THE BIG DUMMIES

You know I’ve not been my usual cranky self lately since there was really nothing to complain about. Well, that’s all changed! Now I’m really annoyed.

What is setting off all this discharge of emotions? Let me tell you. Every month Aetna nurses call me and inquire about how things are going. How is my blood pressure, my A1c number, all kinds of questions, then they ask me if I am taking my medications. I answer all the questions honestly and to the best of my knowledge.

Every three months I go the doctor for a check-up. Just like the government, he takes some blood, and if everything is OK, I don’t hear from him for three more months. He renews prescriptions for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, and TLW (The Little Woman) sends them to Aetna to be filled. Since her medical plan is no longer covered by Oxford, they now go to Aetna, who is supposed to fill them out in a reasonable time turnaround. We sent the prescriptions to Aetna on February 5th, and still as I write this (Feb. 28) I have not received them!


I am out of medication. We inquired as to where they are. Aetna says there is nothing they can do about it, since it is in a reasonable turnaround time. Almost 4 weeks? Are they crazy or incompetent or both? Is it just arrogance? Maybe they are just so big, the customer be damned?

Should not someone be held accountable? Who is in charge? Who makes policy? Is there someone who cares at Aetna?

We will pay more for a real pharmacy for now on. I would recommend that if you use Aetna to fill your prescriptions, you take another look for a competent company, not those dummies.

So, if you don’t see my blogue anymore, it may mean I died due to Aetna incompetence. If the Class of 1964 from Bellport High School doesn’t have a reunion this year, blame Aetna incompetence. If Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton doesn’t have any fund raising success this year, blame Aetna incompetence. If they have no golf outing, blame Aetna incompetence. If the NYSPM has no book by 2011, blame Aetna incompetence. If my book doesn’t get published, blame Aetna incompetence. If the AHRC Suffolk chapter has no members, guardianship, one less board of directors, and other committee memberships, blame Aetna incompetence.