Corpopharm Complaint Conundrum

Tonight, right before the pharmacy closed, I got a call from a guy who was checking on the status of his prescription. The prescription required a PA (prior authorization) before his insurance company would pay for it. We contacted the doctor, and their office faxed us back saying that the patient hadn't been seen for over a year, and they would need an appointment before they would do any paperwork blah blah blah.

I explained to the patient that he would need to see his doctor before they would do the PA. He was not pleased.

Guy: Why was I not notified of this?
Me: Your doctor didn't get ahold of you?
Guy: No! Why didn't you call me?
Me: On issues like this, we expect the patient to maintain communication with us and your doctor. We don't have time to call people every time we fill a script or get a rejection from the doctor's office, or we would be on the phone all day.

The guy argued with me for another few minutes in various forms of 'you should have called me'. I replied to every accusation with the same form of 'get off your ass and get involved in your medication therapy'. Eventually, he asked the eventual...

Guy: What's your supervisors number?
Me: *sigh*. For complaints, call 1-800...

Let me tell you how complaints work at Corpopharm. When you ask for the pharmacy manager, you get me. Nine times out of ten, I don't give a shit about your complaint because the problem is yours, not mine. If you ask for my supervisor, I give you an 800 number for our corporate office where complaints are supposed to be filed.

When you call the 800 number, you get a phone drone at a call center who does not give a shit. The phone drone logs the complaint and forwards it to my boss, who does not give a shit. Unfortunately for my boss, she must act like she gives a shit. She writes up an email, attaching the formal complaint that the phone drone wrote up, and sends it back to me. Who does not give a shit.

Right after I got done dealing with this guy, a prototypical little old lady brought me a script from her doctor that cost $40,000 for 21 days worth. That's not a typo. Her copay was $4,000. 4 Gs. 4 large.

I asked her if her doctor had discussed this with her before she left her appointment. I already knew the answer.

Little Old Lady: No!!! How could medication cost so much?!?

Medical care at it's best, people.