my company changed insurance providers this year and now the cost of my enbrel has skyrocketed. instead of a copay like every other health insurance company in america charges, i now have a coinsurance of 10 percent of the cost of the medicine. basically, i’m paying three times the amount i paid before.
the enbrel assistance program directed to me to an organization that helps people pay for expensive medicines like the one i’m on. several weeks ago, i faxed my application form and income documentation and then waited. and i waited. and i waited.
last week, i called and was told they didn’t have my income documentation or my signature. then, they said they did. unorganized much? i was told to call back on march 6.
so today, i called back. i had reached the end of the time frame for applications to be approved, yet mine still hadn’t been. we don’t have your income documentation, they said.
i calmly told them that i had heard the same thing the last several times i had called and asked why it hadn’t been put with my file. i was told that my income documentation had been found but it would still be another 3-5 business days before i would hear anything. i explained that i had waited the required amount of time and didn’t think it was fair to have to wait at least another week, but was told there was nothing that could be done. “they can’t approve your application today,” she said.
at that point, i asked to speak to a supervisor. if there’s anything i learned from my mom, it’s to go right to the top when dealing with customer service representatives. none of them actually serve the customers anyway.
“everyone is busy right now,” the rep said. “i’ll send an email and have someone call you.”
“no offense, but i’ve heard that before and never had a call back,” i replied. “i’ll hold.”
and i did. for a long while. eventually, i had to hang up. the moment i did, my phone rang. the supervisor was on the other end. “i had your application approved,” she said before apologizing for the constant runaround i received.
and i thought it couldn’t be approved today. it’s amazing what you can get done when you speak to a customer service supervisor. and when you listen to what your mom teaches you.
You’re going to be a great mom!
Wow. Congrats. I posted today too about unexpectedly getting your way with a big company. Also, I’m sorry your new insurance plan SUCKS so much.
You sound like me, lol. Sometimes asking to speak to a supervisor really does work. It didn’t work when I worked for Blue Cross, but you know, that was mostly b/c people wanted to speak to supervisors b/c they wanted something covered that simply wasn’t covered…period. Speaking of BCBS, and no good insurance, my insurance recently pulled something that I’m very angry about…can’t really blog about it..but I’m with you on the insurance stinking thing.
Yeah I pull the supervisor line a lot while trying to get stuff done for my gastric bypass… how hard is it to tell me if you have all the paperwork in that you need… ugh a bunch of det de de’s!