Hi everyone, 

Yesterday, I updated the petition about the issues of theft and mail order pharmacy. Sadly, this is one of the many risks of mail order pharmacy. It's why I advocate that mail order pharmacy should never be allowed to be the only option of coverage. Many have to pay 100% of the medication cost to get their medications the safest way and to prevent these unnecessary risks. 

Per a news report by ABC13 News in Houston, a toddlers medication was stolen. It took DAYS before the parents were refunded. They were considering taking out a loan on a vehicle to replace the medications (2017). Should anyone even have to consider this when taxpayers, employees, and patients are already paying such high premiums/payments for insurance coverage? 

I've spoken to some who said that they had issues with the insurance refunding due to the delivery service and the insurance pointing fingers at each other. There are no laws indicating who will be at fault or has to pay in these life-threatening situations.

Thefts are by far the only risk of mail-order pharmacy. This petition started from room temperature mediations that are supposed to be stored in temperatures between 59-86 degrees being shipped in nothing but a bag on a day over 100 degrees. 

There are issues of delays, miscommunication, no face to face relationship with a pharmacy, medications being damaged, hippa/privacy violations when roommates or the neighbor opens medications, there are many more.

Some may think these are "rare occurrences" but if you follow me on twitter, I find people every single day suffering from these issues and many other mail order pharmacy related issues and most could be 100% avoidable if we could just have coverage for the pharmacy and pharmacist that has earned our trust and we've known for years. I have thousands of these reports.   

As a mom and caregiver, I was heartbroken and terrified when I was told I must take these unnecessary risks with his life-saving medications. My son is now old enough to also understand the risks and frequently ask Why would they do this not just to him, but to all people?

Lastly, many may also use mail order pharmacy because their copays are lower; however, it doesn't have to be this way. We could have the same copay to be able to pick up our medications the safest way, but we have 3  insurance company's pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), such as Express Scripts, Optum RX, and CVS steering or forcing many to only use THIER OWNED mail order pharmacy. These 3 own about 80% of the market. If patients do have coverage to use their pharmacy, these 3 PBMs often reimburse THIER pharmacist so low they end up in the red. Although patients prefer independent pharmacies, their doors are quickly closing. 

Patients and patient care should always come before profits. The riskier mail order service shouldn't be incentivized or forced.

Thank you for your support!

Loretta Boesing

Original Petition: https://www.change.org/p/attn-all-legistlatures-state-board-of-pharmacies-ban-mail-order-drug-mandates-from-all-health-insurance-plans-monitor

“Porch Pirates Steal Child's Life Saving Medicine.” ABC13 Houston, 22 Dec. 2017, abc13.com/porch-pirates-steal-childs-life-saving-medicine/2812221/.