How Government Ruins Everything, Including My Lunch
Limited government, I'm all for.
What we have is vastly overreaching government.
I ruined my lunch by spending most of it on the phone with the Kaiser West LA pharmacy -- with the sort of people who sound like they have the look in their eyes of a dead fish (one of whom was a pharmacist).
I have a prescription for the generic for Adderall, which helps me function as a writer. I have ADHD, which is misnamed attention deficit disorder. It actually reflects too much attention. Adderall helps calm all that down so I can be a little more unidirectional (or at least not tornado-directional) in my thinking, so I can write.
I find that Kaiser stocks this drug as if it's a rare leukemia potion, not one that a probably an eighth of Los Angeles is on, so I do what I always do when I get a prescription: Call the pharmacy to find out if they have it in. I make it clear that this is a prescription from my Kaiser doctor, and they can see this because they made me give them my medical record number when I got on the phone.
So, I ask, do you have the amount I need?
Kaiser West LA pharmacy android: "We don't give out information about our stock of schedule two drugs on the phone."
Well, they have -- for all the years I've been in LA (since the mid 90s) -- which is pretty much how long I've been taking ADHD drugs.
I tell the dead fish-eyed voice on the phone -- and later, a pharmacist, after dead fish eyes dumps my call and I have to call back (recording, recording, press one, press five, go fuck yourself with a sharp stick...)...
I try a new tactic: I ask if they tell me if they can fill the amount in my prescription -- which they can see...prescribed by my Kaiser psychiatrist.
Pharmacy android and then, later, pharmacist android: It isn't their policy to tell me that -- or to hold the drugs until I can get there.
When, by the way, the Kaiser pharmacy nearest me is holding part of my prescription (but can't fill the whole thing), and told me exactly how much of the drug they had and let me have it all.
But, again, this is the West LA Kaiser I'm being shafted by. What they're asking: That I would rush to my mailbox place, pick up my prescription, rush there, and then...find that they don't have it.
They said they could then call other Kaisers for me. But, if I'm again lucky, those Kaisers will be run by kowtowing functionaries instead of human beings with empathy (and sense), and they won't hold it, either.
Oh, goody! Then I could drive around to all the 24-hour pharmacies in California under the same notion -- that they might have it but won't tell me for sure and won't hold it, even if I'm speeding there right then in my car to go pick it up.
And let's explore why a pharmacy can't tell a member of their HMO whether they can or cannot fill her prescription: Because the fucking government is so panic-stricken about somebody, somewhere doing meth, or some college student Adderalling their way to an A when they would have gotten a B without the drug.
So I spent my lunch hour on the phone, got terribly stressed out and upset, and only got part of my prescription...meaning that I will go through this whole stressful experience far sooner than I would have otherwise.
Fuck you, government lovers. Fuck you, all of you who think nothing of voting for big government and its self-serving representatives.
I'm wondering why you're blaming the government for Kaiser's
anti-customer-service policy. I'm fairly confident the government
doesn't have a rule that says Kaiser isn't permitted to tell you
whether they can fill your prescription. If I call CVS to refill a
prescription, they will tell me when it will be ready, and it will
be sitting in the store under my name until I get there to pick it
up. That's a matter of routine at CVS. Of course, CVS has
competition. If I don't like their service, I can use a different
drugstore. I'm not forced to fill a prescription via one specific
company. Does Kaiser force you to fill your prescription only at
Kaiser? If so, *they* need some viable competition.
Ron at January 31, 2015 4:47 AM
Yes to CVS.
Bizarre, I am currently on vacation in Boston and needed a prescription. I went to CVS. They were able to do this.
NicoleK at January 31, 2015 5:29 AM
I'm fairly confident the government
doesn't have a rule that says Kaiser isn't permitted to tell you
whether they can fill your prescription
Your "fair confidence" is wrong, Ron. You don't have to make rules to get people to follow them. There is so much paranoia and control around "Schedule 2" drugs that businesses pick up on it.
I can't get my prescription called in or even "computered" in by my Kaiser doctor to Kaiser's pharmacy. I have to have a hard copy in hand.
This is the government's rule on "Schedule 2" drugs -- and never mind that there is not a shred of evidence that I am running a meth lab or doing anything other than using my Adderall so I can focus and write instead of having this horrible almost physical ache from struggling to gather my attention and failing.
A woman who works for me had the same problem when she needed to have an Oxycontin prescription filled for a shoulder injury. The pharmacy wouldn't tell her if they had it in. She said, "Well why would I drive there if you don't?"
This isn't about a need for competition. It's about the government and the War on Drugs and it's little volunteer foot soldiers who don't make decisions with their brain but with their careerist little bureaucratic functionary minds.
The Kaiser near me didn't have all my prescription but I ended up getting two-thirds of it there, which means I will have to go through this process two-thirds earlier, which is horrible and stressful and eats into my writing time and my peace of mind.
The pharmacist at the Kaiser near me -- an older woman who's been there probably for eons, is kind and smart and not one to give a patient a stressful, communist-era-type runaround, so she told me they had two thirds of my meds and that they'd hold them for me until I got there at the end of the day. I told her that I'd call her back if I could get the whole thing filled at West LA so she could release the meds for others, but as it turned out, it was an act of futility to call there.
Ron, so quick to be assume government didn't do this. Didn't you see the "schedule two" bit above? Do you need a physical prescription in hand (used to be in triplicate), requiring a drive to the doctor's office, every time you need prescription cold meds, etc?
Welcome to too much government. And thank you for doing all the bending over for them before they ask.
Amy Alkon at January 31, 2015 5:40 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2015/01/31/how_government_6.html#comment-5817978">comment from Amy AlkonRelated: How government's keeping the ingredients in Adderall under short supply makes life hell for the patients who need them.
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/01/02/got_adderall.html
This makes me fearful every time I need to refill my prescription. How would you like that, Ron, if every time a prescription you needed to function adequately needed refilling that you would live in fear that you couldn't get it?
Amy Alkon at January 31, 2015 5:45 AM
Sound like you have run into yet another example of Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy.
parabarbarian at January 31, 2015 6:16 AM
I can tell you from personal experience that CVS will not fill an Adderall prescription over the phone. Walgreens, if I go to the 24-hour pharmacy at 3 am, will at least tell me which other Walgreens pharmacy has it in stock so I only have to make two trips on a sleepless night.
Ted at January 31, 2015 6:35 AM
Same for me, and I use Costco. I can't call and find out which one has the meds in stock, I have to make a tour of the SGV, and hope that the nearest one will have enough so I don't have to go to another one. It's ridiculous. I could buy it on the street faster.
kateC at January 31, 2015 6:58 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2015/01/31/how_government_6.html#comment-5818179">comment from kateCRon, note the posts of those who've dealt with this, too -- at non-Kaiser pharmacies.
Amy Alkon at January 31, 2015 7:32 AM
Been there, done that bought the t-shirt. But the answer is plan ahead a little bit? I'm on an SSRI (Pristiq) which like most of them is really bad to withdraw from suddenly. And I've done 48 hours without a couple of times - believe me, that sucked. And I didn't blame anyone but myself. Did I mention once I was interstate and working 12 hour shifts with no transport? Try getting a script filled under those circumstances
Organise your prescription the week *before* you need it. I know from experience. Just don't whine about it if you want same day service. First world problems.
Ltw at January 31, 2015 7:45 AM
Walgreens, if I go to the 24-hour pharmacy at 3 am, will at least tell me which other Walgreens pharmacy has it in stock so I only have to make two trips on a sleepless night.
Oh Ted, I'm wiping a little tear from my eye. Wait, that was just a little bit of cigarette ash. Harden up, princess.
3am. Really?
Ltw at January 31, 2015 7:57 AM
When I had to fill a schedule 2 prescription at CVS, it was handled
with the same routine. Admittedly, it wasn't Adderall, and neither
was it a renewal, so it's not a 1:1 correspondence, but my
experience varies greatly from yours.
I have to wonder what would happen if you called CVS and told them
you had a prescription for Adderall and can they fill it today?
Ron at January 31, 2015 9:18 AM
Amy, have you considered home delivery? I get adderall through home delivery with Express Scripts. Every 3 months either my doctor or myself mails in the prescription, and a 3 month supply is delivered 1-2 weeks later. (Requires a signature so not like someone can just grab it out of your mailbox). It saves so much time and aggravation and at least with my insurance is cheaper too--I pay $20 for 3 months vs $10/month.
Shannon at January 31, 2015 9:56 AM
3 am. Really. I avoid traffic and lines that would add 45 minutes to the task, plus pharmacists are less willing to spend time on the phone calling pharmacies if they're busy. I discovered this by accident.
Ted at January 31, 2015 11:20 AM
Fair enough Ted. I got misled by the "on a sleepless night" bit into thinking you were desperately trying to top up after running out. I've got no problem with attending at unusual times of day if it works for you. I've done enough shift work to appreciate 24 hour access myself!
Ltw at January 31, 2015 2:10 PM
go fuck yourself with a sharp stick.
I wouldn't be surprised if there's a website for people who are into that.
JD at January 31, 2015 2:29 PM
I was wondering about the mail order regulations for schedule 2 stuff too. I do it for regular scripts and I'll say this, after you dutifully get your doctor to turn in the script to your pharmacy, then it's a waiting game to see how long it takes to arrive. Do yourself a favor and follow the progress online. Cause if you have any kind of screwup with your prescription they don't exactly call you and let you know. Just saying, I learned this the hard way. I can't imagine having to run around town and chase down pills every month, that's just awful.
gooseegg at January 31, 2015 8:20 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2015/01/31/how_government_6.html#comment-5819767">comment from LtwTry getting a script filled under those circumstances Organise your prescription the week *before* you need it. I
Believe me, believe me, I do. And not just one week ahead, either.
I don't want to get into the circumstances about this -- understandable error that was not made by me, causing this to be waaaay more last-minute than necessary.
Amy Alkon at January 31, 2015 9:26 PM
I understand the problem you are having Amy because it is not just limited to your Adderall. My mom and dad have reached that age where they are on several prescriptions and have arrangements with the pharmacy (Walgreens) and STILL have trouble getting them all filled. It has nothing to do with them. It is the way the drugs are distributed. It seems like once every three months they have to run back and forth to the pharmacy to get the rest of their prescriptions. It's crazy and it can be draining. Since they filled two thirds of it, maybe you can wait a week and see if they can fill the rest of it when the new shipment comes in. That is what my parents do.
Sheep mom at February 1, 2015 8:12 AM
Amy, this is what I think every time I have to wait for a pharmacy to open (usually overnight) so I can get allergy medicine.
Shannon at February 2, 2015 10:05 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2015/01/31/how_government_6.html#comment-5824109">comment from ShannonShannon, that is just outrageous.
Amy Alkon at February 2, 2015 1:32 PM
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