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Point-of-Service Plan

Pharmacy

Pharmacy coverage is part of your POS plan. Where you choose to have your outpatient prescription drugs filled will determine how much you pay for your medicines. You have two pharmacy options: Kaiser Permanente Pharmacies or through MedImpact Pharmacies.

Prescriptions through Kaiser Permanente pharmacies.

You can fill prescriptions (including those written by participating and non-participating providers) at a Kaiser Permanente pharmacy. You will always pay the lowest out-of-pocket costs at Kaiser Permanente pharmacies. Choose how to fill your prescriptions:

  • At a Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy. Most Kaiser Permanente facilities have pharmacies. Kaiser Permanente doctors can send most prescriptions electronically to the pharmacy—or you can present your prescription with your ID card.
  • Online. Register at kp.org/register to order most refills online and have the medicine mailed to you.
  • Through the Refill phone line. Call us at 1-800-611-1811 (TTY 711), 24 hours a day, and have the medicine mailed to you or available for pick up at any medical office.*

To choose the Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy where you’d like to pick up your prescription, visit kp.org/facilities.

Find out what drugs are covered.

* A program operated or arranged by health plan that distributes prescription drugs to members via mail. Some medications are not eligible for the Mail Service Delivery Program. These may include, but are not limited to, drugs that are time or temperature sensitive, drugs that cannot legally be sent by U.S. mail, and drugs that require professional administration or observation.

Prescriptions through MedImpact pharmacies.

  • You can fill prescriptions (written by any licensed provider) at MedImpact pharmacies.
  • Kaiser Permanente Insurance Company contracts with MedImpact to fill your outpatient prescription drugs at retail pharmacies across the country.
  • You can use any of the retail pharmacies nationwide in the MedImpact participating pharmacy network.

You can fill prescriptions at over 60,000 participating MedImpact pharmacies. Here’s a partial list: Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, Ralphs, Safeway, and Costco, plus hundreds of independent pharmacies nationwide.

Not all locations in a chain participate; some are independently contracted. To check on a specific pharmacy or for more information, call MedImpact Customer Service at 1-800-788-2949 (TTY 711) at any time or check the POS Pharmacy Locator Tool.

Prior Authorization of Outpatient Prescription Drugs (for certain drugs, step therapies, age, and quantity limits for MedImpact Pharmacies):

Members will need to get prior authorization for certain outpatient prescription drugs. We’ve partnered with MedImpact to help ensure that outpatient prescription drugs ordered by your doctor are medically necessary, cost-effective, and the most appropriate treatment for your condition. MedImpact will facilitate the prior authorization process with the physician. MedImpact can be reached at 1-800-788-2949 (TTY 711), Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific time.

Find out what drugs are covered.

To find out if your prescription medications are on the Plan drug formulary, click the link below that applies to your coverage.

To determine which formulary applies to your plan, refer to your Certificate of Insurance (COI) or call Customer Service for assistance at 1-800-788-0710 (TTY 711), Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Pacific time.

Formulary with Specialty Drug Tier – MedImpact Pharmacy (Non-grandfathered)

Standard Formulary – MedImpact Pharmacy (Grandfathered)

Click the MedImpact Prescription Drug Claim Form and submit the MedImpact Pharmacy Claim form to the Pharmacy Claims Address below:

MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc.
PO Box 509098
San Diego, CA 92150-9098

For more information, refer to your Certificate of Insurance (COI) or call Customer Service for assistance at 1-800-788-0710 (TTY 711), Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Pacific time.

Expected pharmacy review turnaround times for prescriptions that require prior authorization:

Urgent Requests: 24 hours
Standard Requests: 48 hours

What if my pharmacy claim was denied?

If we have denied coverage for certain prescription drugs, in whole or in part, then you may request that we review this decision, also referred to as an “adverse benefit determination.” You, or a representative whom you formally appoint in writing, have the right to appeal our decision by asking that we review it.  To appeal the decision, please send your request for review in writing, to:

KPIC Pharmacy Administrator
Grievance & Appeals Coordinator  
10181 Scripps Gateway Court 
San Diego, CA 92131
(800) 788-2949

Or you can fax the letter to (858) 790-6060, Attn: KPIC Pharmacy Administrator Grievance and Appeals Coordinator.

In your request, please include:

(1) your name and, your medical record number
(2) your medical condition or symptom
(3) the specific prescription drug or supply that you are requesting, and
(4) the specific reason(s) for your request that we review our initial decision.

We must receive your request within 180 days of your receiving the notice of our adverse benefit determination.  Please note that we will count the 180 days starting 5 business days from the date of the notice to allow for mail delivery time, unless you can prove that you received the notice after that 5 business day period.

A decision about your appeal will be made within 30 days of receipt of your request for review at each level unless we inform you otherwise in advance.

If you disagree with our decision on your first level appeal, your first level appeal adverse decision notice will tell you how to submit a second level appeal.

Appointment of a Representative

If you would like to have someone act on your behalf during our review, you may appoint an authorized representative.  You must make this appointment in writing.  Please send the name, address and telephone contact information to KPIC Pharmacy Administrator Grievance and Appeals Coordinator at the address set forth above.

If you want to review the information that we have collected regarding your claim for this service, you may request, and we will provide without charge, copies of all relevant documents, records, and other information.

You may send us additional information including comments, documents, or additional medical records which you believe supports your claim.  If we had asked for additional information before and you did not provide it, we would still like to have that additional information for our review.  Please send all your additional information to:

KPIC Pharmacy Administrator
Grievance & Appeals Coordinator
10181 Scripps Gateway Court 
San Diego, CA 92131
(800) 788-2949

Or you can fax the letter to (858) 790-6060 Attn: KPIC Pharmacy Administrator Grievance and Appeals Coordinator

In addition, you may give testimony in writing or by telephone.  Please send your written testimony to KPIC Pharmacy Administrator Grievance and Appeals Coordinator at the address set forth above.  To arrange to give testimony by telephone, you should contact KPIC Pharmacy Administrator Grievance & Appeals Coordinator at the telephone number above. We will add all of the new information to your claim file and we will review it without regard to whether this information was submitted and/or considered in our initial decision.

We will share any additional information that we collect in the course of our review by sending it to you in advance of our decision.   If we believe on review that your request should not be granted, before we issue our final decision, we will also share with you in writing any new or additional reasons for that decision.  We will send you a letter explaining the new or additional information and/or reasons.  Our notices will tell you how you can respond to the information provided if you choose to do so.  If you do not respond before we must make our final decision, that decision will be based on the information already in your claim file.

Should you have any questions regarding your appeal rights, please contact KPIC Pharmacy Administrator Grievance and Appeals Coordinator at (800) 788-2949.

How to save money on prescriptions.

  • You can fill prescriptions you get from Participating and Non-Participating providers at a Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy, where you’ll usually pay the lowest copay.
  • Just bring your prescription and your blue ID card to a Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy. To find a Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy near you, visit kp.org. If you are registered at kp.org, you’ll be able to order refills online or by phone and have them delivered, with no cost for postage (applies to most drugs).
  • If you present a prescription for a drug that is not on the Kaiser Permanente formulary, the Kaiser Permanente pharmacist will likely check with the prescribing physician to determine if a therapeutic equivalent from the Kaiser Permanente formulary can be substituted.
  • Information will become part of your Kaiser Permanente medical record, for better coordinated care.