So I have been slacking in the posting department. Sue me.
I'm writing out of anger today. Just being honest.
*Gripe alert*
So mom in-law has needed to move in with us in early spring while she battles her breast cancer. She has put up the good fight with chemo, radiation, and mastectomy.
Yesterday we took her to the oncologist with concern. She has developed nodular areas on her back and the doc confirmed the worst. The cancer has spread. A PET scan has been ordered. We will find out the rest after the scan.
Have you heard the term 'when it rains it pours'?
Once we got home there were several messages from her various pharmacies letting her know that all of her medications are now going to be full cost as she has fallen into the infamous Medicare part D for 'DONUT HOLE'. This includes her oral anti-cancer agents.
We called back to the oncologist and they were able to switch some things around so she would be taking her drugs in his office to allow Medicare part B and her secondary to pick up the tab. Great! But this did not fix all of the problem.
My mother in law takes Fumara (a hormone treatment) for her cancer and it is still in the donut hole. We were told by the doc's office to call Novartis to enroll her in their "Patient Assistance Program". So I called.
After listening to the automated operator direct me through various "press this button for this" and "press this button for that" I finally made it to a human being. Or so I thought.
The Novartis representative asked me all sorts of questions about my mother in-law... SS#... Medicare #... DOB... monthly income... blah blah blah. Then she asked me about my income and my wife's income. I asked her why the hell did she need to know our income since it was my mother in-law who needed the assistance.
She just smugly responded, "We have to factor in all family member's income to determine who qualifies."
"So if I had a twelve year old son who cut grass in the summer you are telling me that Novartis would factor that income into this program?"
"Yes."
"F**king incredible! Of course we would pay for your drug if WE could afford to buy it for her but this IS the 'PATIENT Assistance Program' is it not?! I hope you and your CEO are able to sleep at night."
Silence.
"Maybe you idiots at Novartis might consider being more honest by renaming your crappy PR scheme to 'FAMILY Assistance Program'".
Go USA!
The Deal About Nothing
4 years ago
Posts
Hey I'm so sorry to hear about your Mom-in-law. I hope all goes well. That sucks about the Pt Assistance stuff. So ridiculous. Sometimes I feel like those groups title themselves so wrong; they should be called something like: Pt Assistance If We Can't Find An easy Way Out of Not Paying for Anything - Or At Least Make It a Colossal Pain In The Arse For Family and Patient In The Process. That's a more appropriate title. Kinda long letterhead though.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes to all yours.