OPTUM-RX is the WORST

[sg79844031]

Cannot say anything good about OPTUM-RX.  After 5 years, I am dumping United Health Care Medicare Part D.  I got robocall yesterday saying that my medication had been recalled due to carcinogen contamination.  After that robo-statement, the robocall immediately went to a busy signal and cut off.  So I called customer service.  Spent the next 25 min. on hold trying to confirm or deny the recall.  Hung up.  Sent message to OPTUM. The message reply next day did nothing other than promise to open a case file and to confirm that I agreed to deal with my issue via email.  [WHAT???]  So, today had phone call with customer service rep (not a pharmacist) who immediately told me to stop taking the medication (which, by the way, was delivered to me AFTER the recall notice had already been issued by the Food and Drug Administration).  I asked the customer service rep for details.  He put me on hold and five minutes later got back on line and corrected his statement.  Told me OK to take the medication, that the lot issued to me had not really been recalled.  I searched around on internet and found an OPTUM phone number to call to demand to speak with a pharmacist (NOTE:  the OPTUM website does NOT notify you of your right to speak to a pharmacist; nor does it give you a phone number to connect to a pharmacist).  I finally got a pharmacist, who confirmed that my medication had in fact been recalled and promising to send me a replacement.  This is dangerous and puts my health at risk.  Note:  This is only one of about 10 complaints I have logged with OPTUM-RX over the past five years.  This is one of the most expensive Part D plans on the market.  My annual Part D charge is almost $1,000.  The service is the worst.

[GailL1]

Open enrollment just started so you can change your (free-standing) Part D coverage to one you like better.  If you have a Medicare Advantage plan with an INCLUDED prescription drug plan, you will have to change the whole plan.

Don't go without a Part D plan because when you sign up again you will have to pay a monthly premium penalty for going without.

Meds are recalled for various things - just like food.  Normally, you hear about them from the news so you can do any further research for yourself. -Sounds like you understand this.

Look up any recall Rx med on this FDA search tool - all drug recalls originate here - sometimes it is a recall of the entire med under whatever name(s) other times it is certain batches only.

FDA: Drug Recalls 

You can also file a complaint with Medicare about your Part D provider

Medicare: How to file a complaint (grievance)