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Death by Industry Incompetence


The Industry. Education? Yeah that one. Pharmaceutical? Yeah that one too. Insurance? You guessed it. The Medical Industry and the doctors that make it up? I'd put money on it.

They're all failing me and they're all collectively working together to insure that I don't ever get better.

I moved in August... It took until November to get insurance straightened out to even see a primary care doctor who has to make a new referral for a condition I've been treated for since God knows when. It takes 3 months to get in to see a specialist. So I didn't get to see my neurologist until the end of January. He tried to kill me by taking me off my meds and then deemed me untreatable. 3 more months to even get in at the next specialist they want to send me off to.

Thank god I see him next week. But its a shame I've gone this entire semester without any care.

Then begins the game of refills. How do you ask a doctor halfway across the country to refill your prescriptions because you can't even get a regular doctor yet? How do you ask your new doctor for temporary refills that will last until you see the next doctor? How do you explain to the pharmacist that the refill needs to go to someone new... and then re-explain to your doctor why you need the refill... and then re-explain to your pharmacy that they still aren't calling the proper doctor.

I don't know how many times I've gotten to my last dose before I intended and had to beg for a refill only to be denied by insurance or find out that the pharmacy is actually out of that medication.

I asked for my abortive to be refilled over a week ago. My doctor wanted to see me before refilling it, then waited another day to submit it to the pharmacy.

Down to the last dose... in the midst of finals and emergency room visits and an already really bad week...

Then the pharmacy informs me that theirs a problem with insurance.

So I sit on hold with insurance for over an hour only to be told that I'll have to call the pharmacy and the pharmacy will have to call them for an override. Seriously at this point why can't the lady on the phone who can see the Rx just override it right then and there? So extra.

Then I sit on hold for half an hour with the pharmacy to be told that they're so sorry they've been super busy and haven't gotten around to calling the insurance companies regarding prescriptions that aren't going through, but they'll get right on it. The pharmacist didn't like that I inquired how long it would be until my Rx was ready. Too damn bad.

Thankfully the pharmacy had a few pills in stock. But only a few. As you can see they owe me 71. I can go back later this week to get the rest. That's fine. It sure beats all the times I am informed that they are out completely.

If stress causes migraines or makes them worse, you'd think the pharmaceutical industry would be able to keep high demand pills in stock.

If stress causes migraines, you'd think insurance companies wouldn't require new referrals for existing referrals just because you move. My condition didn't go away because I went to college in a different state.

If stress causes migraines, you'd think doctors would work with patients and not have 3 month long wait times. I could be having an aneurism and I'd be told it'll take 3 months to get x test done.

All my money goes towards pills and copays and random treatment options that don't ever provide more than a 10% improvement.

Currently wishing for some much needed R&R and vitamin sea, but knowing even that won't help.

-A

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