A hideous example of the state of 'health care' in AmeriKa (GOD DAMN this shit) [View all]

[Triana]

Mom is 86 years old. Every year around April or May she falls into the "doughnut hole" of her Medicare Part D coverage. Just ONE of her prescriptions costs well over $300 for a ONE month's supply. After she hits the "doughnut hole", she has to pay out of pocket. CAN YOU IMAGINE paying that much for ONE prescription when you're on a fixed income? Just ONE of them.

She can get the same Rx from Canada - a THREE MONTH supply for half that amount (around $145). That's what she had been doing (with her doctor's OK) each year when she hits the "doughnut hole" to save money.

So...this time, she goes to the Canadian pharmacy again to get her Rx filled. This time, Bank of America stopped the charge. She called to find out why. They told her they were concerned the card was being used to buy 'contraband'. So, she switched to her bank card. Same result. (this has been going on for over a week and she's ALREADY been that long without the meds she needs to help her breathe - she has asthma). Bank told her to notify them ahead of time and they'd allow the charge for 24 hours. So she did that. Placed the order again...

THIS TIME, the Canadian pharmacy calls her and tells her they can send her one Rx but NOT the other one. For the OTHER one (the one she needs most), she has to send a CHECK to an address in TX.

She had ordered from this same pharmacy before. She used the same credit card before.

But NOW. SUDDENLY. It's an issue with the bank or cc company. Or, it's an issue with the pharmacy -- for ONE of the prescriptions.

Meanwhile, she will be without the meds she needs for over a month by the time this is over. ALL SO SHE CAN GET THE SAME MEDICATION FROM CANADA at half price.

Here's the goddamned bottom line on this shit:

1. NO ONE - particularly an almost-blind asthmatic 86-year-old - should have to go through this shit to get affordable medications that they NEED.

2. WHAT THE SAM FUCK is going on here? WHY all of a sudden are banks balking at charges she made before - and why does this pharmacy SUDDENLY tell her she can pay for one of the prescriptions with her cc -- but NOT the other one?

EXCUSE ME?

She's beside herself with worry about this and SO frustrated with it. Can you imagine having to deal with this shit at 86, almost blind and without meds you need to breathe because the GODDAMNED pharmaceutical psychopaths who WROTE MEDICARE PART D want to rip old people off and thus those in the "doughnut hole" (or frankly even those not in it) can't even get affordable meds they NEED?

THEN having to deal with who knows what fucking criminal online pharmacy in CANADA and the GODDAMNED banks and credit card companies JERKING you around on top of it all?

Holy PSYCHOPATHS, Batman.

I'm ready to CHOKE somebody and so is she. Yet - there is NOTHING I can do except watch her in tears trying to simply GET. THE. MEDICATIONS. SHE. NEEDS.