i'm about to flip a damn table

[fizzgig]

Last edited Wed Jan 16, 2013, 01:28 AM - Edit history (1)

went to pick up my abilify on saturday and i nearly shit a brick when they told me it was $150 for the seven damn pills. called the insurance company but could only reach claims, who told me a) i haven't met my deductible and b) it shows i've been paying $80 for the abilify copay rather than the 25 i've been paying the last few months.

i don't know whose fuck up this is, but i do know that all the lines for united health care are down, that today will be my second missed dose and that i sure as shit don't have 150 bucks for my pills.

i called my doc to let him know about the involuntary cessation of the med and they said they'd call the insurance company in case it needs a pre-authorization for some reason.

if worse comes to worse, i'll see if the county rx assistance program can help me.

edit: the pharmacy ran it through their discount program and came up with a $125 coupon from the manufacturer. turns out they'd been doing it the whole time and just didn't this time.

[get the red out]

1. Samples?

Does your Dr have any samples to get you through until this gets straightened out?

[fizzgig]

2. hoping so

everyone is at lunch right now, i'm going to call them back later this afternoon.

[Denninmi]

3. Aren't doctors offices, insurance, and pharmacies.

Last edited Mon Jan 14, 2013, 03:59 PM - Edit history (2)

Enough to cause a mental health crisis in any of us.

[fizzgig]

4. uhc phone lines are still down

just talked to my doc's office again, they're going to see if they are able to get through and find out exactly what's going on.

[Denninmi]

5. Hope they can.

Insurance co's are a big part of the problem with healthcare.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Is there an older generic drug that will handle the same problem????

Oh, and speaking of fuckups....don't know if it applies to your doc's office, but my doc's clinic went on computer billings and scripts
last month, the office woman I talked to clearly did not understand why they did it, and barely knew enough about it to converse.
All I know is office visits doubled in price and the doc sent my script to Wal-Greens, where I never ever go for scripts.
THEN they sent Mr. Dixie's bill to Medicare.
'Cept he does not have Medicare for outpatient.
Entire system is fubar, apparently.

[Denninmi]

8. FUBAR

Lol, I learned that term in the day hospital.

[fizzgig]

10. i'm hoping there's an alternative

i'm heading to the doc shortly.

never got through to the insurance company yesterday, will try again today. it's absurd how difficult and screwed up this whole system is.

[dixiegrrrrl]

15. Try to get the same phone # as your dr. uses to call insur.

they have different numbers, and often are more responsive to "official" calls.
I know, because one of my jobs was calling to certify treatment for patients.

Also, FWIW, so far I have not had any difficulty getting thru to Medicare office concerning my own billings.

[fizzgig]

16. took an hour on the phone, but i got it sorted out

the pharmacy just didn't run the script through their discount program like they had in the past.

[Denninmi]

7. So, what happened?

Any luck?

[fizzgig]

9. have an appointment with my doc in 45 minutes

they didn't have any samples, i'm going to ask if there are any cheaper alternatives.

[Denninmi]

11. Well, how screwed up is all of that?

Sorry you are being given the runaround there, Fizzgig. Keep us posted.

[fizzgig]

12. i finally got it all sorted out

the pharmacy didn't run the script through their discount program, which dropped it down to $25. thank the gods.

[Denninmi]

13. So you got it, and for $25?

Great. Glad they figured it out finally.

[fizzgig]

14. i'm so relieved

talked to my doc this morning and there's really no alternatives to the abilify. we talked about trying to get them from an online pharmacy, but the ones i priced were just as expensive.

[Downwinder]

17. abilify Prescription assistance

BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB PATIENT ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION, INC.
ABILIFY PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

www.pparx.org/.../2007-05-14.BristolMyers_Squibb_Company.Brist...

Anyway, Google "abilify prescription assistance application"

[mopinko]

18. sorry to hear about this whole mess fizz

glad they got it sorted out. i go to the little pharmacy in my grocery store, and they are such nice guys. between hubby, who take 2 dailies, me taking 3-4 dailies, kiddos with many many over the years, they are very to us. when something is fubar, usually they will give us a couple to get by until it is straight. even pretty expensive ones. this might have stretched it, but probably still would have.
people shouldn't get cut off this kind of drug cold turkey. it never hurts to ask if you can get 1 or 2 to get by.

[fizzgig]

19. thanks, mo

i didn't even think about asking if i could get one to get me through while i got things sorted out.

i was concerned about going off cold turkey. i did that with effexor several and that was a horrible and miserable experience. it was prescribed by my pa and i thought her nurse was going to slap the shit out of me when i told them.

[hunter]

20. I know what it's like to quit Effexor cold turkey.

That's on my list of things I'd have rather not done. It's right up there with exiting a moving car, or rock climbing and falling alone.

[mopinko]

21. yeah, always talk to your pharmacist.

i could get my meds cheaper by mail, but i really value this relationship i have with these guys.