For some reason I just need to get this off my chest. I will tell you that this post will probably not be a fun read, but is more for me. If you don't want to read it then don't.
Things with Bethany have been going up and down lately. Not by our choice that is for sure. In Nov we were switched to a different insurance company and that switch threw us for a loop. Because of the switch we also ended up having to switch medications, pharmacies where we get her meds and we also lost about a month of treatment due to paperwork BS. She was taking genotropin. When that first shipment came (see my post about 2 boxes) I was terrified and wondered if we would ever live through this. We learned how to give the shots and we moved forward. In Dec after 3 months of treatment we were thrilled to learn that she had grown (1 1/4 inches) more than she had in the previous year. Then we learned that the new insurance doesn't accept genotropin as their drug of choice to treat her condition.....hence we have to switch to one that they will cover as we can't afford to pay for it ourselves. The new drug---omnitrop. Does the same stuff, just made by a different company. It takes 3 weeks of them pushing papers around before we get approved to get the first shipment.....we get the first shipment New Year's Eve. I was elated because I thought that we would be able to start the new year giving her the meds again. WRONG. They shipped us the medicine, the needles, the swabs to clean the injection site, the sharps container BUT there is no pen to do the injections with. Quickly I called the company and tried to sort out the mistake. I was told they would send the pen out next week. Tues (Jan 5th) we still hadn't recieved the pen. I was getting a little antsy as the medications only has a short shelf life. Gabe even thought to check the other pen to see if we could use it----NO, their viles are shorter and fatter as they don't come premixed (like omnitrop does). So, I called the company. They don't have one, they can't get me one, I have to call the makers of omnitrop to get one....transfer #1. Now I am on the line with someone from the manufacters, transfer #2 to get to the right department. With in their I think I was transferred 2 more times before someone told me that they hadn't shipped the pen because they were still waiting for approval from our insurance company. WHAT?! I already had the meds sitting in my fridge, I just needed the way to inject them. She kindly told me that the pen would be shipped overnight and they would have a nurse call us to help instruct us on the usage. I told her that I didn't think that the nurse would be necessary as we were already versed in the injection process. Wednesday came and we didn't get anything all day. I was starting to get furious. At 5:30 that night we FINALLY got the box. These guys really know how to cut it close. But I was mildly surprised at what else was in the box. We were given a backpack, a pencil box for Beth, 6 ice packs (not the cheap ones that you can punch holes with a pencil---hard plastic ones), a cooler to keep the meds in while traveling, and a doll for Bethany. Today we get a call from the nurse.....she is thankful that we declined the teaching, they can't find a company that will send a nurse to our home to teach us how to use the device because they are back east and we are in the middle of nowhere.
So I guess the purpose of this post is for me to vent about my frustrations. Why should I have to change my daughter's meds because I change insurance companies? But the good news is that we are back on track. Hopefully we don't have to switch again....if so I will start selling stuff to go back to the genotropin. ( I like their pen and injection system better).
Nails Done
6 months ago
4 comments:
How frustrating!!! Insurance company policies and procedures are a bad word at our house too--too many silly rules and hoopes to jump through. We're glad that you finally have things under control though. Hopefully it will work as well for Bethany as her last meds did.
Oh my what a joke. Sometimes it feels like we would be better off not paying the premiums and then just paying cash when we do need medical care. But that would only work if we all had plenty of $$ sitting in the bank for the emergency. Glad things are looking up. Keep growing Bethany!!
I HATE dealing with insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies. I hate it when they lay down the law that you have to do it their way. It's drives me nuts. I'm glad that you were able to get the stuff for Bethany.
Hey Julie, I wanted to respond to your question about me coming home in the summer. Actually, we are going to be in Cody over Valentine's Day to bless the baby. If you fancy a trip to Cody then, I would love to see you. Also, I plan on being in Wyoming for all of August and the end of July. Email me and we can chat.
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