CeilingReds pharmacy has done it to me again! We can't say that exact word that they did to me here in polite bloggery. And stop grunting like Horshack with his hand in the air waiting for Mr. Kotteeeeer to call on him. Yes, I DID SWITCH PHARMACIES. But you know that evil never dies. Donald Pleasence said that at the and of the original Halloween.
I went to refill my prescriptions at my brand-new pharmacy. They had called last week to get them transferred from CeilingReds. I took in my insurance cards. I have two insurances covering me, you know. Mine and Farmer H's. Both through our employers. You'd think one such as I would have hardly any need to pay for prescriptions, what with those hefty premiums paid on both of us. Especially when people waltz in there all willy-nilly, saying they don't have insurance, and pay one dollar. Not everybody, of course. But I'm sure you've seen it happen. I told the polite little gal that I would pick up my meds tomorrow.
As soon as I got home, the phone was ringing. She said they could not be filled until October 15. I don't know about you, but I am not in the habit of going two months without meds. I'm missing a thyroid, you know. So Little Gal said that CeilingReds said that they gave me a refill for 60 days in April, and another refill for 60 days in May. Seriously? Who does that? Any fool knows that you might as well get 90 if your're getting mass refills, because then you get a tiny sliver of discount. The insurance company is always calling, wanting me to take that 90-day mailorder option. I'm sure they do. Because then if my meds change, I'm stuck with what I already paid for, plus I have to buy something different.
Anyhoo...Little Gal called me about 8 times over the course of the afternoon. My last afternoon, I might add, before school starts on Thursday. I told her I had the receipts. She called back CeilingReds and asked for a fax of their records. Suddenly CeilingReds agreed that indeed, they had given me only 30 days worth during those two months. But not so fast. CORPORATE CeilingReds stood by their declaration that I had been given 60. That's why my insurance was refusing to refill. They said I had too many. Because somewhere down the line, they must have been BILLED for 60. Twice.
It's a freakin' racket, this CeilingReds conglomerate. The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing, and it's interfering with my health care.
Darn you, CeilingReds! Darn you all to heck! I wish I had taken my bestest teaching friend Mabel's advice when she switched her pharmacy at the advent of the CeilingReds takeover.
Woe is me.
After two hours of back-and-forth between my new pharmacy, CeilingReds, me, and my primary insurance company, Little Gal called to say that the override people at the insurance stood firm because CeilingReds refused to budge on the 60-days times 2 scenario. HOWEVER, since I am allowed a "vacation" type of override twice within a 180-day period, I can get the next two months filled by using that decree. "Hope you're not going on vacation!" said Little Gal. I appreciate her humor, and her effort. I am not enamored of the insurance company acting like they're doing me a favor.
I think CeilingReds is running a scam of massive proportions in their insurance billing tactics. Who would have known if I hadn't switched pharmacies? After all, CeilingReds declared they gave me 60 days in April, then turned right around and gave me 60 days AGAIN in May. Plus the regular 30-day amounts in June and July. Uh huh. Something's fishy in the CeilingReds aquarium.
There are scammers, there are darned scammers, and there is CeilingReds.
And there are high school graduates (barely) getting hired for a Third Party Administrator of your health care. Another whole business that does not know you, could care less, and is contracted out to do a job for your place(s) of employment even though they are in a totally different state. It is a gigantic business and it is a mess! I know because I worked at one. You really lucked out getting someone to work with you in the pharmacy. Not that hours on the phone is being lucky...
ReplyDeleteThe medical field is just another big business and it is going to get worse as the "boomers" need more of it.
We recently switched pharmacies, and the first time I went in there for a prescription, they said they had nothing for me--apparently my doctor had called in nothing. I went back in my car, got my print-out from the doctor stormed back in and spoke to a different pharmacist, who--magically--found my prescription.
ReplyDeleteAfter that experience, I almost needed a prescription for blood pressure medicine...or handcuffs.
knancy,
ReplyDeleteThat's why I switched pharmacies. I wanted someone to SOLVE my problems, not create them. We'll see how it goes. It's such a racket to have two insurances, and still pay through the nose for meds.
*****
Sioux,
Funny how they do that. At least the pharmacist on duty did not tell you, "Let's not get excited." I swear, these placed could train workers for the DMV.