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fizzgig

(24,146 posts)
Mon Jan 14, 2013, 01:33 PM Jan 2013

i'm about to flip a damn table

Last edited Wed Jan 16, 2013, 01:28 AM - Edit history (1)

went to pick up my abilify on saturday and i nearly shit a brick when they told me it was $150 for the seven damn pills. called the insurance company but could only reach claims, who told me a) i haven't met my deductible and b) it shows i've been paying $80 for the abilify copay rather than the 25 i've been paying the last few months.

i don't know whose fuck up this is, but i do know that all the lines for united health care are down, that today will be my second missed dose and that i sure as shit don't have 150 bucks for my pills.

i called my doc to let him know about the involuntary cessation of the med and they said they'd call the insurance company in case it needs a pre-authorization for some reason.

if worse comes to worse, i'll see if the county rx assistance program can help me.

edit: the pharmacy ran it through their discount program and came up with a $125 coupon from the manufacturer. turns out they'd been doing it the whole time and just didn't this time.

21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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i'm about to flip a damn table (Original Post) fizzgig Jan 2013 OP
Samples? get the red out Jan 2013 #1
hoping so fizzgig Jan 2013 #2
Aren't doctors offices, insurance, and pharmacies. Denninmi Jan 2013 #3
uhc phone lines are still down fizzgig Jan 2013 #4
Hope they can. Denninmi Jan 2013 #5
Is there an older generic drug that will handle the same problem???? dixiegrrrrl Jan 2013 #6
FUBAR Denninmi Jan 2013 #8
i'm hoping there's an alternative fizzgig Jan 2013 #10
Try to get the same phone # as your dr. uses to call insur. dixiegrrrrl Jan 2013 #15
took an hour on the phone, but i got it sorted out fizzgig Jan 2013 #16
So, what happened? Denninmi Jan 2013 #7
have an appointment with my doc in 45 minutes fizzgig Jan 2013 #9
Well, how screwed up is all of that? Denninmi Jan 2013 #11
i finally got it all sorted out fizzgig Jan 2013 #12
So you got it, and for $25? Denninmi Jan 2013 #13
i'm so relieved fizzgig Jan 2013 #14
abilify Prescription assistance Downwinder Jan 2013 #17
sorry to hear about this whole mess fizz mopinko Jan 2013 #18
thanks, mo fizzgig Jan 2013 #19
I know what it's like to quit Effexor cold turkey. hunter Jan 2013 #20
yeah, always talk to your pharmacist. mopinko Jan 2013 #21

Denninmi

(6,581 posts)
3. Aren't doctors offices, insurance, and pharmacies.
Mon Jan 14, 2013, 03:04 PM
Jan 2013

Last edited Mon Jan 14, 2013, 03:59 PM - Edit history (2)

Enough to cause a mental health crisis in any of us.

fizzgig

(24,146 posts)
4. uhc phone lines are still down
Mon Jan 14, 2013, 03:46 PM
Jan 2013

just talked to my doc's office again, they're going to see if they are able to get through and find out exactly what's going on.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,011 posts)
6. Is there an older generic drug that will handle the same problem????
Mon Jan 14, 2013, 07:19 PM
Jan 2013

Oh, and speaking of fuckups....don't know if it applies to your doc's office, but my doc's clinic went on computer billings and scripts
last month, the office woman I talked to clearly did not understand why they did it, and barely knew enough about it to converse.
All I know is office visits doubled in price and the doc sent my script to Wal-Greens, where I never ever go for scripts.
THEN they sent Mr. Dixie's bill to Medicare.
'Cept he does not have Medicare for outpatient.
Entire system is fubar, apparently.

fizzgig

(24,146 posts)
10. i'm hoping there's an alternative
Tue Jan 15, 2013, 10:28 AM
Jan 2013

i'm heading to the doc shortly.

never got through to the insurance company yesterday, will try again today. it's absurd how difficult and screwed up this whole system is.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,011 posts)
15. Try to get the same phone # as your dr. uses to call insur.
Tue Jan 15, 2013, 02:06 PM
Jan 2013

they have different numbers, and often are more responsive to "official" calls.
I know, because one of my jobs was calling to certify treatment for patients.

Also, FWIW, so far I have not had any difficulty getting thru to Medicare office concerning my own billings.

fizzgig

(24,146 posts)
16. took an hour on the phone, but i got it sorted out
Wed Jan 16, 2013, 12:18 AM
Jan 2013

the pharmacy just didn't run the script through their discount program like they had in the past.

fizzgig

(24,146 posts)
9. have an appointment with my doc in 45 minutes
Tue Jan 15, 2013, 10:26 AM
Jan 2013

they didn't have any samples, i'm going to ask if there are any cheaper alternatives.

Denninmi

(6,581 posts)
11. Well, how screwed up is all of that?
Tue Jan 15, 2013, 10:49 AM
Jan 2013

Sorry you are being given the runaround there, Fizzgig. Keep us posted.

fizzgig

(24,146 posts)
12. i finally got it all sorted out
Tue Jan 15, 2013, 01:05 PM
Jan 2013

the pharmacy didn't run the script through their discount program, which dropped it down to $25. thank the gods.

fizzgig

(24,146 posts)
14. i'm so relieved
Tue Jan 15, 2013, 01:25 PM
Jan 2013

talked to my doc this morning and there's really no alternatives to the abilify. we talked about trying to get them from an online pharmacy, but the ones i priced were just as expensive.

Downwinder

(12,869 posts)
17. abilify Prescription assistance
Wed Jan 16, 2013, 12:34 AM
Jan 2013

BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB PATIENT ASSISTANCE FOUNDATION, INC.
ABILIFY PATIENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

www.pparx.org/.../2007-05-14.BristolMyers_Squibb_Company.Brist...

Anyway, Google "abilify prescription assistance application"

mopinko

(71,836 posts)
18. sorry to hear about this whole mess fizz
Wed Jan 16, 2013, 09:40 AM
Jan 2013

glad they got it sorted out. i go to the little pharmacy in my grocery store, and they are such nice guys. between hubby, who take 2 dailies, me taking 3-4 dailies, kiddos with many many over the years, they are very to us. when something is fubar, usually they will give us a couple to get by until it is straight. even pretty expensive ones. this might have stretched it, but probably still would have.
people shouldn't get cut off this kind of drug cold turkey. it never hurts to ask if you can get 1 or 2 to get by.

fizzgig

(24,146 posts)
19. thanks, mo
Wed Jan 16, 2013, 02:03 PM
Jan 2013

i didn't even think about asking if i could get one to get me through while i got things sorted out.

i was concerned about going off cold turkey. i did that with effexor several and that was a horrible and miserable experience. it was prescribed by my pa and i thought her nurse was going to slap the shit out of me when i told them.

hunter

(38,953 posts)
20. I know what it's like to quit Effexor cold turkey.
Wed Jan 16, 2013, 07:45 PM
Jan 2013

That's on my list of things I'd have rather not done. It's right up there with exiting a moving car, or rock climbing and falling alone.

mopinko

(71,836 posts)
21. yeah, always talk to your pharmacist.
Wed Jan 16, 2013, 09:23 PM
Jan 2013

i could get my meds cheaper by mail, but i really value this relationship i have with these guys.

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