Pharmacy Benefits for Busy Military Families
August 08, 2023This content was made possible through the generosity of Express Scripts®. The opinions expressed below are the views of the author, Erin Kahn.
Whether it’s for myself or a family member, waiting to pick up a prescription can be difficult and time-consuming. When my kids were younger, I had to make the impossible choice to either bring three toddlers with me to the pharmacy (spoiler alert – it never ended well no matter how many snacks/activities/toys/bribes I offered) or use the precious time and money I had to book a babysitter.
Now that my kids are older, I find myself taking PTO or trying to juggle a laptop and a hotspot in the waiting area while listening for my number to be called.
Fortunately, TRICARE has options available to help make this process less daunting for military families.
Express Scripts
In addition to the time savings, the Express Scripts® Pharmacy mobile app provides beneficiaries with several other benefits. You can request a refill and Express Scripts will work with your doctor to submit your prescription electronically. You won’t have to worry if you’ll be able to pick up your prescription before it runs out because you can schedule your next refill, too! You can also update your address in the app, allowing you to receive your medications during Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves, personal travel, or even on deployment.
The Express Scripts® Pharmacy Mobile app also allows you to price a medication and find a network pharmacy nearby. Learn more here.
Q-Anywhere
Need to pick up a new or renewal prescription today? Q-Anywhere is a new pilot program being rolled out at Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) across the country. Simply have your provider submit an electronic prescription to your nearest military pharmacy and you’ll be able to use the Q-Anywhere program to virtually get in line from wherever you are. Participants can scan a QR code or text “Get in line” to their main pharmacy number and follow the prompts. Most MTFs will also send you a text message when your prescription is ready for pick up – saving you time spent in the pharmacy waiting area.
Learn more about Q-Anywhere here.
Military families are busy, and our time is precious. Fortunately, TRICARE recognizes the need to support military families by ensuring that they are continually finding ways to modernize their service delivery model and improve the patient experience. Thanks to the support of partners like Express Scripts, military families can access their pharmacy benefits in the way that works best for their household needs.
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