Judging from all the news media, it is none too soon to start telling President Obama how things should be run, so here is my contribution for today. We need to scrap our motto “In God We Trust”. Do away with it. It is out dated. We need something more timely, more fitting, more in sync with the way our country, our government, our industry, our society operates today. I suggest “That’s just the way it works.”
Here is a personal example. I have been fighting a chronic sinus/ear infection for a couple of months-tried antibiotics, home remedies, over-the-counter, no relief. On my latest doctor visit he prescribed a nasal spray, said I should start it as soon as possible. So I stopped at my local drug dealer on the way home to fill the prescription. After a half hour or so, the druggist came out with a paper, said they needed to get my doctor’s approval (isn’t that what the script does?). I asked how long, maybe another 10 minutes?, and was told it might take a couple of days. Or more. Hmmm.
When I returned 3 days later, they told me they had not heard from the doctor. Upon further questioning, I learned that the doctor needed to contact my insurance company and get pre-approval on payment for the medication before they could dispense it. The drugstore had faxed a form to my doctor requesting this, but had not heard back. But, but, I said, why would my doctor not have done this before writing my prescription? Well, the pharmacist replied, the doctor probably didn’t know it was required by the insurance company. Sounds to me, I said, like a major gridlock in the system. Why not call the doctor? “Well, that’s just the way it works…”.
No. As my hero Jerry Seinfeld would say, That’s the way it doesn’t work! If it worked, I wouldn’t be still waiting a week later for my meds. If it worked, I would have my meds the same day, and the insurance company and the drug dealer would all have their exorbitant profits in hand. Anything else does not make sense. What part is working?
I’m getting a sinus headache. I sure hope President Obama can “change” the healthcare industry.
That’s Just the Way It Works…
