Re: Venting on perscription costs
From: Renee (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sun, 08 Jul 2001 20:11:51 -0700
You're right. Doctors are fed up with the hoops through, also. I am a
physical therapist, and have to go fill out authorization requests, justifying
why someone needs therapy. I am a wound care therapist, and have to explain
why someone with a huge hole in their leg, foot, or butt needs care, even if
we've been treating them for a while with good success.
Dealing with insurance regualations and restrictions is the biggest
frustration for students when they come out into the clinic for their
internships. They want to help people, are able to help people, and have to
convince someone else that they should. Someone who has no health training,
and has their approval rates examined for cost controls.
Renee
(venting from both sides: patient and provider)
Bronwyn De Forrest wrote:
>
> Hi Kari!
>
> I'm "the office" where I work, and our prescription co-pays went up too.
> According to the insurance companies, prescription costs are where the
> largest jumps in costs are occuring. Meanwhile, IF we got these exact same
> drugs overseas or in Canada....these same drugs that were manufactured in
> the USA....we'd be paying just a fraction of the cost. Now....it doesn't
> take a mathematician to figure out something's rotten......
>
> My latest battle with MY Insurer....American Community....is over a
> "Epi-pen". This is a pen shaped device that delivers an injection of
> epinephrine (spelling?) for life threatening allergic reactions....(mine is
> to insect stings like bees....I nearly died when I was 13).....Well,
> American Community is insisting on a "note from my doctor" to explain just
> WHY I need this drug! I thought a written prescription signed by the doctor
> was a "note from the doctor that this drug is needed"!!! Believe me....I'm
> really angry. I can imagine how these doctors feel at having to jump thru
> all these hoops for stupid little rules like this!!! The most frustrating
> thing is.....there's really no one to complain to about this outrage!!!! I
> will, however, try to contact my state's insurance commissioner and see if
> they feel this is rediculous too. It's not like this drug is something I
> could really sell on the street, like barbituates or something....ARGH!
>
> Needless to say, we're currently in the search for new coverage........and I
> absolutely HATE insurance companies. I do, however, always make sure to
> warn the person on the receiving end of my upset phone calls that I am NOT
> angry with them, personally, but at the SYSTEM.......they're only the low
> guy on the totem pole anyway.
>
> Done venting for now......thanks for listening!
>
> Hugs,
>
> Shelley spryte@dnsonline.net
>> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Kari <kari95125@earthlink.net>
> To: Multiple recipients of list PCOS-MEDICATION
> <pcos-medication@mail.medispecialty.com>
> Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2001 7:24 PM
> Subject: Venting on perscription costs
>
> > I've always had pretty good insurance but the past few months i've gotten
> so
> > perturbed. It's impossible to predict what i'll be charged with my Blue
> > Cross California Care. I've heard nothing, gotten nothing in months from
> the
> > insurer as to perscription prices, so I feel like I'm being ambushed at
> > their whim. First the copay was $10, then 15, then 20. In April I was
> > charged $50 for one Rx and the pharmacy said that a new deductible for
> name
> > brand drugs had been instituted. Then in May and June I just paid the
> > copay. Today I went to pick up Avandia and Wellbutrin - two meds without
> a
> > viable generic substitute from what i've been told - at a cost of $170.00
> > for 30 days worth! (A higher deductible went into effect in July they
> say.)
> > We are obviously paying for all the TV advertisements these companies are
> > running. Perscription drugs should not be advertised in my opinion,
> > regardless of how it affects costs. I was almost in tears, it's not like
> I
> > want to take them, I need to take them.
> >
> > Anyone know what's up with BC CaCare's Rx benefits? They've certainly not
> > been informative. Any other alternatives?
> >
>
--
Renee Cordrey, MSPT, MPH, CWS
---
Don't follow in the footsteps of the masters. Seek what they sought.
--Zen saying
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