I was employed with Express Scripts, or ESI as they call themselves for 10 months. During this time, I was both mentally and emotionally abused. How, you ask? 1) My father passed in July of '09, during his last few days with hospice, I spent 5 days with him until he passed. I was given 3 days of bereavement, and upon my return to work 2 days later, first words from my mgr.'s mouth was that they need a death certificate or official announcement. Then, I was escorted to a private office and was given an "official" write-up (disclipanary action) on my permanent record for missing the additional 2 days. Not one person asked anything about my mental state or about the family. However, the young lady next to me, same tenure with the company, had her grandmother pass away (according to ESI's own Policy manual, this is not immediate family, and is only granted 1 day of bereavement). Well, because she was applying for a spot to management, and, it was well known she was extremely well like and upper management wanted her moved to that position, she was allowed to not only leave the country to go to Peru for 10 days, for the funeral, but all disclipinary action was waved, and nothing was entered to her personell record at all. 2) 3 months later, in October, I began to have chest pains while at work. An employee called 911 and I was transported and subsequently admitted to Florida Hospital. I received a call from ESI's HR Director, while in the E.R. wanting to know if I was coming back to work. After I was released, 4 days later, (coronary artery blockage), I went to return to work and found my electronic key was "locked" and I could not get in the building. I was met by several security officers and escorted to H.R. Where again I was placed in an empty office in the back of the building, placed in the back corner while the HR "Director" and another manager sat, blocking the door and told me I was fired. I was RELIEVED! 3) You see, not only did I work for ESI, but I worked in there very expensive, very high powered "biologics" division, CuraScript. CuraScript dispenses life sustaining drugs for such as cancer patients, HIV, Hepatitis C, and Renal Failure patients who have been forced to try to obtain these very delicate, very temperature and time sensitive I.V. treatments by mail order. I had witnessed, first hand, mishandling of prescriptions that had been faxed or called in by Oncologists, and other Specialty M.D.'s. Rx's misplaced and lost. Life sustaining meds held back from shipping to patients desparate to receive it because ESI's own incompetence in dealing with the patient's insurance, could not get verified. Calls to our insurance verification dept., with "kids" 18 to 25, hastily trained, and unconcerned, losing contact phone numbers, Prior Authorizations, coverage determination and documentation, lost, or sent to us, but because of their inexperience and disorganization, was never followed up on. Or, the answer I usually got, I don't know how to do that. All the while, all day long, while I'm fielding calls from doctors, patients, treatment centers and hospitals raising holy H-e-*-* wanting to know where there patient's therapy drugs were. It was stomach turning. I remember once receiving a call from a young man with Hep C, desparate to get his Ribivirin and Pegasys, but was waiting for his insurance to make a coverage determination. Because these medications are extremely expensive, and generally NOT available @ your neighborhood CVS or Walgreens, he offered to pay with his credit card just to get a few days worth to hold him over, because he was getting so sick and his viral load was rising. I was specifically told by a manager, "No, we do not do that. We would have to break a package open, and worse, pay for the shipping ourselves, we don't like not dealing with the insurance payments, so tell him he'll have to wait or go to an E.R. in his area". Problem is, even some E.R.'s do not have many of these specialty, biologic modifiers "readily" available and the cost to patient, of course, can be devastating if they have to visit the E.R. They did me a great favor. It was heartbreaking and very heavy on my soul to see this, everyday, and unable to do anything to help or change the situation. My heart goes out to anyone who is forced to use this "mock" mail order pharmacy, simply because the company that you work for and provides your benefits, really doesn't know just how bad it is behind that corporate vail.
Maxsdad