OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Insurance Department “has become aware of inaccurate and misleading communications affecting Oklahoma consumers,” state Insurance Commissioner Glen Muldready announced recently.
Several large employers sent to their employees letters with erroneous information regarding changes to their CVS/Caremark prescription program, Mulready said.
“One of the most troubling inaccuracies is the claim that the law in Oklahoma no longer allows 90-day prescriptions,” he said.
The law – House Bill 2632, creating the Patient’s Right to Pharmacy Choice Act – does in fact allow for the filling of 90-day supply prescriptions, Mulready clarified.
“However, it is against the law to incentivize patients to fill prescriptions through mail order rather than their pharmacy of choice,” he said.
Furthermore, some letters claimed that the state insurance commissioner would begin enforcing the law Feb. 23.
“The Oklahoma Insurance Department has been enforcing this law since September 2020,” Mulready said.
“It is concerning that these misrepresentations are being spread to employees in Oklahoma. The facts are that as part of a legal settlement with CVS/Caremark, letters were supposed to be sent out to consumers explaining their options for prescriptions, and instead of clarifying, the letters that were sent have only spread more misinformation to the citizens.”
The Insurance Department has issued $3.5 million in fines to pharmacy benefit managers and overseen $700,000 in reimbursements to local pharmacies since enforcement of this law began Sept. 1, 2020, Mulready said.
“We urge Oklahoma employers to verify the accuracy of their communications before sending them to their employees,” he said.