So, I’m in the midst of a frustrating medicinal situation. I’ve been bumming free samples of Effexor XR off my OB/GYN and the totally out-of-line psychiatrist for almost 3 months now. But since I won’t be returning to said rude-to-Jenna psychiatrist, and I can’t continue to be a mooch on my OB/GYN’s samples stash forever, I’ve got to get a prescription filled.
I called around and got quotes from all different pharmacies on my medication–Costco, Target, East Paris Rx, even RightSource mail-in Pharmacy. The medication is exorbitantly expensive and our insurance doesn’t kick in until after our deductible has been met. I even checked out getting the meds from Canada, but my Pharmacist said, “never never never. Either they’re fake or they’ll get stopped at the border and you’ll have sent money and get nothing in return”. So that was outta the question!
The mail-in pharmacy (here in the good old US of A) came back with the lowest price…until they actually processed the claim. Their price then DOUBLED because we hadn’t met our deductible yet. As in, “your co-pay for this prescription is almost $700, so we need your approval and a credit card number.”
Gulp.
Um….no. Wait–that’s not right!
4 or 5 phone calls later, everything is sorted out. The $700 is correct because we haven’t met our deductible. That’s not any cheaper than going to a local pharmacy-geesh!
So, it’s back to calling around to local pharmacies to see whose cash price is the cheapest, since this medication is coming up more expensive when processed through the insurance company than when we just pay cash. And I have a little card that gets me $15 off when I get it filled. And my fellow-sojourner to Africa pharmacist friend is giving me a “friends and family discount” so that we’re not spending more money on a drug than my life is probably worth.
Crazy. It’s been frustrating, but I know it will all get sorted out. I know God takes care of me. I know God wants me well. I believe medication is one of the ways that I will be able to work back towards healing and good mental health at this particular time in my life. And although I’m slightly miffed at having to jump through hoops, duck under and around red tape, spend more time on the phone listening to eardrum-piercing hold music than I’m spending with my kids, and feeling unsettled because this whole situation isn’t resolved yet, it’s not paralyzing me. I’m functioning great. I know it will all work out, the cogs need a little extra grease, but things will be ticking merrily along soon.
And if not, I’ll let you know. Or as Dan says, “oh, we’ll all know“.
How frustrating. We have a $600 deductible too so I hear you. Sometimes the pharmacy co’s will cut you a break if you contact them directly. Also your insurance might have a mail order system set up. I was paying through the nose until I found out ours had one – that would go in the “WHY DIDN’T SOMEONE TELL ME ABOUT THIS BEFORE?!?!?” category.