Tomorrow is the end of the year. Wrong, you say? its only December 29?. HA! I spit on your shoes!
Ok, I wouldn’t actually spit on your shoes, but after my shift ends tomorrow, I will not unlock the pharmacy doors again until Jan 2. (of course, the New Year invites its own problems, but I’ll not think about that now). The Pharmacy Chick got the store duty the days before Christmas, so my man Friday gets the duty the days before New Year. I got the snow storm and the frantic wait-til-the-last-minute travelers. He gets the wait-til-the-last-minute end-of-year people. You know who I am talking about. “I want everything I can fill filled before the end of the year. My deductible is met”.
Some people want junk filled they don’t even need just because it will be cheap (or free). PC tries to be forward thinking. I look out for my people who are out of their donut hole. I’ll call some key customers up and remind them that their 2009 deductible will start over on Jan 1 and if they need ANYTHING, now (not later) is the best time to call me. I’ll obtain permission from their physicans to dispense a 90 days supply if its covered. Still, despite all my efforts its still a nightmare the last few days of the year.
I have one Prior Auth in my box I have been fussing with since Dec 10th. It ticks me off because the insurance company ok’s it every time but they always make the dr jump thru a hundred hoops. In the mean time this guy suffers with open sores on this body. I’ll bet if the CEO of the PBM had open sores all over HIS body he’d get his cream in less than 20 days. If I can’t fix it tomorrow, I doubt it will get done.
Nevertheless, time will tick away and at shifts end tomorrow, I say goodbye to 2008. I will leave specific instructions for my techs to work the refill box like its the most important thing in the world. I’d love to see it empty at the close of business Dec 31, but thats likely a pipe dream.
And speaking of dreams: I have my own wishlist for 2009. Feel free to add your own:
1. Gift cards for transfers? BANNED, for all time
2. No more split bills. I hate loyalty cards, especially the ones that require I remember a monthly split bill. How presumptuous of any manufacturer to expect me to do that.
3. A universal prescription card…with everything required for transmit…and all members listed on one card including Processor name, BIN, PCN, ID, Group, Person Codes and a phone number. IN A FONT THAT IS FREAKING READABLE!
4. Ban direct to consumer ads for prescription products.
5. The Hotel hosting the national convention of PBM and Medicare auditors would catch fire and everybody would perish inside. Chick just got done faxing over 30 pages of documents to support one prescription of test strips. She is a tiny bit bitter.
6. A requirement that if you are a help desk agent you speak fluent (not merely functional) English AND be located in North America. No more India, no more Phillipines.
7. Every manufacturer who has a recall be fined seriously big bucks which would be paid out to pharmacies who bought their junk, since we are the ones who have to clean up their messes.
8. My corporate office would have the same hours they make ME have. I probably had a dozen tech no-shows over the year that happened on the weekend. Guess what? Tough noogies. We worked alone because everybody in the office were snug at home.
and lastly…9. That all of you would have a prosperous and happy 2009. I’ve been doing this for just about 10 months now. Who’d think that anybody would have been interested in the ramblings of one retail pharmacist? THANKS!
God Bless you all!