My wife will get her meds
Those of you who suggested we go through the drug company directly were bang-on correct; our insurance company is still futzing around, but the drug company has hooked us up for enough time to get the issue permanently resolved.
Thanks for all your (mostly) kid words and advice. 
Still hyper-pissed.
But my wife will get her medication.
And that is enough for today.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Our "health care" system still sucks though.
I prefer WP's honesty and the fact he has a temper to lose. When furious like that I'm not interested in reading a milque toast's angry outburst
You will learn - if you have not already - that some of the most important and well thought out posts come from this very DU member, we would not be as well rounded without him. He has earned my trusting his praise, and his anger.
And a hearty welcome to you!
and our president has perfected the language. Or at least he may be viewed this way by many Americans as the new plans unfold and they turn out to be the same as the old plans or worse.
Of course, what do I know? I can see Sarah Palin's house from my house. 
She was helping to a point and I called back to ask her for more help.
Much to my surprise, I was told that "She is no longer here". 
Makes me wonder who's side they are on as the guy running that association dumped his own wife into a nursing home! 
Granted, he would get thousands of responses but talk about traffic for this site !
he doesn't 
Damn Warren, you are just too smart for me.
"Michele, stop bothering me, I'm posting on DU ! Putin can wait, damnit ! "
ok ok Michele is bugging me, see ya soon Warren !
PBO
countries and seeing how they've dealt with the issues instead of demanding that they shut up.
What an awesome concept...
ACA have anything to do with it? Could you be getting them without ACA in effect? 
Thanks for letting us know, and imo your outrage was completely justified.
I am SO relieved, my dear Will, for you both.
K and R
...despite my disagreement with how you brought your wife's situation to light, I appreciate you reminding us that there is still one giant healthcare problem that needs to be addressed. The insane overcharging for prescription medication.
It was a subject that was hot a few years ago, but we've been sidetracked by other problems. I don't know how to bring it back into the spotlight, but I'm going to start writing letters/emails to anyone that might listen.
I'm so glad you found a solution.
I'm so glad that worked out for the short-term and hopefully their will be a plan to meet her needs for the long-term as well.
I certainly will not rest until we get single payer. ACA is a start, but we've got much more work to do.
Last edited Thu Mar 20, 2014, 02:49 PM - Edit history (2)
none of us should have to deal with the frustrating maze that is for profit health insurance.
It's such a frustrating, emotional energy blasting waste of time. Most of us have busy lives, and don't need every second of our free time consumed by things like being put on hold for a half hour when trying to find out if our health care needs will be covered, and then struggling with bureaucracy ("I'm going to transfer you to Irma Gardnotagin over in Customer Care"
as you scream while really shitty digitally detracted music begins to play, music that is designed to get you to give up while you are on hold for another half hour waiting for Irma over in Customer Care to pick up as she does her nails while not answering your call for the half hour prescribed in the corporate protocol manual under the section entitled "101 Ways To Make The Mark Customer Give Up Trying So We Can Burn Them And Increase Profits".
As you put speakerphone on and wonder, "Geez, this company made record profits in the gazillions of dollars range last year...you'd think they could hire more staff to expedite customer service!"
One problem (among many problems) people commonly have is not understanding deceptive for profit health insurance terminology. When dealing with for profit health insurance companies, what you don't know can, and probably will, hurt you. For profit health insurance companies rely on customer ignorance for increased profits.
The devil is in the details, and things don't always mean what they appear to say. And even people who are educated, literate, and have relatively high IQ's get duped sometimes. Every US health care provider's intake staff has stories about nightmare time consuming dealings with the deviousness, evasiveness, and doublespeak of for profit health insurance companies. If they can even scam the professionals, imagine what old Mack DeNife in Sales & Marketing does to folks who can't read all that well.
I wonder how much extra profit is generated for these companies per day through customer ignorance and error. I suspect it is millions of dollars, collectively.
Health care in Canada is delivered through a publicly funded health care system, which is mostly free at the point of use and has most services provided by private entities.[2] It is guided by the provisions of the Canada Health Act of 1984.[3] The government assures the quality of care through federal standards. The government does not participate in day-to-day care or collect any information about an individual's health, which remains confidential between a person and his or her physician.[citation needed] Canada's provincially based Medicare systems are cost-effective partly because of their administrative simplicity. In each province each doctor handles the insurance claim against the provincial insurer. There is no need for the person who accesses health care to be involved in billing and reclaim. Private health expenditure accounts for 30% of health care financing.[4]
Competitive practices such as advertising are kept to a minimum, thus maximizing the percentage of revenues that go directly towards care. In general, costs are paid through funding from income taxes. In British Columbia, taxation-based funding is supplemented by a fixed monthly premium which is waived or reduced for those on low incomes.[5] There are no deductibles on basic health care and co-pays are extremely low or non-existent (supplemental insurance such as Fair Pharmacare may have deductibles, depending on income).
A health card is issued by the Provincial Ministry of Health to each individual who enrolls for the program and everyone receives the same level of care.[6] There is no need for a variety of plans because virtually all essential basic care is covered, including maternity and infertility problems. Depending on the province, dental and vision care may not be covered but are often insured by employers through private companies. In some provinces, private supplemental plans are available for those who desire private rooms if they are hospitalized. Cosmetic surgery and some forms of elective surgery are not considered essential care and are generally not covered. These can be paid out-of-pocket or through private insurers. Health coverage is not affected by loss or change of jobs, health care cannot be denied due to unpaid premiums (in BC), and there are no lifetime limits or exclusions for pre-existing conditions.
Pharmaceutical medications are covered by public funds for the elderly or indigent,[7] or through employment-based private insurance. Drug prices are negotiated with suppliers by the federal government to control costs. Family physicians (often known as general practitioners or GPs in Canada) are chosen by individuals. If a patient wishes to see a specialist or is counseled to see a specialist, a referral can be made by a GP. Preventive care and early detection are considered important and yearly checkups are encouraged.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Canada
Why pay more?
Everybody wants Canadian drugs for one reason: Brand-name meds are cheaper there. A 2012 report found, for example, that a 30-day supply of Cymbalta (used to treat depression or chronic pain) typically costs $149 in the United States, compared with $113 in Canada; Nasonex (used for allergies) was $105 in the U.S. and only $29 in Canada.
These price differences are due to the unique way that the U.S. handles its pharmaceutical marketplace. In most other countries, governments either set pricing caps or negotiate lower prices directly with drugmakers. In the U.S., pricing is determined by market competition among pharmaceutical companies, which have little incentive to keep prices down.
When accused of price gouging in the U.S. market, the companies claim that the high costs are required to pay off sunken research and development costs — averaging over $1 billion per drug, according to Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. The claim has been debated, with some studies estimating the cost at more like $50 million to $75 million. Regardless, because other countries force pharmaceutical companies to sell drugs cheaply abroad, U.S. residents are stuck with the bill, essentially subsidizing the affordable prescription drugs in other countries.
snip---
When he was drafting what would eventually become the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama considered adding a section that would enable Medicare to negotiate drug prices. However, he gave that away as a bargaining chip to gain the overall support of the pharmaceutical industry.
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/11/7/is-canada-the-answertohighpriceofmedsinus.html
Free Market Capitalism: Let The Buyer Beware.
Once again.
all that snow and ice. 
And, I thank you.
The arrogance is unbecoming a progressive.
On this matter, I think you're hopeless.
Obama created a life far better for probably millions than existed before.
He had a fucked up Congress to deal with.
This is the best he could get and he didn't CREATE out of thin air the insurance treachery that you encountered.
I swear, you're blind and you're stubborn and your angry posts, recommended by your choir of sycophants, do nothing to advance the cause.
Not a God Damned thing.
Right there with ya, Calimary.
They are going out of their way to shut us down with petty tactics, totally unbecoming of any decent liberal I've ever known.
Like you, I've been around here long enough to feel at home, and this latest band of chronic poo flingers aren't going to run me off with my tail between my legs. I plan on being a thorn in their collective side for the duration.
I'm a proud Democrat, and we have come too far to piss it away now.
What if I had a burning hate for the President - called him awful names and said he was a piece of shit and ACA was a piece of shit work and everything he says and does ends up in the shithouse?
Then would I have your permission to speak on the matter?
If I could be bothered I'd search and see if you ever commented or had an opinion on the goings on in other countries. Did you stay silent during the Iraq war, how about Palestinian/Isreali issues or the outsourcing of American jobs to other countries. I think Australia still has a very severe drought - I hope you didn't break your own rules!
from Canada yesterday Whining venomously about the President.. and strangely Welcomed with Open Arms by an OH.
They don't like it when a Canadian supports President Obama.. that's a big NO NO.
I do believe this is an International board? Peeps from all over the World?
Whisp~
And I believe that DU probably wouldn't exist or be the same without his input. So, this xenophobic baloney I'm seeing posted around here is rather baffling.
false story to flail and obsess over. That must have been a sad day on DU when that treasure had to be given up.
and I think it also has to do with Obama being a diplomat and not going for the latest possible invasive Bush like move that is dreamed about - that must have been discouraging that American soldiers are not headed for Ukraine so they could bash his skull in with vile words til the end of time.
I have seen the cycle quite a few times so these jibes are just part of the pattern. I think it's amusing, and almost entertaining that furiners get the treatment when there is not much else happening.
But everything else in your post is spot on. But all you have to do is look at the caliber of the posters that making this "well, you ain't here so you need to shut up, I don't give a damn how Freeperish I sound" to know that this little foray into xenophobia is yet another desperate attempt to change the subject. When you know you're on the losing side of an issue, just try to limit the folks that can participate. Republicans have been doing that for decades.
It's really nice to see you, Agent Frog. Haven't seen you in a while.
Been spending more time with the grandkids and less time here since it tends to make my head hurt so much these days.
thanks to all who suggested you do this.
Having to wade thru it all.
Doesn't prevent melt-downs after facts being revealed, but, hey, no system is perfect.
I think we will be fine, agreed no system is perfect. The transparency here is as close to perfect as we can get.
People who have concerns about anything nefarious should sign up for a term instead of busting a spleen in GD to feed the drama.
My experiences with MIRT were nothing but above-board and task-oriented. I think the current bugaboo is much ado about nothing, and folks would see this first hand if they took the time to volunteer.
Right, justin?
In your post, I notice the text for the MIRT "Super powers" button, and it cracks me up (for obvious reasons).
... now the wait to see if not having her meds for a while did any damage. Glad you took the advice to go over the insurance company's head straight to the drug-maker itself. Hugs to all for now...
