Gephardt: Some Insurance Companies Relaxing Prescription Caps

BRIGHAM CITY, Utah — Experts from the American Red Cross and AARP said people with chronic conditions should keep extra medicine on hand during the coronavirus outbreak. Many people have found that getting extra prescriptions may not be so easy.

Health groups advised having a 30- to 90-day supply of prescription drugs.

Fred Randall from Brigham City said he’s been trying to comply, but his insurance company has been in the way.

His doctor scribbled out a prescription for a bumped-up quantity of two medications Randall takes to aid his prostate.

The 78-year-old said he tried to fill his prescription, but the pharmacist told him insurance would not cover it. He called his insurer, Cigna, and was told the same thing — filling the script in that advanced quantity would be a violation of the company’s policy and they would not budge.

Because of his age, Randall is at risk for having major health issues, should he contract COVID-19, so he’s not super keen to go out and pick up meds every two weeks.

“I hope insurance companies will be taking a second thought of what they’re doing,” he said.

The KSL Investigators contacted all of the major heath insurance companies to inquire if their prescription drug-cap policies would be changing or relaxing during this national emergency.

For now, Cigna is not.

“There’s no need to order refills earlier than usual or to stock up,” said a Cigna spokesperson.

Molina will also not be changing its policy.

Others are. If you’ve got UnitedHealthcare, you can call the number on the back of your insurance card to get an early refill. BlueCross BlueShield is also waiving early refill limits, as is Humana, Anthem and Aetna at its CVS pharmacies.

Another option for consumers is mail-order service. Many insurers partner with pharmacies to ship medications to your door so you won’t have to risk getting sick by going out in public for a refill. Often they can ship you a 90 day supply – even Cigna.