On December 8, my new therapist says there is a problem processing my insurance. She thinks I gave her the numbers incorrectly. I leave a voicemail with the numbers later. I don’t hear back.
Yesterday, Rite Aid texts me that there is a problem with my insurance. The text says I should call. I call the pharmacy. The pharmacist says there is no problem and that I can pick up my prescriptions tomorrow as scheduled.
Today, I go the pharmacy to pick up my medications. The pharmacist informs me that my United Healthcare insurance terminated on November 30th. She says I should call United Health Care. I do. I finally get an agent. She informs me I need to call my employer.
I just sent my case worker an e-mail and will call first thing in the morning.
A quick inventory reveals I have plenty of lithium carbonate, Paxil and Mirtazipine. I have two Vraylar left. I have two methylphenidate left. If absolutely necessary, I can pay for the Vraylar out of pocket. However, the pharmacist told me that as methylphenidate is a controlled substance, it cannot be dispensed without insurance.
My psychiatrist and I planned the timing so I would not need to get prescriptions filled in Florida. It’s always a huge hassle to get my pills in Florida.
Rite Aid. Part of the problem is that there are no Rite Aids in Florida. I usually get my prescriptions filled at a Walgreens. That Walgreens has been very bad at well everything.
I can’t speak to Rite Aid or Walgreen’s but we had years of aggravation dealing with CVS. Switched to a local mom and pop and life has been much easier.
I have never heard of this either and I’ve been a nurse for 40+ years. Double back and ask that again. Make sure you are talking to a real, registered pharmacist, not an untrained tech or clerk.
Methylphenidate cannot be refilled, but this is the first I’ve ever heard of someone not being able to fill a valid prescription because they didn’t have insurance, if they can pay cash for it.
It sounds like something may have gone sideways at work - did you participate in open enrollment this year and renew your health benefits? Sometimes they make you resubmit everything and not automatically roll it to the following year. If you did not make selections and complete the process, you may have been cancelled (someone at work should have alerted you). Or maybe you did it all and something broke in the process. At any rate, the issue appears to be with your employer.
From what I understand, all those prescription drug cards (like GoodRx, BlinkHealth, SingleCare) and such are entered into the system the same way as insurance. I wonder if one of those would help. Just google for their websites.
But weird that this would happen at the end of November. Or is it common to have corporate plans where the year doesn’t start Jan 1st? Otherwise, you’d think something like this could only happen if OP were mistakenly taken off the list that’s communicated to the insurer of current employees, as though they had left the firm.
I now have Vraylar. I had to pay out of pocket (roughly $1579) for a month’s supply. My case worker at the company said I should be reimbursed by my insurance when it kicks in. I still don’t have my methylphenidate (My attention deficit disorder med). I have no idea if I will be able to keep it together and work tomorrow.
I cannot get Concerta. However, my case worker at work said that given the circumstances I could go on unpaid sick leave and that my job would be waiting for me when I get back with a letter from my doctor. My relief is great. I will miss the income of course. However, I will now have time to spend with my family.