CuraScript and the Care Program at Central Reserve Life
My ideal service experience in the health care maze occurred with a company called CuraScript. CuraScript facilitates the timely distribution of expensive, high-end biological drugs used by patients with chronic illness.
One such drug is a “wonder drug” called Enbrel which I have been taking for rheumatoid arthritis. Getting Enbrel in a timely manner has been an expensive and often frustrating experience.
Enbrel costs $1570+ per month. With a 20% co-pay (if you're lucky) the payment is still $350 a month for just one prescripthttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifion. To cut costs, I went into an HSA (Health Savings Account)a few years ago - a great money saver for chronic, expensive disease like mine where meeting a $2500 year deductible is a breeze. With co-pays my insurance out-of-pocket ran around $6000 A YEAR.
With an HSA, at 100% coverage once the deductible is met (I have a great employer), I am saving thousands of dollars a year, but there's one catch: I have to pay out-of-pocket for the prescription at the pharmacy, send in a receipt and wait for reimbursement before I can buy the next month's script.
For the first year the program of reimbursement worked well, but then my provider, CRL insurance company, switched to a new expediter to reimburse prescription claims. Since December, 2006, I have had constant hassles with poor service, suspect record keeping, and, more importantly, I have had to go weeks with no Enbrel as I awaited my reimbursement.
Normally I would be taking injections twice a week, but that may be more than you’re comfortable knowing about me. With that in mind, I won't even get into the many screw-ups at Walgreens!! (If you pay $1500 for a drug, you expect it to be ready for you as promised, especially when you're going on a long trip, right?)
Finally, in early June of 2007, along came a phone call from a RN with the Extra Care Program at CRL (Central Reserve Life). Somebody at the insurance company, after my constant calls from December through May was on the ball at least and hooked me up with a nurse manager named Jan H.
Maybe it was due in part to my threat to post an article with the headline, “Why Is My Insurance Company Killing Me?”
Jan was great. What a doll. For the first time in 20 years someone showed an interest in making sure I got top service and dependable service.
Jan became my conduit to CuraScript, an independent expediter of high-end biologics. For 3 months now, like clock work, Curascript gives ME a call when it’s time for a prescription refill.
I jokingly say that they treat me like the Queen of England. The day following the call, Enbrel is delivered to my waiting hands, all packed with ice and ready to use.
The best part? Curascript bills the insurance company directly.
With over 2,500 team members, CuraScript is based in Orlando, Fla. It has a network of satellite distribution pharmacies which makes the operation very efficient.
Curascript does not handle regular scripts, unfortunately. For more detail, however, please visit their website at www.curascript.com where you can investigate services in detail.
For now, I’m thankful someone out there formed the Extra Care Program at CRL. And I’m equally impressed and pleased that some savvy businessman saw the need for a company like CuraScript. It is clear, from the top down, that CuraScript has a mandate based on exceptional service and care, knowing their clients had enough to deal with.
According to its mission statement, “At CuraScript, we are dedicated to the delivery of extraordinary care, one patient at a time. Providing affordable, high quality care for complex chronic conditions requires cooperation among many healthcare experts. CuraScript offers a broad range of services for physicians, health plan sponsors, and pharmaceutical manufacturers to support the delivery of that care.
“Committed to our core values of compassion, integrity and quality, we measure our success through healthy outcomes, satisfied clients and clarity of vision to support the hundreds of new life-changing biopharmaceutical drugs that will help patients in the decades to come.”
Curascript does not handle regular scripts, I don’t think. I guess that would be too much to ask for in this age of drive-thru pills.
For now, I’m thankful someone out there formed the Extra Care Program at CRL. And I’m equally impressed and pleased that some savvy businessman saw the need for a company like CuraScript. It is clear, from the top down, that CuraScript has a mandate based on exceptional service and care, knowing their clients have enough to deal with.
I have no vested interest in CuraScript, but it is the kind of company that probably makes its employees feel very proud. Sometimes that kind of pride and dedication to excellence is evident even over the phone as you speak to a faceless, yet caring and professional someone at the other end of the line.
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