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Originally Posted by ProfessorDave
Help! I' assisting a 100% disabled veteran in The Villages who has been on a significant pain medication for several years. His Dr. at Lady Lake Pain And Spine Centers of Florida (Dr. Pinnamaneni) won't take the time to do a simple "pre-authorization" which lowers the price by over $200 per month. Publix Pharmacy recently contacted the Dr. and asked twice. This veteran drove to the practice twice this week to ask the receptionist for help - and was promised swift action. The Dr's office has been called three times this week by me - and no response.
I checked with the insurance company - and the story get's worse! The insurance company (Blue Cross Federal) shared two things: 1) they personally put in a request to the Dr. for the preauthorization - and got no response and 2) it would also cost less if the Dr. provided a 90 day refill - but won't, because he bills more money by requiring the patient to come in once a month for a new 30 day prescription - and has been doing that for years. Ethical? Morale? You be the judge.
As a result, the prescription has cost this vet over $500 this year - which he frankly doesn't have! Because of the financial situation - he has been in pain for several days - until I found out about it.
Two requests to consider: 1) Recommendations for a new Pain Doctor to help a 100% disabled vet - with very little money? 2) Please tell friends and family to write to Dr. Pinnamaneni and ask WHY he would leave a war hero in both physical and financial unnecessary pain!!!
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As far as doctors and filling out forms, mine is also a pain in the butt on this. I have little patience with needing to constantly follow up. Truth, I stick my wife with this because after 3x I am no longer polite. I've asked around-THEY ALL ARE LIKE THAT.
EXCUSE? Thanks to Medicare etc they are so overworked they cannot spare the time to do a good job.
I of course do not know all the details. Pain meds? In an effort to control FROM excessive use of OPIOIDS, the government has clamped down on pain meds. Prescriptions are for 30 days. The problems with OPIODS is they are habit forming and while they are the most effective pain killers, it takes higher and higher dosages to get the same relief. The mentioned $500 for the year, have it or not, is not much money. ADVICE TO YOUR FRIEND, he should contact VA MEDICAL. My dad did two tours of COMBAT duty in WWII. He got cancer. His prescriptions were like $600 a week. The VA would fill his prescriptions at, it I recall, a flat rate of $20. ASIDE-with cancer, the hidden reality. It is not the cancer that kills you, though it would eventually.
It is the poisons and pain killers they give you that kill you.
TO REPEAT-prescriptions, if they are OPIODS are 30 days and not refillable.