Medco Prescription Information

Medco is a mail-order pharmacy that fills medication prescriptions for public and private companies, government agencies, labor unions, and health plans. In 2008, Medco filled about 27.5 million prescription orders through nine mail-order pharmacy sites and six call center pharmacies.

Types

• Medco offers a range of prescription services. As a member, you can order online prescription refills, ask a pharmacist to obtain a prescription renewal from your doctor, and transfer your existing prescriptions from retail pharmacies. You can also opt to use fax, mail, and telephone communications.

Functions

• Through the Medco pharmacy, members can obtain a 90-day supply of a prescribed medication instead of the 30-day supply typically available through retail pharmacies.

Cost Savings

• Medco helps employers control their drug costs by discounting the wholesale cost of medications, adopting generic drugs sooner than retail pharmacies, improving compliance with drug formularies that list approved medications, and reducing dispensing fees with 90-day prescriptions.

Benefits

• Medco members enjoy lower co-payments for their prescriptions, as well as the convenience of mail order and 24/7 pharmacist availability. Medco says 95 percent of its members plan to continue using its services.

Considerations

• Medco is committed to doing more than just filling prescriptions. The company has 1,100 pharmacists who follow a Six-Sigma approach to enhance the safety, effectiveness, and affordability of prescriptions.