Surgery--Again

You swear so well, magisterially. Let it flow to my ears..

Back on the 8th, I went to the pharm at walgreens to get my new scary **** bp meds, all worry warted as no way I could pay for it sans back up. It was $200 something, w irate/demanding/slightly jokey cardiologist being strongly insistent re this for me and my relatively unusual mishugas. As I said somewhere, he's not a sufferer of fools. Turned out I was still in the aarp system even though I owe them a lot*. The student pharmacist looked further and saw I still had AARP D. Not by much, as I had letters about ceasing and desisting.

It was $2.00 or so, when I left there, me being in the system.

* Aarp forgave me a lot of debt (gaaaah, I had given up) when I got back on medicaid. They'll get paid off re the remainder, gradually.


Meantime, I gave the pharmacist, who didn't understand the drug either (neither me, nor him, nor my primary physician did) my few week log of using the quirky drug, my many bp readings to figure the stuff out.

I did find the patterns, not mentioned in the drug brochure. I even like the damned drug. It's a balancer.

But I can tell exact usage is important.

osso, I think I'm as confused by your medication as everyone else is. More, maybe. But, it woiks. It helps. Can't beat that.

Bugger!

Someone along the line told me that the problem with the drug re the FDA is along the idea that patients get confused re using it. Someone told me most patients couldn't take this re usage.

Ok, I can take it and like it.

Now, when I am sort of well.

Roberta, on your arm, I'm betting it is related in some way to neck and nerve.

Ignore me, just guessing.

Roberta, my brother, the one with stage 4 emphezema (sp?), wasn't able to afford his asthma meds either, he takes the same brands you do. He was able to find a nurse practitioner who sought samples from pharma sales people and she would give them to him free of charge when he was having tough breathing episodes.

Any possibility of something like that happening for you? Maybe they wait to be asked rather than volunteer that samples are available.

I'm happy to see you have your priorities in order, breathing first, then lights.

May your lump day be full of soft and comfy recuperation.

Hey, Butrfly, I got free samples for a long time from the doctor I used to go to before I lost my insurance. I stopped getting them from her when I was on Medicaid. I called her office a couple of weeks ago. No more free samples of those meds. C'est la vie. I also asked about free samples at Bellevue. Nuttin'.

It was the dictionary. It just took a while for the pain to subside. Fie on Webster--and Merriam too.

mr vw is on some of the same meds as you.

and he is now getting some kind of plan (through social security) that drops them almost in half.

I will ask more questions when I am over there this afternoon...

Wonderful, RH. I'd appreciate it.

Good luck with that, Roberta. It would be absolutely marvellous if you could get the meds at almost half price!

you want we should talk here, or privately...?

(((B)))

Either way. Not sure what you're gonna tell me. Will other people be able to benefit from the info?

I leave it up to you, Mr. Head. I'm eager to hear.

As you know being a writer, words can be dangerous and they're heavy!

sorry, I had to work last night.

still kinda foggy, but...

disclaimer: I am not on social security, and have no first hand knowledge of the things I am trying to find out, so any help from other members is appreciated.

mr vw has his medicare "managed" for him by a company called coventry. (not available in NY)

smoky also used the same people. it is an option (free) with medicare as I understand it.

part of the plan allows him to co-pay on prescriptions, saving him roughly 40 %.

he said it was not part of the "part D" plan...

clarification:

coventry does not service NY. but presumably other companies fill that void.

if I understood him correctly, he could have chosen blue shield and cross, but they charged a little bit. the coventry was free.

I am still trying to talk to him some more so I better understand exactly what the managing thing is all about...

Thanks for the info. I'm sure there must be plans here that are like Conventry.

I now have a social worker who actually does stuff. I'll see if she can find out about what's around.

Muchas gracias for asking. Please tell mr. vw that I say thanks and hi.

you are always welcome.

please let us know what you find out, mr vw is digging deeper as well.

and I might as well figger this stuff out now, my time is coming faster than I would like to admit...

I gave the almond milk to Mr. P. He had a doozy of a gastro attack. Couldn't figure out why. Then I looked. Apparently I had bought the vanilla version. It is made with real vanilla. I have to get phony vanilla for him, as he is wildly allergic to the real stuff. Go figure!!!

Or make your own almond milk - I've seen recipes online; apparently it's easy, very easy, and tastes better than the store stuff.