Medi-Cal Hell and the Runaround Brigade

I am very much displeased. No, fuck that. I'm FUCKING PISSED!

 

I just graduated a career school to get into the medical field (medical secretary). Now, in order to get into a job for this, I need to get some immunization shots. Namely, Varicella (Chickenpox) and Hepatitis B, which is a series of 3 shots.

I hate needles. I fucking hate them so much. I even went to Phlebotomy school try try to get over my fear of them. I fought my way through the class and an externship, handling the needles and drawing blood. I am no longer blindly terrified of them, but I still just can't stand them. I ended up stressed and miserable every day after my externship, on the verge of tears at some points before having to admit that it wasn't working out and I had to do a career change.

Now, I understand the need for these shots, don't get me wrong. But I have spent the last MONTH trying to get these fuckers.

4 weeks ago:

Call Thursday afternoon to get appointment to get immunization shots with my approved care provider. After being on hold for an hour and a half, I am told that there are no appointments, I gotta call at 7 am, best time is Tuesday morning, because Monday is uber busy and I'll likely get a busy signal.

 

3 weeks ago:

Tuesday, I call @ 7 am. After being on hold for an hour, I am told there are no appointments. Try again tomorrow.

Wednesday I call @ 7 am. After being on hold for half an hour, I am told there are no appointments. Try going to an approved local clinic, they accept walk-ins between 1 and 4:30 pm. Yes, they'll accept your Medi-Cal card. It will be covered.

I arrive 15 minutes before 1 pm. All shots have been given out (they hand out numbers to those in line, and stop after 50). Try the one in Nearby City for Friday. I can't make it Fridays... Go out to my car, my keys are in on the passenger seat with the doors locked. Call Mom, mom calls AAA. 45 minute wait, the door is popped, I get my keys and wearily go home.

 

2 Weeks ago: 

I arrive an hour early and get in line. I get my number (44/50) and wait for an hour. Herp a derp derp, sorry folks now that you waited a full hour, our courier never showed up. We only have children's immunizations, not adult.

 

Wednesday:

I get there at 10:40 am, plunk my ass down by the door and read until they open their doors at 1. I've covered my bases, they won't run out before I get there, they've told me my card will cover it as long as I go to their approved clinic.

I am #3 in line. I wait, patiently, or chatting with the lady in line ahead of me. I fill out the paperwork, hand over my card.

Her: "We don't accept insurance cards."

Me: Wrong answer.

Her: "No really, this is a drop in clinic. Cash only."

Me: I was told directly by the people on this card that my card would cover my shots.

Her: "No, you have to make an appointment for that. You have to call the number on your card at 7 am and make an appointment. Sorry!"

I promptly sprouted green tentacles, screamed about Cthulhu and the Old Ones and force feed the bitch Unholy slime until she shit out her soul. I then devoured said soul slowly, savoring its screams of agony.

*sigh* ...oh wait, that was only a happy fantasy. Instead I grit my teeth, turn around with the precision of a military officer and march out of the clinic before I commit a mass murder. Whether or not it was the Immunization secretary's fault or not that my card didn't cover, I SPECIFICALLY ASKED the people on the magical number whether my card would cover it. They put me on hold in order to confirm it and they specifically told me, "Yes if you go to our approved clinic."

Please excuse me, I must now find some way to vent my rage without leveling the continent...

May all your customers be nice,

Comments

[Cupero Law]

great blog, thank you and keep it up!

[The Last Archimedean]

Wow.

At this point I'd call my insurance company and ask them to send someone out in person to give you the shots... that seems to be the only way you're going to get them.

[Chicajojobe]

Jeez! This story makes me so glad to be in school. I need a TB test to work with lab animals so I called up student health and they said they could do it but it'd cost me 20 dollars. I got it done no problem, though I was ticked off I had to pay the school to do for something that was required to work for them (grad student are paid). It's like companies that take their employees uniforms out of their paycheck.

[Nomnom]

I work at a university and I have to pay for my parking permit so I can park on campus and go to work - which I honestly think is pretty jank. At least we get a discount, and we can arrange to have it taken out of our paychecks (approx $2/paycheck) - the upside of that is that if you quit or get fired, you aren't out the remainder of the amount. It also hurts less, lol.

... Maybe it's a school thing?

[Chicajojobe]

@Nomnom,

Absolutely it is! I'd have to pay for a campus parking permit too. I just chose not to because I live on a convenient bus line.

[Evie]

Walgreens. If you're an adult, it's the best and fastest way to get immunizations. And I'll tell you why.

Insurance companies do not pay well, and sometimes do not pay AT ALL, for adult vaccines. All they'll pay is a shot-administration fee, which ends up being $7-14 dollars depending on coverage. The government also requires RIGOROUS documentation on vaccines, plus whatever documentation you need for work/school. So that's 30-45 minutes of work for the MA and the supervising provider. By the time the practice pays for the staff and the vaccine itself, it has taken a 50-100% loss. Places like Walgreens are set up to get you in and out the door in a few minutes and have the lot numbers/paperwork pre-filled out, so they can afford to give the shots.

Also, the "call back in the morning for same day appointments" crap is part of the whole new Medical Home model of care, done up by the government. It's completely stupid, but if a doctor can demonstrate they offer a "medical home," they can apply for a grant. Isn't it fun when bureaucracy and medicine collide? Good luck. :P

[Bored at the Bookstore]

Man alive. No way you can make a future appointment? That's just plain stupid (of them, not you) planning. Why can't you call or walk in or even write a letter and say, "I'd like to make an appointment for these shots for two weeks from tomorrow...." You'd think that it would make their lives simpler, too... Not having to deal with umpty-leven steamed people every day!

[poofy]

I also pay for University parking as an employee. I kinda understand that the permit money goes to keeping the parking lots repaired and for the Police protection of it, since that money can't come directly from the salary pool of money - its a sneaky way to get it into the parking budget. However, what I do not like is that there is no specific employee parking. Both employees and students buy the same permits for use in all lots. Actually, I do mind that so much as the fact that employees pay THREE times as students for the exact same permit. Students pay about $225 per semester and employees pay nearly $700 per semester.....arrrrggghhhh!

[poofy]

I forgot to add that at least if you have to pay for work uniforms, the cost is tax deductible (in the US), but these d@&$# parking permits are NOT.

[schmoooo]

Ugh, good luck. Evie has the right idea. i'm lucky that in Texas you can normally get those through the state health department (and hospitals here accept childhood diseases and shot records so no shot if you had those!).

[The Worst]

If it makes you feel any better, I have to get a shot once a month... in the eyeball. That's right, a needle directly in the eye, or else go blind in that eye. And before this whole mess, I couldn't even get drops in my eye without having a full-blown panic attack. Solidarity in shot-hating land!

[photoslave]

So glad my school required both of those before graduation. Glad I got out before they instituted mandatory meningitis vaccines. Can't imagine what I will have to go through once I graduate from Medical Assisting classes.

[WMDKitty]

Let's just say there's a reason I could never be a heroin junkie.

*shudder*

[Fortune Cookie]

What if you call your company again, have them sign a paper that your shots are covered, pay cash at the clinic and then send them the bill plus additional billing for wasting your time and money while placing you on hold?

[Hellgreens Slave]

hun Come down to Hellgreens - our retail pharmacy & Take Care Clinics will do it & you don't need an appointment & we accept insurance!

[Nomnom]

@poofy - Oh wow, really? $700 a semester for parking?! Where I work, $750 a YEAR will get you your own reserved parking space anywhere you want and anyone who parks there gets ticketed and towed.

I thought we got a discount over the students but looking at it now, salaried employees actually pay a little more than students - and by that I mean students pay $125 for a 2 year decal, and salaried employees pay $150, while hourly employees pay $100. I think we get a better choice of lots, though.

[Skittles]

Oh dear god I hate shots of any kind. I have on a couple of occasions come close to going into shock from having blood drawn or getting shots. What makes it even better is because I am a large an somewhat intimidating looking dude, rarely do doctors or phlebotomists believe me. It actually took my doctor seeing my blood pressure lower after being allowed to sit in a room that was dark and had music playing before she believed I have a serious fear of needles. I wasn't even getting a shot that day which makes the whole thing funnier. So I definitely feel your pain with the fear of needles. Hope you get the appointment thing worked out though.