A specialty medication is one that:

• Requires extra attention from your health care team
• May treat a rare, serious, or chronic condition
• May be expensive
• May be given orally or by injection

These complex and costly medications usually require special storage and handling and may not be readily available at your local pharmacy. Sometimes these medications have side effects that require monitoring by a trained pharmacist. UHealth Specialty Pharmacy focuses on providing these medications while offering excellent customer service and clinical support to you and your caregivers.

You can:

• Call us at (888) 442-8479 (toll free) or (305) 689-8479
• Email us at UHealthSP@Miami.edu
• Stop by the UHealth Specialty Pharmacy located in the UHealth Medley offices, 3rd floor and ask to speak to a specialty pharmacist
• Ask to speak to a specialty pharmacy employee during your next clinic visit

You can request a refill by calling (888) 442-8479 (toll free) or (305) 689-8479. You can request a refill at any time, but a five day advance notice will give us time to address any potential issues that may have arisen since the last time it was dispensed.

Your copay amount will vary based on your insurance plan. We will tell you this amount after we have processed your prescription.

Some patients qualify for financial assistance through drug companies or charities. We will investigate all options available, tell you about available options and enroll you in the program if you meet eligibility requirements.

Our staff works directly with your physician and insurance company to obtain coverage for your therapy. If it is denied, your provider will discuss other options with you.

Some drug companies offer assistance programs. If one is available, we will help you enroll in the program.

UHealth Specialty Pharmacy is able to provide patients with most specialty medications. If we do not have access to the drug because of limited distribution networks, we will transfer your prescription to a pharmacy that does have access and we will have the new pharmacy contact you.

UHealth Specialty Pharmacy is contracted with most insurance companies. Occasionally your insurance will require the use of another pharmacy. In these instances, we will transfer your prescription and have the new pharmacy contact you.

From time-to-time it is necessary to substitute generic drugs for brand-name drugs. This could occur because your insurance company prefers the generic be dispensed or to reduce your copay. If a substitution needs to be made, a member of the specialty pharmacy staff will contact you prior to shipping the medication to inform you of the substitution.

We will call you to:

• Confirm the initial status of your prescription and copay amount
• Set-up the initial dispense and refills

We may also call you to:

• Verify prescription insurance information
• Obtain documentation of your income to enroll you in a financial assistance program
• Counsel you on the medication, if that isn’t done during your clinic visit
• Tell you that the prescription must be transferred to another specialty pharmacy
• Notify you of any FDA recalls of your medication
• When should I contact your pharmacy?

You should call the UHealth Specialty Pharmacy if:

• Your address, telephone number or insurance information has changed
• You have any questions regarding the status of your prescription
• You have concerns regarding how to take your medication
• You would like additional information regarding your plan for therapy
• If you suspect an error in shipping or dispensing has occurred
• If you suspect your medication has been recalled by the FDA

You should also contact us with any other questions or concerns. Our staff is happy to assist you with your specialty pharmacy needs, including:

• Working with another specialty pharmacy to get your medications delivered
• Helping you get access to medications during an emergency or disaster
• Providing you with tools to manage your therapy, including educational materials and consumer advocacy support

In the event of a serious or life-threatening situation, you should immediately call 911 or have someone drive you to a local Emergency Room.

If you are experiencing adverse drug reactions or other non-emergency problems, you should contact the UHealth Specialty Pharmacy or your provider.

Most prescription medications cannot be returned to the pharmacy. Please call us and we can tell you if your medication can be returned and credited. Also, if you suspect your medication is defective, please call us and we will see if a new medication can be sent to you.