As if I haven't complained enough on Facebook already.
I'm about to go postal on United Healthcare. I've only had this CRAPASS insurance for 30 days and I feel like I'm being fucked over six ways from Sunday.
I had a really awful migraine that kept me home from work all day yesterday (the 3rd of this nature in the past 4 weeks - they just LOVE me at the office) so I went to the doctor for a shot. Lately they get so bad that the only thing that helps is a shot of pain medication and a 20-hour nap. Well, the last time I went to the doctor for a shot I nearly died a'la Michael Jackson. I kept waking myself up because I wasn't breathing and it scared the shit out of me but I was so drugged that I couldn't stay awake. So yesterday I told my doctor this and he said he'd try something different since almost dying isn't good.
He gave me what's called Sumavel DosePro, a needleless injection and had me lay down for about an hour at his office. This Sumavel stuff was made specifically for migraines and since it works like an injection but doesn't use a needle it is something I could do myself at home (not that I'm afraid of giving myself a shot of something but there is the problem of having no where to dispose of the needles). Anyway, the stuff worked and he sent me home with a prescription. I checked with UHC today and surprise, surprise, the stuff isn't covered. So I checked the price of it at CVS and one dose is $200! $200!!!! PER DOSE! As kitty said, how exactly is a normal human being supposed to afford that?
Deciding this new medication was not an option I called in a refill of Maxalt, the migraine medication I've been taking for nearly 10 years. Humana, and every other insurance I've ever had, covered 9 pills for $50/month. UHC covers FOUR PILLS for $50. That's $12.50 per pill if you're counting. There are whole periods of my life where I don't even touch a Maxalt, let alone 9 a month, but then there are periods like the one I'm in now, where I'm taking a pill every other day or so. Sometimes twice a day. I manage my triggers as best I can, but there seems to be no real pattern to my migraines aside from my period. But honestly, ever since going off of the pill my cycle triggered migraines are much more seldom.
OH! And the other thing! CVS called to tell me that they had to contact UHC for a special override to get me the 4 pills at $50. The pharmacist said they will have to do this EVERY SINGLE MONTH because it is not a medication UHC considers "medically necessary". Excuse me? It is the ONLY medication I can take that even kinda, sorta works for me. How is that medically unnecessary?!?
I'm really fucking angry about this situation. Insurance companies are literally THE organized crime of our generation. The only way for me to get around it is to fill the $50 Maxalt prescription every month and hoard my 4 lousy pills so that I have enough when I go through a period like I'm in now. It just really pisses me off that I used to spend $600 a year and get a total of 108 doses. Now I will have to spend the same amount and only get 48 doses. Someone explain to me how this isn't highway robbery?
I had a really awful migraine that kept me home from work all day yesterday (the 3rd of this nature in the past 4 weeks - they just LOVE me at the office) so I went to the doctor for a shot. Lately they get so bad that the only thing that helps is a shot of pain medication and a 20-hour nap. Well, the last time I went to the doctor for a shot I nearly died a'la Michael Jackson. I kept waking myself up because I wasn't breathing and it scared the shit out of me but I was so drugged that I couldn't stay awake. So yesterday I told my doctor this and he said he'd try something different since almost dying isn't good.
He gave me what's called Sumavel DosePro, a needleless injection and had me lay down for about an hour at his office. This Sumavel stuff was made specifically for migraines and since it works like an injection but doesn't use a needle it is something I could do myself at home (not that I'm afraid of giving myself a shot of something but there is the problem of having no where to dispose of the needles). Anyway, the stuff worked and he sent me home with a prescription. I checked with UHC today and surprise, surprise, the stuff isn't covered. So I checked the price of it at CVS and one dose is $200! $200!!!! PER DOSE! As kitty said, how exactly is a normal human being supposed to afford that?
Deciding this new medication was not an option I called in a refill of Maxalt, the migraine medication I've been taking for nearly 10 years. Humana, and every other insurance I've ever had, covered 9 pills for $50/month. UHC covers FOUR PILLS for $50. That's $12.50 per pill if you're counting. There are whole periods of my life where I don't even touch a Maxalt, let alone 9 a month, but then there are periods like the one I'm in now, where I'm taking a pill every other day or so. Sometimes twice a day. I manage my triggers as best I can, but there seems to be no real pattern to my migraines aside from my period. But honestly, ever since going off of the pill my cycle triggered migraines are much more seldom.
OH! And the other thing! CVS called to tell me that they had to contact UHC for a special override to get me the 4 pills at $50. The pharmacist said they will have to do this EVERY SINGLE MONTH because it is not a medication UHC considers "medically necessary". Excuse me? It is the ONLY medication I can take that even kinda, sorta works for me. How is that medically unnecessary?!?
I'm really fucking angry about this situation. Insurance companies are literally THE organized crime of our generation. The only way for me to get around it is to fill the $50 Maxalt prescription every month and hoard my 4 lousy pills so that I have enough when I go through a period like I'm in now. It just really pisses me off that I used to spend $600 a year and get a total of 108 doses. Now I will have to spend the same amount and only get 48 doses. Someone explain to me how this isn't highway robbery?