An elephant stepped on my suitcase.

Years ago my mother had one of "those flights".  Weather delays, baggage delays. Winter coats which means standing at baggage claim overheating because of your heavy winter coat.     When she finally got her bag, it was crushed.  Off to customer service she went.   The line was already long.   People were angry, yelling and treating the poor woman behind the counter as if she alone had caused all the weather and baggage chaos. 

Seeing how well the yelling customers were doing, my mother calmly waited for her turn with the over worked agent. "An elephant stepped on my suitcase" was all she said.  And then she stood there , quietly, resisting the urge to say another word.  Click. Click. Click   Within about 2 minutes the agent looked up and with a smile handed my mother a voucher for a new suitcase plus extra money to replace the damaged contents of her smushed luggage. 

AS is a systemic disease. While people think it is a disease affecting the spine, the reality is it can affect pretty much every part of our bodies. My AS has now given me inflammation of my eyes causing severe dry eye.  It's been quite the battle over the past few years.  I have spent over $3,000 out of pocket, not covered by insurance on treatments to try to improve my dry eye.  After 2 years at my ophthalmologist, I was referred to a dry eye specialist.

After 6 months of treatments we  have landed on a prescription eye drop that has given me much needed relief and clear vision.  Like biologics, I will take this success for as long as this eye drop will work.  Yes, this is my second eye drop.  As an aside, I hesitate to name specific brands as I don't want readers to think that my success with a medication will mean you will have success with a particular medication.  Each of us has individual responses to all medications.

As I was running low on my prescription I went to the portal for the pharmacy to request my refill.   I was out of refills and they would have to reach out to my provider- a very typical process.  At the same time I came down with a nasty cold and "took my eye off the ball" ( pun intended)

Because I have great insurance and excellent providers I assumed the process would happen and I"d be good to go.  That was MY mistake.  After I realized it was a week since I requested my prescription and I didn't get the notification that my drops were ready for pick up, I came out of the fog of my head cold and made a call to the pharmacy.  

They informed me that they needed paperwork from my doc. 

Called my doc.  They said they had done a preauthorization, but would do it again.  

Called back to the pharmacy.  They put it through again.

I could see on the app for the pharmacy that once again the prescription was "in process".  

By the way, the price without insurance was $1,200.  PRO-TIP: If you have an expensive prescription ALWAYS go to the manufacturer's website and find the co-pay assistance program.   

As I'm watching, the progress of this order it changed from "In progress" to "Cancelled". What?? Another call to the pharmacy.  Long wait time.  I click the button to get a call back when an agent is available to talk to me.   I finally get a live person on the phone. 

I channel my mother and the Elephant Stepped on my suitcase story.  I know that if I yell at  lady on the phone I will get nowhere.  They investigate and mutter something along the lines of "You'll have to call your provider". I said "Is there any way you two can talk to each other because I'm calling back and forth? Silence.  I resist the urge to say anything further.  Long silence on the phone.  Click. Click. Click.

Then she says "well it's a  new calendar year" and then "oh someone typed something wrong".  Short silence on the phone. More "click click click" as she types away on the computer.   Then, the words I wanted to hear: "We have your prescription in stock and will be ready today.  With your co-pay assistance card you will owe $0! 

Patients often have to make multiple phone calls. We often have to call providers, pharmacies, insurance companies.  Leave a message, put our name on a call back list, long hold times, waiting for the call back.

Stay calm.  Stay polite. Stay professional.  Remember: The elephant stepped on my suitcase. Hold your tongue and let the person on the other end of the phone make magical things happen for you.