It Didn’t Cost That Much Last Month
January for the pharmacy is never our favorite month. The first week particularly is dreaded by most staff. While most Americans are looking forward to a fresh start and new beginnings, your pharmacy staff has a different outlook.
The new year for us signals different insurance plans and hundreds of confused patients. We have to enter new insurance cards and hear the same complaints that it doesn’t cost the same as last month. Patients forget that last month was a different year and, in most cases, a different insurance.
Do yourself and the pharmacy staff a favor: carry your current insurance card with you. Be prepared to show it even if you thought it “was in the system.” We are at the whims of the computer gods too. Be patient with us, please. And when we explain what’s wrong with your insurance, more than 95% of the time, we are right. Most of us have been doing this for a long time and have plenty of experience dealing with insurance companies.
For those in the pharmacy field, good luck. For everyone else, Happy New year, and remember to be nice to your friendly neighborhood pharmacist.
R. Tran Books 