Tom Luvison to STRS Board: Why the big discrepancy in Rx cost?

Tom Luvison of the retired unit of the Cleveland Teachers Union Local 279 (CTU Local 279-R) addressed the STRS Board on April 18, 2019 from notes he had before him. He later summarized his remarks in a report he wrote for the 279-R newsletter, and shares it with us below. 

PRESCRIPTION (RX) MYSTERIES AND OTHER THINGS

Ordinarily I defer to 279-R Executive Board members Dan McDonald and Rob Walters on matters of STRS health insurance and Express Scripts Rx coverage. However, since I commented on an Express Scripts prescription cost concern at the public participation session of the April 18, 2019 STRS Board meeting, this month's article will be the exception. 

In my comments to the STRS Board, I first greeted the assembly with "Good morning to the STRS Board, staff, stakeholders (us) and guests." 

The Board and staff were thanked for the efficient services provided STRS Retirees. The thank you was given sincerely, as it is a fact that retirement benefits are received each month without fail and most other services are handled most professionally. 

The Board was then informed that I share the same concerns previous speakers had expressed about the loss of our COLA and the need to restore it. I continued that even though I shared their concerns about the COLA I would speak on another matter-a prescription cost mystery. 

My personal Rx experience had me paying a small fraction of the cost of a drug (Dipentum) at a hospital pharmacy as opposed to what Express Scripts charged for the same drug. Why is there such a cost discrepancy? I requested an answer from the STRS Board. 

On April 19, 2019 the STRS staff reached out to me on the matter and asked that I provide more details as they could not address my concern because STRS believes that Express Scripts is following the Medicare Part D guidelines on Rx costs. Well, stay tuned as I attempt to help STRS research this Rx mystery. 

In closing I would offer that Express Scripts has already made attempts to improve their policies and methods for servicing our Rx needs. In a Cleveland CTU office meeting with STRS staff and 279-R Executive Board members some years ago grievances about Express Scripts were presented and a system to resolve prescription problems was agreed upon.