Weirdness

About a week ago I got a call from someone - I assumed it was my health insurance company (but now, I'm not so sure). They said I have to use the home delivery pharmacy for my long-term medicine and they would set that up for me. I was confused because I did get a couple of prescriptions, but neither of them would I consider "long-term". I do need them for the duration of my treatment but they are on an as-needed basis - in fact I have not even picked them up from the pharmacy yet - I won't need them till right after the next treatment, if even then!

So I asked which meds they were talking about and they shot off a bunch of names I didn't recognize. I told them I don't even remember what is waiting for me at the drugstore but that they aren't "long'term" anyway so basically, no thank you. Again they insisted that I HAVE to use their service. Again I said that I have no idea what they are talking about.

They would not let me go, though. Finally I recognized one of the names as a shot I have to go into the doctor's office to get on the day after the chemo. This med stimulates the bone marrow to produce white blood cells since they have all just been killed off by the chemo.

I don't know about you, but I see a difference between the typical "long term" med and a shot that I have to receive by a nurse at the doctor's office, a total of 8 times, 3 weeks apart.

I mean to me, "long term" would be my thyroid medication that I must take daily for the rest of my life. Which, by the way, they have never offered to "home deliver" to me! Oh, now I remember - I do have the choice to get it that way, but I DON'T HAVE TO.

I digress...

After going back and forth on this for quite some time I finally told them there is no way I am authorizing HOME delivery of meds I get at the doctor's OFFICE and don't even know the names of! They still would not let it drop! Finally I said they should call the doctor himself. I gave them his name and hung up, and promptly forgot all about it.

Then about a week later, on Friday morning I get another call. This one says they are from "Diplomat Pharmacy" and my meds are ready to ship. All I need to do is give them a "valid credit card number" and they would send them right out to my door. My reaction was something along the lines of "HUH"? Just the co-payment, they assured, which was actually quite low so that was not the problem. I explained that I had no idea what they are taking about and that I get my meds at the doctor. They said my doctor had called it in. I said well, YOU called my doctor but I still have no idea what this is or who you are and I am not paying for it at this time. I said anyway I need it by Monday and they said it wouldn't be here until Tuesday afternoon, and by the way someone has to be here to sign for it because it needs to be refrigerated immediately.

Again, WTH. I told them I was not going to pay them and they said ok, we'll hold it.

Since it would not be here in time anyway I did not bother to try to call the doctor and figure it out. I am seeing him on Monday and will ask then. What I DID do is call my insurance company. By now I had realized that I do not HAVE to use the home delivery in the first place, so I wanted to try to figure out who had called me in the first place and who these people are! I had also figured out - I THINK - that the other meds mentioned are the steroid and anti-nausea stuff I get in the IV during the chemo session.

So I called and got confirmation that it is MY choice to use home delivery, that they have their own and the only time they would use anyone else would be for "specialty meds" which probably includes the stuff I am getting. BUT!! She said she had never heard of Diplomat Pharmacy! She said it's possible they would use someplace she hadn't heard of because the specialty stuff is completely separate, but she would be surprised that she would never have even HEARD of it.

She also seemed to agree (though she didn't actually say so) that stuff I get in the doctor's office would not normally be considered to qualify for home delivery.

I am also concerned because while I am getting certain meds NOW, it is not guaranteed to be the same thing every time. I am only getting the first combo for a total of 4 treatments (3 more) and another combo for 4 more, all of which is subject to change based on many different factors, one of which being the weekly blood test that, at least IMO, could change things at the last minute.

Not to mention I would be expected to be home at the time of delivery, refrigerate them properly and get them to the doctor's office? Sorry, I am not willing to do all that. I don't really give a shit if it DOES save me money. I have reached my yearly out of pocket max so it doesn't make a bit of difference to me.

So I guess now I just wait to see what the doctor says. I think if he thinks this is a good idea then HE can pay for it (like he does anyway!) and have it delivered to him!