Pharmacy Phun

No one should have as much fun as I've had with the pharmacy and insurance company, this week.

It started last Saturday with bringing in my prescription for Chantix. I dropped off the script and proceeded to buy a groceries. I'm in the checkout line and see the pharmacist turn off the lights - she's going to lunch. Luckily she waited since she knew I was in the store. I go to pick up the script and she tells me the Chantix is not covered. Whoa! I had called Cigna before going to the store and was told it is covered. That's when she tells me it needs to be pre-authorized. I take the script and go home. Wasted trip #1.

Monday I call the doctor's office and explain the Chantix needs to be pre-authorized. They told me it could take a couple of days for the authorization but they would let me know the outcome. So I wait for the phone call.... that comes on Wednesday. Cigna denied the authorization because (get this) it's not medically necessary! Hello people! Do I need to be missing a lung before it's necessary to quit smoking?!?! Any way, the doctor was going to write a letter and appeal their decision, so again I wait.

On Thursday I was scheduled for an echocardiogram (I learned how to spell it!) and show up at 5:00. Somebody goofed. The doctor's office had me down for Wednesday and as a "no show". Oh well, wasted trip #2.

I go home and realize I need to have the scripts filled for the 2 inhalers the doctor had given me as samples. As long as I had the time, I brought them to the pharmacy. Again, I drop off the scripts and pick up few things I missed earlier in the week. The return to the pharmacy yielded more difficulties. First the meds rang up as full price. Then we were suprised when Cigna's database couldn't find me. The kicker was Cigna's database saying they were not a valid pharmacy. Something is definately not right! So again, I leave without the inhalers this time. Wasted trip #3

Friday, it was a call to the insurance to verify coverage. That's when they discovered the pharmacist entered the wrong pharmacy code. Cigna called the pharmacy and explained the problem. The pharmacy needed to call their help desk to determine how to correct the pharmacy code. That's all straightened out so then I called the doctor's office to reschedule my echocardiogram. Ok, that's set now for the 6th (and it's written down this time). While I was on the phone, they checked on the Chantix authorization and it was approved!! WOOHOO!!

Ok everything is in order, or so I believe. Today's trip did not go without a bump. Apparently the help desk resolve the pharmacy code problem by deleting my account with pharmacy!! Today's pharmacist had to re-enter all the information as well as get the authorization codes from Cigna.

I am finally home with the Chantix and inhalers. And it only cost me $105.00 in co-pays!! Hmm, it only costs me $75 for 30 days of cigs. Why did I ever think I would save money if I quit smoking?!?!?