I'd like to send out a big What the Fuck to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and my local CVS pharmacy.
I called this afternoon to refill my birth control prescription by phone. "No, I'm sorry," says the cheery CVS pharmicist. "We can't refill that until March 29th. Your insurance company won't allow it."
Um, okay. Right-o. Two major problems with that.
1. I will be in New York.
2. I will be out of birth control by March 20th.
What kind of system is this? I mean, I don't have an absurdly active sex life that requires some emergency intervention. But you can't just stop and start again a week late because Blue Cross Blue Shield has a preset date for your refill. What are they using anyway? The Mayan calendar?
I'm wacky enough with out a not-needed hormone imbalance.
I'd also like to send out a Dude, You're Really Super Cool to my doctor who said he would resolve the issue and to check back in the morning.
I hope he karate chops them in the throat.
Posted by This Fish at March 9, 2004 03:00 PMI had the same damn problem before a long trip out of the country. "I know I'll be in Britain, you dim wit, but I'm pretty sure my ovaries will still function across the pond, which means I need my bcps, damnit."
Your Dr. rocks. I just teared up 'til my pharmacist gave in. I am grateful he lacks a backbone.
When my daughter was having serial ear infections and the ear specialist was saying it would be months before they could get her in to be seen, her pediatrician, a lovely young woman who might stand all of 5 feet 3, clouded up, announced, "It's time to open up a can of whupass," and disappeared behind her office door. Ten minutes later, we had an appointment ... for the next day.
So the American health-care system isn't completely screwed up. Have faith.
Posted by: Lex at March 9, 2004 03:35 PMunited healthcare pulled the same crap with me. i cried to my gyno, and *poof* all fixed!
Posted by: mingaling at March 9, 2004 04:46 PMive had something like that happen before. this next appt im asking my gyno to make my prescription for 3 months at a time. its just a lot more convienent. for some reason my brain doesnt compute that when i see only a couple pills left, that i should call the rx. and then im like shit shit sunday night driving 15 miles to my fav rx pissed that i waited to the last minute.
Posted by: kristin at March 9, 2004 04:50 PMWhile you're at it see if the Doc has some samples hanging around the office that he can just give you until you can get the script filled. They always seem to have samples and for a bonus they are usually FREE!
btw: I'm jealous that you are moving to NYC, break a leg!
Posted by: Iferlynn at March 9, 2004 04:57 PMAccording to the ancient Mayan calendar, you're safe for the next six weeks. So relax!
Posted by: phi. at March 9, 2004 06:39 PMBirth control pills in general are a big pain in the ass. Getting onto the depo-provera shot was the best thing that ever happened to me.
Posted by: Nicole at March 9, 2004 07:38 PMUgh. That happened to me with Harvard Health. I have to get mail order to California and at one point they refused to ship them until I would have missed a week. It's friggin ridiculous.
Posted by: jennn at March 9, 2004 11:05 PMYou could just not have sex...
Oh, wait, you're moving to New York. Never mind.
Posted by: Mike at March 9, 2004 11:09 PMOh drats. I was hoping we'd get to read one of your infamous Miss Piggy HIIIIIIYAAAAAHS directed at the evil pharmacist. How dare they be cheery when the potential for hormonal imbalance is looming!
Posted by: full circle (sf) at March 10, 2004 12:48 AMI had a very similar thing happen to me JUST LAST WEEK. And in my case, it could lead to serious (long lasting) consequences. But it's sort of okay. I HATE it that they do this with Birth control though-- and it makes you feel like such a crazy person to have to deal with it. And sort of like you're being judged for needing them. Bastards. I used to love it when I got military medicine-- they'd give me all 12 of the year's supply immediately in a little brown paper bag and I never had to worry about it.
Those insurance folks just want their stupid co-pay.
Posted by: Kim at March 10, 2004 11:47 AMYou're not on Ortho-Lo, are you sweetie? My Duane Reade will let me refill the rest of the year at once if I want. Just one more reason to love NYC!
Posted by: deb at March 10, 2004 12:00 PMBeen there, dealt with that. Like you're gonna overdose on birth control pills.
Posted by: Kenna at March 10, 2004 12:11 PMThey do that to me with the birth control patch. What do they think, I'll go out on the corner selling them like crack? It's the fucking patch--it's not a narcotic! The pharmacist said they're afraid that if you refill them too often you're giving them to people for whom they're not prescribed and the insurance company could get sued. That's patently absurd.
Glad to hear you're moving down my way. Maybe we'll get to have a drink togther at the next blogger party. Good luck to you in NYC.
Posted by: Daniella at March 10, 2004 04:04 PMJust curious since you mentioned having had three biopsies in a previous post. You're not concerned about the links between b.c. pills and breast cancer?
Posted by: Evelyn at March 11, 2004 09:39 PMThe link to cancer is that it prevents all sorts of cancer. And the primary purpose for being on this specific type of birth control is to regulate the hormones that are causing these non-cancerous lumps.
Posted by: fish at March 11, 2004 11:44 PM