Could you NOT act like a five year-old? (a bit long)

[MelodiousBubbles]

First story from the pharmacy for me, I think. I'm going to make this as general as possible because of the whole privacy policy thing.

Alright... To begin with, my hearing is not the best. One of my eardrums ruptured when I was 6, so I can't hear very well out of my right side. If you mumble, I can't really make out what you're saying. So don't mumble your name while I'm trying too look up where in our process your prescription is. Doesn't work well. ESPECIALLY if you have an unusual name.

So once you're done getting pissy at me for having to write your name down because you're incapable of not mumbling your unusual name, I go to see if I can find your script. I do, but attached is a third party reject note. That means your insurance doesn't wanna cover it for whatever reason.

Since I'm new, I have no idea what the hell it's talking about with mail order, so I go behind the center counter to ask someone who does. Apparently, the insurance doesn't want to deal with us at a store level, and instead wants you to receive your prescription by mail.

When I try to tell you this, it is wise to stay longer than the amount of time it takes me to say, "Your insurance would rather you do mail order, but-" before you slam your hands against the counter and storm off like a child. I could have told you that we could get that changed for you, but you didn't feel like waiting. Whatever, not my problem if you want to be a Negative Nancy.

Fast forward a couple days.

After essentially throwing a temper tantrum and huffing off, it isn't wise to then call and get pissed at the pharmacist when she explains your new script isn't ready yet. It also isn't wise to demand her to explain to you why your last script wasn't covered by insurance. Because I will tell her, and so will the other tech who watched you stomp off a few days prior.

It's also not wise to piss her off further by making her sit there, hold your hand, and walk you through all of the possibilities why your insurance won't cover it at the store level. Not if you're going to be extraordinarily rude about it, anyway.

~~~~~


Yeah. That was the first guy since I started working in the pharmacy a little over a month ago that really got under my skin and pissed me off. He was rude, and way too impatient for me to really feel like dealing with him any more.

[ShinyGreenApple]

If I only had a dime or two for every time someone has stormed off before we can explain something . . .

"I'm sorry, my pharmacist just told me that that particular drug is on backorder and we're not sure when we'll be able to get it. I can tell you that your best option right now would be to see if you can find another pharmacy with that drug in stock and we can transfer--"

SC: "But I don't have the PRESCRIPTION, yoooouuuu guys have it!"

"Ok, I realize that, but you can either get the prescription back from one of the ladies down at the dropoff window, or we could just transfer it if someone else has it in stock."

SC: "But I don't know the naaaaammme of that drug, just forget it, I'll go WITHOUT!"

Cue dramatic stomping off. A hearty 'fuck you' to these people. If she'd have given me ten seconds, I could have written down the name and strength of the drug, but no, let's go without it and suffer possible complications because we have all the maturity of a kindergartener. Although it does bother me a lot when they're picking up for an elderly spouse or relative and make the decision for the person.

[MelodiousBubbles]

Oh good lord... It's like the Ritalin shortage it seems the entire country's having to deal with at the moment. All manufacturers are back ordered, and it's a miracle along the lines of loaves and fishes if we get enough to fill something.

Explaining to parents (some of which are definitely NOT parental in nature) that their kid can't get their Ritalin here is like lighting a short-fused bomb. But that's an entirely different story.

[bainsidhe]

I really like my local pharmacist and am glad I've never sighted most of the horrors pharmacies have to deal with. That said, my pharmacist is a big, deep-voiced bear of a man who would lay down law quite firmly. The one time I saw this was when someone was trying to get a narcotic without a script. But when you aren't sucky, he is incredibly patient and respectful and it's clear he cares deeply about his patients and profession. The one time my insurance rejected the script (because it was brand name instead of generic), they told me exactly what I needed to do to fix it.

[hinakiba777]

See SCs never learn the magical tricks of being a good customer. Like how sometimes, if you sit and listen the pharmacist can actual fix your insurance problem right there for you. Or many other nice things you won't know if you run off screaming Fuck you to everyone.

When I was 20 my doctor put me on a name brand birth control pill. The pharmacy explain that my insurance would only cover the generic version. So to be on the safe side, I only had one month of the script filled instead of my usual three. It turns out that the generic version makes me sick to my stomach, so I tell this to the pharmacist when i go for my next refill. He explains that if I get the name brand, I will have to pay the difference. I tell him that I am fine with that, I just want to be able to take my medicine without getting nauseous. He smiles at me and asks me to wait. The he goes around back and comes back with a little envelop with the name of the name brand medication on it. In the envelope is a little card, it covers the cost that my insurance won't cover.

If I had just stomped off, then I would never have known.

[Geek King]

I'll also point out, for anyone that might be in hinakiba's situation someday, that many insurance companies will cover name brands if you cannot take the generic version for some reason. Always check with the company and see what proof they require. Usually, they just need a note from the doctor for proof, or somesuch.