Since a number of my family members have gotten cases of "shingles" , I decided to get a vaccine for the disease...
I called my General Practitioner Doctor to see if he would administer the shot. He said that he would refer me to one of the local hospitals, and that I should call for an appointment. I did, and was told that the cost would be $100. When I called my medical insurance provider to see if it would be covered, I was told that it would be, only if administered in my doctor's office. At a hospital,l there would be a $200 co-pay.
My doctor does not offer it because of the cost to obtain it, and due to the cold temperature maintenance that is required during its transport and storage. When I called back to the insurance company to explain this "catch 22", I was told that a pharmacy under contract with them, would deliver it to the doctor, and then it would be covered at no cost to me. This would be the third thing (a $10 flu shot, and the cost of the annual physical) covered by my $7,200 CURRENT annual premium! He just had to fax a prescription request, and this would be done. When it had not arrived two weeks after the request, I visited (because as usual calls to the office were never answered) my doctor to check on the order. I was told that it was faxed on October 15, and that his office had no way of tracing it. So, I called my provider to trace the delivery. I was told that even though there is only one shingles vaccine, they would not trace it unless I provided its medical name. I called my doctor brother who provided this...Varicella Zoster Vaccine...and then I provided it to customer service. I was told that they had received a faxed request on October 22, and that it was scheduled to arrive at the doctor's office on Wednesday, November 16. When it didn't arrive by Friday, November 18, I tried calling back to no avail.
Meanwhile, I heard that the vaccine is not guaranteed to prevent shingles, and in fact in some case, it causes them! If the vaccine arrives next week, then I may get shingles from it right before a Holiday! If I cancel the non-arriving order, I will not be able to reorder it and still have it covered!
As an aside, recently an acquaintance had fallen and needed to go to the hospital for a fractured back vertebrae. A procedure was done, but during it, the patient got Mrsa Staph Infection (still all too common in our hospitals). The infection went to the heart, and caused its failure that resulted in the patient ending up in Hospice in a terminal state. His "Living Will" resulted in no life support, and his family and friends awaiting his passing...
My doctor does not offer it because of the cost to obtain it, and due to the cold temperature maintenance that is required during its transport and storage. When I called back to the insurance company to explain this "catch 22", I was told that a pharmacy under contract with them, would deliver it to the doctor, and then it would be covered at no cost to me. This would be the third thing (a $10 flu shot, and the cost of the annual physical) covered by my $7,200 CURRENT annual premium! He just had to fax a prescription request, and this would be done. When it had not arrived two weeks after the request, I visited (because as usual calls to the office were never answered) my doctor to check on the order. I was told that it was faxed on October 15, and that his office had no way of tracing it. So, I called my provider to trace the delivery. I was told that even though there is only one shingles vaccine, they would not trace it unless I provided its medical name. I called my doctor brother who provided this...Varicella Zoster Vaccine...and then I provided it to customer service. I was told that they had received a faxed request on October 22, and that it was scheduled to arrive at the doctor's office on Wednesday, November 16. When it didn't arrive by Friday, November 18, I tried calling back to no avail.
Meanwhile, I heard that the vaccine is not guaranteed to prevent shingles, and in fact in some case, it causes them! If the vaccine arrives next week, then I may get shingles from it right before a Holiday! If I cancel the non-arriving order, I will not be able to reorder it and still have it covered!
As an aside, recently an acquaintance had fallen and needed to go to the hospital for a fractured back vertebrae. A procedure was done, but during it, the patient got Mrsa Staph Infection (still all too common in our hospitals). The infection went to the heart, and caused its failure that resulted in the patient ending up in Hospice in a terminal state. His "Living Will" resulted in no life support, and his family and friends awaiting his passing...
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