Oooh, you guys! I have another lame-ass health-care story! Check this out:Last week, I called my GYN's office to get him to switch my birth control. As I may have lamented previously, my NuvaRing Rx had gone up to $50/month under my Aetna health insurance. So, okay, fine, I thought. I'll just have him switch me to a pill, and that'll be cheaper. Insurance companies always seem to charge alot for NuvaRing (probably because it is easy and convenient for women).
First of all, I had to wait 48 hours for someone from my GYN's office to call me back. By this time, I had already refilled the NuvaRing and shelled out the $50, because it was obvious this would not be the quick & easy switch I'd hoped for. Secondly, the nurse I ended up talking to was giving me attitude over the phone. She's all, "Well, what do you want to be switched to, exactly?" and I said, "Just something other than NuvaRing, which is really expensive under my insurance." Her reply: "It's not OUR job to know what your healthcare does and does not cover." (Did I say it was? No.) I say, that's fine, just call in an Rx for a pill. "What pill? I don't know what pill to give you." (For crying out loud! Do I need to go down there and do her freakin' job for her?!) I politely say, "Whatever pill has a dosage comparable to NuvaRing will be fine" (thinking, naively, that any standard birth-control pill will have a comparable generic). She agrees to call something in to my pharmacy.
Alrighty. Half an hour later, my pharmacy peep Teresa calls (I'm the Walgreens mayor on Foursquare, so Teresa *tewtally* knows me, LOLz), and says, "Your GYN's office just called in a $50 birth-control Rx for you. Do you want that?!" BWAHHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAH! I love it. They managed to find the one pill for which there is no generic. I thank Teresa for calling and let her know that I do not want the $50/month BC pills.
Welp, you bet your sweet bippy I'm not dealing with the office girls anymore. I'm gonna go down there and talk to the doc himself, tell him exactly what I need, and get him to write it out for me then and there.
But srsly. This should NOT be this hard, people. And there is no need to talk to me like I'm an idiot.
::sigh::
Furthermore: Why on EARTH, under ANY health plan, is birth control for women $50/month?! Do they WANT this 45-year-old woman to get knocked up so they can pay for THAT instead?!?! ARRRRRGGGGHH!!!
/ rant
12 comments:
Pharmacy should have some idea what your plan will cover and what would be comparable to NuvaRing shouldn't they?
Maybe you could find out from Walgreens then you can call up that b*+ch in the office and tell her what to call in!
Okay, MY doctors (not Gyno, but whatevs) KNOWS the price of drugs on each tier, and we discuss prior to his mad pad scribble. Seriously, they probably look at where the kickbacks are highest and scribble that out. Just hack your tubes. I'll do it. I'm loaded with medical experience.
Of course nurse cannot choose a prescr. med for you, she's not a doc. But she shoulda just said she'd ask the doc and let you know. If people don't know the answer, they should say so instead of blaming *you* because *they* don't know.
What a load of drek. When I got laid off from the big Y!, I went down to Planned Parenthood and got a YEAR supply of birth control pills, for free. No job, no insurance, and I sure as hell wasn't about to have another baby at that time. Might be something to look into. Just sayin'.
I am diggin' the Planned Parenthood idea. I love them.
Talking to Walgreens also would work.
But srsly, man! Why is something so SIMPLE made so DIFFICULT?!
Your doc really should know the treatment you've been given by his minion. That ain't right.
While I wouldn't expect the person on the phone to know the comparable RX, she definitely should be able to ask the Dr. such a simple question. How hard is it to say "I'll check with the Dr and phone you back". Also, if your health insurance has a decent online formulary catalogue, it should suggest drugs in the less expensive tiers so you can say to your doctor (using my own example): Allegra is a full price drug on my insurance, can I have fexofenadine instead?
Oh and Planned Parenthood is also a great option! When I didn't have health insurance, I went there for my Pap and b/c (I can't take the pill so I got a cervical cap for free!)
They are totally awesomesauce!!
first, that rn was a bitch. and yeah most MD offices know about the generics because MOST pts are on HMOs and we also know who may benefit from free samples and that was all in STL so i don't buy the shit the chick said...
definitely tell the MD, also make it clear about your health insurance co-pays and how you can't afford certain tiers.
should be easy. this pisses me off...
The nurses and doctors totally know what has a generic equivalent and what is more expensive. What a bitch!
Ugh. :( Your best bet is definitely to talk to your doctor. Some medications offer discount cards. If you like NuvaRing, you should check into it. $50 is a high co-pay. You could ask your doctor for samples or check into Planned Parenthood.
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