Thursday, March 29, 2012

Methuselah

Every March Mr. Patient needs me to re-file paperwork so he can get his medication for another year.

This year, pissed off at the endless forms, I wrote "HE WILL TAKE THIS FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE! PLEASE AUTHORIZE FOR MORE THAN ONE YEAR!!!"

Apparently I got someone's attention.

(click to enlarge)


31 comments:

Julie said...

OMG you WON!?!

Amanda said...

I'm stunned.

Suze said...

Love it.

Anonymous said...

I have a severe food allergy and will need to carry an Epipen with me for the rest of my life, and my insurance company requires reauthorization each time my pen expires. It's insane.

Thatgirl said...

Good job on getting results! On the upside, you get confirmation that someone actually reads the forms you have to fill out...

A.Resistenza said...

Yeeeesssss!!!!!

Anonymous said...

In many states (if not all), prescriptions are only valid for 1 year from the date written. Insurance companies often follow suit with the duration of prior authorization they will grant.

Anonymous said...

wow... wish it's that easy every time you deal with insurance co.

Gayle said...

If he lives to be older than 8000 years, will you have to re-submit the form?

Sandra P. said...

Wow, I am amazed they actually did what you said! However, I have noticed that most pharmacies will not refill a prescription after one year. But writing a new script once a year is a lot easier than dealing with his insurance every year. Congrats!

OMDG said...

That's awesome that they finally listened to you.

Christie Critters said...

Sometimes you post something in the "win" column. Just this week, I got my "send us a prescription and we will mail your drugs" pharmacy to admint that THEY MAY POSSIBLY HAVE MADE A MISTAKE...
They are actually going to have their pharmacist talk to my doctor!

Jess said...

Nice!

Amanda said...

You are beyond awesome -- this gave me the biggest grin and I want to actually applaud!

pharmacy chick said...

Similar story: a Prior auth had expired for a patient who had a kidney transplant. At the time her Sandimmune had required a PA. She waas a teenager so this was going to be a lifetime event. when I got the rejection I did the usual paperwork yada yada yada, but a week later we still had no answer. I called the isurer myself and asked the person on the other end what the delay was and he responded with some comment about " verifying need" etc...and I remember ( nearly shouting) DO YOU THINK SHE IS GOING TO GROW A NEW KIDNEY???? ORGANS AREN'T LIKE HAIR!!! It was done that day.

Anonymous said...

YEA!!! Maybe the insurance companies are growing a brain ...

But we must not generalize from one case. More study is needed ..

Hildy said...

Anon 11:19 - LOL!

Anonymous said...

IT ALSO WORKS AT TIMES ON DISABILITY FORMS, CAR INSURANCE PAYMENT TYPE , ETC.

...EXAM AND RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE NOT CHANGED SINCE LAST FORMS WERE COMPLETED. PATIENT PROGNOSIS AND DIAGNOSIS ARE NOT CHANGED, AND NOT ANTICIPATED TO IMPROVE WITH CURRENT MEDICATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY.PLEASE APPROVE..
INDEFINITELY..

I CAN PRINT SMALL LETTERS, JUST NEED TO HAVE BIG TYPE, (THANK YOU REHAB RN, MY DEAR)

Fresh Off My Hook said...

Dr. Grumpy is my new hero !!! Striking a blow for insanity. HOORAY!!!!

~~~ Debbie

truthspeaker said...

Can you be my doctor?

Erin said...

I hope you never have to increase his dose. I get the feeling they'll be back to their old tricks if you have to do it again.

Anonymous said...

Ha! I need to try that.

Anonymous said...

Boy oh, boy- are you going to be feeling pretty silly having given the insurance company the last laugh after December 21, 2012.

Grumpy, M.D. said...

Yeah, but come January 1, 10,000 I'm screwed.

Officer Cynical said...

I would kill to get my smegmastatin, which keeps my blood from turning into pure egg yolk, refilled less often than once a month.

Anonymous said...

Awesome that you got a PA to last that long.

"However, I have noticed that most pharmacies will not refill a prescription after one year."

Yeah, that is an annoying little thing called the law. Some states allow up to 18 months (IA) but most are only 12.

Dee said...

I'm in the hospital right now as a pt - sucks to be on the receiving end I assure you.... but you absolutely MADE MY DAY! Made my migraine worse from laughing so bloody hard but I didn't care because IT WAS AWESOME!!! Cudos to you my dear doctor - now if only that would work for ALL situations!!!

Anonymous said...

You totally rock!

Jill said...

You may find that a year from now, you'll still need to renew the prescription. A lot of pharmacy computer systems will use the expiration date required by law regardless of how much longer an expiration you give the prescription.

If you're lucky, they'll treat it as an automatic authorization to extend the prescription each year. But legally, that's shaky ground for the pharmacy.

spectrummom said...

even if you have to do it in a year, it has a very satisfying feel. Enjoy it while it lasts Grumpy. It will end the next time you get a doc whoring for an insurance company who reads a rejection off his script for the MRI you want.

Luminaria2112 said...

I love it! So, there ARE human beings behind the forms? Who'da thought?

 
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