America: Wednesday Morning March 24, 2010

Early in March I sent a letter to my internist asking for a refill of my prescription medicines; both drugs I have taken for several years. The letter was sent so that there would be no rush or worry about getting the prescriptions renewed, mailed to the pharmacy provider of my insurance and filled in the normal course.

I had not gotten a response so I called the doctor's office. He was on vacation but his substitute would look at the file. Shortly thereafter I got a call, "Please come in for a full physical, substitute doctor can not refill without the physical." (I had just had a physical in the late fall of 2009.)

"O.K.," I said, knowing better than to argue with a doctor. I went in, submitted to the physical, paid the charges and got an order for blood tests that went along with the physical. I returned home with the prescriptions. Later that evening, my wife brought to my attention that the prescriptions, instead of being for 90 days, were in the form of a 30 day prescriptions with 2 refills. I said, "Well that adds up doesn't it? 3 times 30 = 90." She responded, "Yes, but not to the insurer's pharmacy. If I send it in that way, there will be a $ 254.00 surcharge for delivery in three separate units."

So, 8:30 am the next morning, March 24, I leave my home for the 6 mile drive to the doctor's office to get the prescriptions rewritten and then to go 1.2 miles further to the blood laboratory to get the blood drawn for the tests.

I live on a cul de sac which exits on to a two lane narrow country road on the outskirts of town. There aren't a lot of houses out here. In fact the population of this unincorporated area might be a few hundred people and some cats and dogs at most. Many more trees than people.

However, it took 18 minutes to exit my driveway. Apparently the world has found that our little country road, at 8:30 am, is the closest and quickest way between a larger two lane road to the north and a 4 lane thoroughfare about 1 mile to the south. The cars just kept coming, fast, much faster than the posted 30 mph and I couldn't get anyone to slow to let me in, even though 400 yds. further is a stop sign where the line of stopped cars is quite visible to the traffic coming along.

I got out. Then another 15 minutes to go the next mile. I turned right onto the thoroughfare and was immediately in a traffic snarl that took over half an hour to get me the next mile. So now 53 minutes into the 6 mile trip to the doctor, I had made it half way.

At the doctor's office I signed in and took my seat. You know the rest of the story, sort of. I sat. Finally I got to tell a receptionist why I was there, without an appointment. I had the fact of the $254.00 penalty printed in letter form. She took it back to the doctor. Time passed. She returned with the prescriptions. "The doctor is keeping this letter in the file." I thanked her and left.

The good news is that the technician who drew my blood at the lab was very efficient, stuck me only once to find a vein and smiled while she did it.

I can't wait until this process is controlled by the Department of Health and Human Services. Somehow I think the word, "Human" ought to have an "e." Sphere: Related Content