[Shanny]

After many years of happy relationship with our pharmacy, we're running aground lately! We always tried to have all our meds reauthorized once a year at the same time so we could make one 28-mile round trip to the phamacy each month for everything. That plan has eroded badly this year, for whatever reason - I can't quite put my finger on it. But we addressed it with the doc's office & were assured that since we come in between times and are seen for other little issues besides that annual checkup/renew meds visit, there should be no trouble reauthorizing meds when/if the pharmacy contacts them.

So yesterday, knowing our doc was in his office to do the reauthorizing, I called in our meds - at least half of them supposedly needed renewing. So I pressed the designated button to authorize the pharmacy to contact doc (cussed automatic menus anyhow! ).

Today, before making the trip, I called the pharmacy to make sure (that "call first" lesson learned from sad experience! ), and no - they hadn't heard back from doc. So I called doc's office. They have no record of any renewal request. I called the pharmacy to learn which ones need renewed, and they admit their fax machine has been hinky lately (that's no excuse, people!). But today doc is not IN his office, so even though we've possibly got the wrinkles ironed out, there will be a delay until he checks his Blackberry & gets the renewal requests. (and btw, two of those renewals weren't actually necessary - one was not expired, it was just "too soon" - and that was because we went through this same damn drill LAST month with that one & didn't get it until three days later.)

Grrrrr . . . .

(thanks for lending your eyes to my rant . . . I think I'm finished now . . .

)

 

[breezeonby]

After many years of happy relationship with our pharmacy, we're running aground lately! We always tried to have all our meds reauthorized once a year at the same time so we could make one 28-mile round trip to the phamacy each month for everything. That plan has eroded badly this year, for whatever reason - I can't quite put my finger on it. But we addressed it with the doc's office & were assured that since we come in between times and are seen for other little issues besides that annual checkup/renew meds visit, there should be no trouble reauthorizing meds when/if the pharmacy contacts them.

So yesterday, knowing our doc was in his office to do the reauthorizing, I called in our meds - at least half of them supposedly needed renewing. So I pressed the designated button to authorize the pharmacy to contact doc (cussed automatic menus anyhow! ).

Today, before making the trip, I called the pharmacy to make sure (that "call first" lesson learned from sad experience! ), and no - they hadn't heard back from doc. So I called doc's office. They have no record of any renewal request. I called the pharmacy to learn which ones need renewed, and they admit their fax machine has been hinky lately (that's no excuse, people!). But today doc is not IN his office, so even though we've possibly got the wrinkles ironed out, there will be a delay until he checks his Blackberry & gets the renewal requests. (and btw, two of those renewals weren't actually necessary - one was not expired, it was just "too soon" - and that was because we went through this same damn drill LAST month with that one & didn't get it until three days later.)

Grrrrr . . . .

(thanks for lending your eyes to my rant . . . I think I'm finished now . . .

)

Sounds like a lot of frustration going on! I can't seem to get all of my prescription filled on the same day and the only thing that saves me from calling the pharmacy is that I use pharmacies that have your prescriptions online, so I can log on and see what is going on. My doctor is really good about refilling my prescriptions, I see him every month-so he better! Oh, on most of my prescriptions I get a 90 day supply so that cuts down the trips to the pharmacy...I can't imagine driving 28 miles to the pharmacy. :car:

 

[jeremiahtren]

wow sounds very fustrating yet so familiar.

 

[cathyy]

Sure does sound familiar!

Let me share my current dilemma with you. I need my annual retinal scan. I have moved since my last one, making my previous ophthalmologist a good hour or two away. I called my HMO and asked for a local ophthalmology practice which accepts my insurance. Then I called that practice to make an appointment. They refused to do so because we are "out of network." The fact that my particular insurance is "open network" and I can see any specialist who is in any network of my HMO was unimportant to the receptionist. I was "out of network" so she would not make an appointment for me.