STERKWORKS | Ex-Mormon Lesbian Surviving Utah

I am not a doctor or pharmacist. I am, however, a consumer of health care goods and services. You are too, I suspect. And tonight, I am pissed.

This year I have had more health issues than I have any other time in my life. I have had the great fortune of living without disease, injury, and pain for most of my life, and have always had health insurance. And when I add up what me and my employer paid into my health insurance this year, it is still well above the payments my insurance company made to providers and systems to diagnosis my issues and keep me healthy.

My issue is so minor compared to the horror stories I have heard of those without health insurance and those who have to fight with their insurance companies to get the benefits to which they are entitled. I am behind the times, because I have been so boring (thank goodness) as far as health issues are concerned.

My doctor started me on a two week sample of a medication for neuropathy pain. It builds up in the system. After the two weeks, she called in the prescription today. I went to the pharmacy to pick it up. The pharmacist told me my insurance company wouldn’t pay for the prescribed drug, and they made the doctor change what she prescribed. WTF????? So two weeks of taking the drug to get it built up in my system for nothing. And the new drug (obviously cheaper) isn’t FDA approved for the condition I am to use it for. And yes, it is the doctor’s option to use it for that, but being forced to by the insurance company?

Like I said, I am behind the times on this one. And I am furious. Not that I lost two weeks of taking a medication. Not because from my research, the originally prescribed medication works better than the replacement, but because my insurance company has the power to act as a physician. Isn’t that illegal? Doesn’t one need a license to practice medicine? Doesn’t one need a DEA license to prescribe drugs?

Filed under: Ranting, Health, Miscellany