The Reason Why Some Of Us Are Medicated:
The Reason Why Some Of Us Are Medicated:
Call Center, Crazy Requests, Extra Stupid, Florida, Patients, Pharmacy, USA | Healthy | October 24, 2018
(I work as a customer service representative. Our company manages prescription plans for a government-run insurance primarily for seniors. We also function as a mail-order pharmacy. This call takes place while I’m still in training during my first week taking calls.)
Me: “This is [My Name]; how can I help you?”
Customer: “Yeah. My husband needs to start taking [drug]. I want to know if his plan will cover it.”
Me: “I can certainly check that for you, ma’am. May I have some information?”
(After I verify her husband’s account information, I look up the medication.)
Me: “Okay. Your husband’s insurance will cover that for an approximate cost of [total].”
Customer: “Well, that seems like too much, but he needs it. Can you send it to him, please?”
Me: “Let me see.”
(I check, and we do not have a prescription for it, nor has another pharmacy filed a claim.)
Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am. We will need your husband’s doctor to send us a new prescription before we can fill it.”
Customer: “Oh. Well, his doctor won’t write it. You have to stop drinking for six months, and my husband likes to have a beer or two every night, so the doctor won’t write one.”
Me: “I’m sorry. But without a prescription, we cannot send a medication.”
Customer: *getting angry* “But I told you that his doctor won’t write the prescription! Can’t you just send it if we pay full price?”
Me: “Again, ma’am, I’m sorry, but we must have a prescription before we can send the medication.”
Customer: “Well, why can’t you just send it?!”
Me: *rubbing my temples at this point* “Ma’am, that would be illegal.”
|