Jump To:
Our Editorial Review
Customer Reviews
PillPack
Summary
PillPack is a full-service pharmacy that claims to sort your medication by date and time and deliver them directly to your door. There are some strengths but also some drawbacks pertaining to customer service.
PillPack Review - Is This Online Pharmacy Worth It?
By Anthony Dugarte, M.D., C.S.C.S
Updated on: Mar 25, 2020
| Table of Contents |
|---|
What is PillPack?
PillPack from Amazon is an online pharmacy that works with your doctors to coordinate the delivery of your prescription medications straight to your door.
Nearly half of our population uses prescription medications. Filling your prescription often includes multiple phone calls, missed school or work, doctor appointments, and trips to the pharmacy.
Can you imagine a world where you can avoid much of the extra work getting your medications often entails? PillPack can.
Their methods are pretty straight-forward:
- They coordinate with your doctors and insurance providers to obtain your prescriptions.
- For your convenience, they organize your pills by the date and time you must take them.
- Lastly, they deliver your pills to your door.
The idea is that PillPack does the heavy lifting so you can get back to your life.
In this article, we’ll review how to sign up, the services, and the cost to help you determine if PillPack is what you need to manage your prescription medications.
Getting Started With PillPack
PillPack seems to make signing-up simple.
Getting started is accomplished in a few easy steps - here’s what you’ll need:
- Your medication list
- Your doctors’ contact information
- Your insurance provider contact information
- Your payment method
That’s really it. Pretty painless, right? After you provide this info, simply sit back and relax while PillPack gets to work.
In the first 2-weeks after you sign-up, PillPack works as the facilitator between your doctors and an insurance company. Once these details are ironed out, they schedule your first shipment.
PillPack’s Services
While PillPack’s methods are relatively easy to understand, there’s actually much more going on behind the scenes.
Here, you can read about the steps PillPack takes to ensure your satisfaction.
Packaging
Whereas traditional pharmacies were designed to dispense single medications, nearly a quarter of those taking prescription drugs use 3 or more.
For those that fall into this category, managing their medications can be challenging and potentially dangerous.
PillPack limits your risk by delivering your medications organized by the day and time you are directed to take them. A pharmacist checks every single packet for accuracy and reviews your medication list to ensure there are no dangerous drug interactions.
In addition to your prescription medications, dietary supplements, and over the counter medications are also available through PillPack.
Delivery
PillPack coordinates shipping based on your prescriptions and doctors’ instructions. Though you may have 90-day refills, your medications are filled on a 30-day cycle.
Refills are automated and will arrive before you run out.
Support
PillPack support is available, both day and night, through various means of communication. You can call 855-745-5725, email hello@pillpack.co, or reach out through the app.
Also, there is always a 2-way line of communication with PillPack. Each month, they send you a detailed list of your prescriptions that includes images of each pill and dosing instructions.
What Do These Services Cost?
So far, it may seem like all this is too good to be true. As we haven't discussed the cost yet, the catch must be pricey shipping charges or hidden fees, right?
According to PillPack’s website, there is no catch. Both their services and shipping costs are always free. Also, they work with most insurance plans - call support to check your coverage.
Thus, your responsibilities include only insurance copays and any out-of-pocket expenses that your insurance doesn’t cover.
If you opt to include any vitamins or over the counter medications with your prescriptions, simply pay market prices - no up-charges or convenience fees.
Payment options are flexible; you can edit account information from any device at your convenience.
You can choose to use a debit or credit card, pay directly from a bank account, or cover the cost with a health savings account.
PillPack also allows you to select a billing date or simply pay when your medications are delivered.
Are There Any Alternatives?
While online pharmacies do seem to be a relatively new phenomenon, PillPack does have a few competitors.
Some well-known retailers are cashing-in on this model by adding delivery options to their pharmacy services.
CVS is one example. You now have the option to log in online or through their mobile app to manage prescriptions, schedule delivery, and also add any other items available from their store to your order.
Most locations offer 1-2 day delivery, though some accommodate same day service as well. They limit delivery to medications that are not considered controlled substances and those that do not require refrigeration.
While delivery charges can vary by location, your insurance may cover these fees.
CVS may not be able to ship some medications, and you are likely to incur shipping costs, but being able to add other necessities available in their stores is convenient.
The Bottom Line
While PillPack seems to offer a great deal of convenience, users do not seem to find value in their services.
At HighYA, 81 users rated PillPack 2 out of 5-stars on average. Over 65% of users assigned a 1-star rating.
These negative reviews seem to revolve around poor customer services, misinformation provided to doctors, mistakes made in prescription packaging, and delivery issues.
It is challenging to recommend this company when users seem to consistently report issues with the pillars of PillPack’s services.
While the upside is the convenience PillPack claims to offer, the downside appears to be more hassle than it takes to fill prescriptions in the first place.
If you’re looking for a delivery service, going with an established company like CVS may be a better option until it is clear that PillPack has made a concerted effort to address the complaints of its users.
Customer Reviews
Posted on Feb 1, 2017
Customer service wait times are horrific. They don't get prescriptions right.
I thought this sounded like a great option for my mom, so I signed her up. What a mistake.
They are trying to get refills from doctors on medications my mom doesn't take any longer. I have told them multiple times what her current prescriptions are and they just can't seem to get it right. Her meds still aren't showing up on PillPack's website in her medications. Every time I call or try to do an online chat, the wait times are more than ten minutes.
Their people are nice, but the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. The idea is great, but they're not ready to take care of customers yet. They just don't have enough staff, and they need a better communications system between departments. I think I'll switch back to Optum. It is much easier to deal with.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Helpful Review?
24 People Have Voted
Posted on Mar 12, 2017
Do not use, or run the risk of not receiving your meds!
PillPack is Horrible!
I used to be good, but every time I have a medication change, it's like I have to go through hoops to make sure it gets done. The hold times are terrible. And finally, I canceled my account but they are holding my scripts hostage! I am on life-saving meds, which are due to run out, therefore I will now have to waste money and go see my doctor since the PillPack will not do the right thing.
I am so disappointed. They also tried to charge my card the cash price for a medication since they did not get the prior authorization!
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Helpful Review?
32 People Have Voted
Posted on May 1, 2017
Waste of time
I went through a fifteen-minute phone conversation process just to learn that my insurance doesn't work with them. Unacceptable.
PillPack should check insurance first instead of wasting people's time.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Helpful Review?
22 People Have Voted
Posted on Jun 14, 2017
Horrible experience
Huge frustration with their constant errors that resulted in my not having medications when needed. And just an overall terrible experience with their lack of diligence, an app/website that does not reflect current information for accounts (missing medicines, wrong shipment information, etc), and despite the promises of a more seamless experience, I find it much easier to deal with my local pharmacy than to deal with these chuckleheads. Too bad, because there is a lot of promise to the concept. Unfortunately, the execution is just atrocious.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Helpful Review?
30 People Have Voted
Posted on Nov 5, 2017
Constant errors
Every year PillPack has made errors with the dose, or left out medications altogether.
Today they sent me a text that I need to call my internist about a refill, but they didn't say what medication. I called customer service, and the young lady didn't know anything and couldn't pronounce the name of the medication. I spoke to the pharmacist who told me that the medicine in the text was not the correct one and that I needed a refill from the cardiologist for a different medication . Then she said she found the refill. This was for a heart medicine that I cannot live without. I told her that I'm sure I'm not the only one this happened to, but thousands of people could be missing their lifesaving medications.
This has happened many times. I am tired of this and am looking for another company. And I may report tins to the licensing board of New Jersey or bring it to the news media.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Helpful Review?
19 People Have Voted
Posted on Nov 14, 2017
No re-fill
They said they were going to ship my medications and didn’t do it. I called them and they said they would overnight them, but I never got them. I guess my blood pressure and other meds that I need aren’t that important to them.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Helpful Review?
20 People Have Voted
Posted on Nov 15, 2017
A bunch of idiots
They cannot follow simple instructions. Doesn’t ship new medication but waits until next delivery. Sends WRONG medication. Won’t simply think about how a patient takes their meds. Why would I want to take two packs at 6 am when you could move the vitamin to noon! Horrible customer service. Going back to pharmacy. Don’t waste your time or money.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Helpful Review?
19 People Have Voted
Posted on Nov 22, 2017
Horrible service
I have issues with this pharmacy almost every single month. When I was on chemotherapy, they told me 4 separate times that my medication would arrive on time and it never did. I had to go without my medication for a week and fight just to get my medication. Then when I stopped taking the chemotherapy, they wouldn’t stop shipping my medication after asking them multiple times.
They’re always shipping out my PillPacks without medications because they fail to refill my prescriptions with my doctor, or they add too many medications causing me to throw away perfectly fine pills.
Every single month something happens. Wheather it be issues like them accidentally putting my medications in 4 separate PillPacks a day, or issues like them leaving out medications I need to stay healthy. I’m constantly having to fight between them and my doctor’s office, and it’s exhausting.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Helpful Review?
26 People Have Voted
Posted on Dec 9, 2017
If there were fewer stars they would deserve it
This pharmacy is dangerous. Do not use them! This was the most horrific experience I have ever had. To the point that I had to use expired medication since it was more than a month to get them to even promise to mail the package (I was told that it had already been mailed several times), at which time it was easier to go to my local pharmacy.
I have probably 15 emails back and forth. During the calls that I did receive, I never talked to the same person twice, even after being told that they would take personal care and follow my order themselves. I had to repeat myself over and over. When I tried to call I was never on hold less than 45 minutes. Please, please beware. DO NOT use these people!
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Helpful Review?
25 People Have Voted
Posted on Dec 20, 2017
The. Worst. Pharmacy. Ever.
I’ve lost track of the number of times these clowns have failed to get refills or notify me of a problem with a refill. They routinely ship packages that do not have full and complete medications.
Their “customer service” is entirely made up of “we’re sorry,” and “that shouldn’t happen.” Nothing but words, no improvement after multiple issues.
Worst. Pharmacy. Ever.
Avoid.
I have switched to CVS who offers a similar service.
P.S. I am certain that someone from PillPack will post the usual “we’re sorry” and “this is not the service that we mean to deliver.” Don't be fooled. Like others here, I have been told that the doctors don’t return calls and faxes. Like others, I have spoken with close to a dozen “supervisors” and “managers.” It’s all a shell game and a joke. Nothing ever gets better. They are NOT sorry, and this IS the level of service you should expect. Don’t be fooled. Take these 1-star ratings to heart.
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Helpful Review?
33 People Have Voted
Posted on Jan 19, 2018
Beware before you try!
I tried them out, and they screwed up everything the first month. They promised it would not happen again, but they did again the second month. Then halfway through the third, they tell me they don't take my insurance anymore and I can pay cash for them and they will gladly continue serving me!
This was a horrible inconvenience. I would not recommend them to anyone! The biggest waste of time and energy switching everything to them, then getting treated like crap, only to just have to switch back!
Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Helpful Review?
29 People Have Voted
Our Promise to You
In order to safeguard you and ensure helpfulness and relevance, our compliance team manually assess every customer review before it goes live.
We have a zero-tolerance policy for fake reviews, and companies cannot control or alter any reviews at any time.
You May Also Be Interested In:
Lemonaid Health Review: Is It Right for You?
Lemonaid Health is a telemedicine company that provides online access to board-certified doctors who can diagnose and write prescriptions for common medications. Learn how customers are rating this service.
PlushCare Review: Details, Fees, Pros and Cons
PlushCare is a telemedicine company that provides you with online doctor visits intended to treat many common conditions, excluding medical emergencies. This review examines the details of how this company works.