Ok - I just have to type this out to get it out of my system - and stop having an upset stomach ...
As many of you know, I suffer from migraines. Anyone who has experienced migraines knows that "suffer" is the operative term. After literally years of medical evaluation, treatment, and pain control/alleviation programs, I finally found the one perfect medication for me - it knocks out an oncoming migraine in 20 minutes with tolerable side effects. For me - nirvana (of sorts).
Well, last year one of the hundreds of currently available migration medications became available in a (cheaper) generic form. My health insurance company insisted I switch to it or else they wouldn't cover migraine med costs anymore. So I switched to it (I had tried it in the past - it didn't work) - and again proved it didn't work, and had my doctor file a medical exemption form with the insurance company, and, after several months of agony, got to take my proper med again.
Well, this year,
1. The insurance company first decided that rather than allowing me to have a month's supply of pills for a single copay, I had to instead get a weekly supply, one at a time, each time for the full copay. So, instead of paying $60/month for my pills, I was now paying $240/month for the same number of pills.
2. Then, the insurance company sent me a notice that the med I was taking, which is in my medical record as the ONLY effective treatement for me, would no longer be covered ... period. I could continue taking the pills, but I would be responsible for their full cost ($40/pill).
I appealed, and was sent a letter stating that I could continue receiving coverage for this med if I switched to mail order delivery of the pills, rather than picking them up at the local drug store. The same pills ... the same quantities. Made no sense but I filled out all the forms, and had my doctor's office fax in a new prescription.
And waited ....
And waited ....
And waited ....
I then called my doctor's office, who had indeed faxed in all the paperwork ... which the insurance company denied receiving.
The insurance company had to send ME new paperwork to fax to my doctor's office for them to re-send back to the insurance company.
And I waited ...
And I waited ...
And I waited ...
And called my doctor's office - who had sent in all the requested paperwork. And then called the insurance company, which is now denying they ever ordered me to sign up for mail order delivery ... despite the fact I have saved all the correspondence. Who is now "investigating" the situation ...
while
I wait ...
and wait ...
and wait ....
In the meantime, all I can do when I am stricken with a migraine is to take my prescription Vicodin .... which makes me unable to drive or go to work.
And this is perfectly legal for the insurance company to pull.
All I can think of to do is to fill my narcotic prescriptions (which ARE covered by the insurance company), sell them on the street, and use the money to buy the migraine meds.
[if you are still reading at this point,
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