Prescription Drug Benefit

The HUGHP prescription drug benefit is administered by Medco, the nation’s leading pharmacy benefit manager. Simply show your Medco prescription drug ID card at a participating pharmacy and you'll pay a copayment amount based on the tier to which your prescription drug is assigned.

Tier 1: Most Generic Drugs $5
Tier 2: Preferred Brand-Name Drugs $15
Tier 3: Non-Preferred Brand-Name Drugs $40


Tiers for selected drugs are determined by a Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, which consists of doctors, pharmacists, and other health care professionals. 

What Your Prescription Drug Copayment Amount Covers

A copayment is a set price you pay the pharmacy for up to a 30-day supply of your prescription drug. You pay the copayment amount even if your physician prescribes less than a 30-day supply of your medication. 

Your Medco Prescription Drug ID Card
You will receive both a Medco prescription drug ID card and a HUGHP/Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) ID card.  When you fill a prescription, show your pharmacist your Medco prescription drug ID card (not your HUGHP/BCBS ID card).

How to Fill Your Prescriptions

Filling prescriptions for up to 30 days

  • You can fill your prescriptions at any participating Medco pharmacy in the United States. Visit the Medco website for a list of over 50,000 retail pharmacies.
  • If your prescription is written by a Harvard University Health Services (HUHS) clinician you may fill it at the HUHS Pharmacy located in the Holyoke Center Arcade in Harvard Square (617-496-6661).
  • If your prescription is written by a Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates  (HVMA) clinician you may fill it at any HVMA Pharmacy.

Filling prescriptions for up to 90 days

You can fill 31- to 90-day prescriptions:

  • in person at the HUHS Pharmacy for prescriptions written by an HUHS clinician; 
  • in person at any HVMA Pharmacy for prescriptions written by an HVMA clinician; or
  • via Medco mail order. For more information about the mail order option visit the Medco website or contact Medco Customer Service at 1-800-792-9503.

Discounted copayments for 90-day prescriptions

When filling 90-day prescriptions at HUHS or via Medco mail order, members will receive a savings compared to three 30-day prescription copayments.  Under either the HUHS or Medco mail order option, a discounted copayment of $10/$35/$100 (for tiers 1, 2, and 3, respectively) will apply.  No discount applies to 90-day prescriptions obtained through Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates; member will pay three copayments for each 90-day HVMA fill.