I have had a prescription for the past few years that my body requires. Multiple doctors have prescribed the medication to me on different occasions. My dad recently changed jobs and I needed a refill on my prescription. I went to the doctor and did the routine checkup, and he filled out another prescription form.

When I dropped the prescription off to Walgreens they told me that they would have to contact my doctor to get authorization for the prescription. I called my doctor’s office and they said they would need to fax some things to the insurance company. A few days passed and I called the doctor’s office back. I was informed that they had faxed the information and were waiting on a response from insurance. Today I called back again and they told me that insurance needed me to call and verify some things.

Not being in the mood to deal with the insurance company (and since it isn’t my insurance company) I let my mom call. She tells them that I have taken this medicine for the better part of three years now and that there is no reason they shouldn’t cover it. They respond by saying that the medicine is “technically” for short term use and that they can’t cover that.

My old insurance company had no problem covering me and paying for this medication over a long period of time, so I don’t understand the problem here. I think it comes down to simple greed. The insurance companies are starting to get stingy when it comes to paying for prescriptions that they think are unnecessary. Who are they to say that a prescription is not needed? This is one reason a national healthcare system should be put in place, so people don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to receive a prescription that they need.