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Friday, February 3, 2023

Guess what?

I made it through the gauntlet of red tape! It was a crazy journey, but my Hep C meds are scheduled to arrive Feb 7 (Tues). Here's today's drama. (Feel free to skip.) 


I had been waiting patiently for insurance approval, since my Hep C guardian angel had told me it might take up to two weeks, and it hadn't been two weeks yet, when my husband got a nonhuman generated phone call saying his meds had been approved. He doesn't understand on the phone well, so he called me to his phone. I got on just to hear the recording hang up. Since he didn't have any meds pending approval, we assumed it had to be mine. I had given them my cell phone number specifically, but our accounts are surely joined in some way, such as insurance policy, credit card number, or whatever. 


So I was fired up and called the Specialty Pharmacy. Went through recordings and finally got a human who checked and told me there were no recent prescriptions in my account. He transferred me to someone else, who after long waits, eventually told me there was a hold on it until they could reach my doctor. She assured me they were trying. So while I was on hold with her, she called my doctor's office. After nearly 30 minutes of being on hold, we got cut off. 


So I called back, eventually got a different human, and went through it all again, answering all the same questions again. But I was dogged. What were my options? Ultimately, this representative did some checking and said there were six holds on it. When I expressed my shock, she explained that it was normal and she'd check further and see what she could do. She said they'd talked to my doctor yesterday, although the prior rep said they hadn't. (This is just a condensed recap.) The delays and confusion went on for at least another hour.  


Finally, the rep said she got all the holds removed but one, and that one was because they had duplicate prescriptions for the same medication at the same time. Somehow, she eventually worked through that, with me still on hold, and scheduled my meds to arrive Tuesday. I had to answer lots of questions and listen to lots of repeated instructions, but, whatever it takes. 


A while later my doctor called to tell me the good news, but I blurted it out to her before she had a chance. She assured me she had done all that was needed of her in a timely manner (not her exact wording), and I'm confident she did. It's just the big bureaucratic machinery. Glad that's over! Now I can relax and enjoy! 


It's funny how three months ago, before I knew I had Hep C, I wasn't this excited, (although birding was good and I was having a great time). Life is all about perspective. Now I'm thrilled to be able to take heavy duty meds for two months.


And I'm very excited about going to the oasis Sunday and getting the new feeder installed.


Recent internet photo of my mountain (background) taken from highway, looking east.



4 comments:

  1. Happy that it all is working out! Judy Sims

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  2. So glad it’s starting to work out for you. Get well!…Gail.

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  3. Seems it’s always tough getting things done anymore, but so happy you’re happy and will soon be on the mend! Hope to get out there to see all the changes and birds of course!

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