medication at a UC Med Center Pharmacy.

When will the UC Med Center Pharmacies start filling the prescriptions?

All UC Med Pharmacies will begin filling PacifiCare and PacifiCare Secure Horizons Maintenance Prescription Drugs on July 1, 2005.