Today, I am taking the opportunity to put United Healthcare
on blast for being FUCKING assholes. I have been waiting patiently since August
of 2012 for my birth control pills to be fully covered under the Affordable
Healthcare Act’s Affordable Access to Preventive Medicine provision. This
provision requires health insurance companies to fully cover the cost of
things, like pap smears, mammograms, and FDA-approved prescription
contraception. I went in September to get my fully covered birth control pills,
only to discover that they weren’t. I did some research, and according to literature
from the National Women’s Law Center and a few other online resources, the
provision may not take into effect until the new coverage year, which for me is
January. Okay, I could wait until January. Things take time.
I went to get my birth control pill prescription filled on
Sunday. I was cautiously optimistic about what would happen. I was on the new
coverage year. I had been a good, healthy girl all year. Not one major medical
blunder. AND BAM. My birth control pills are still absolutely NOT free. WTF
United Healthcare?
Well, I certainly did not take this in stride, and I called
them. BECAUSE THIS IS BULLSHIT. Apparently, my birth control pills are designer,
and they only offer full coverage for generic ones. However, I can write a letter to
the United Healthcare appeals department in order to state my case and request
that my prescription be covered anyway. I would just like to point out that it
would be easier to actually just cover the prescription. But I am clearly
dealing with very smart, very cheap assholes who think that I won’t stand up
for myself and write the best god damn letter they have ever seen. Well they
are wrong. I am writing that letter and posting it EVERYWHERE, and I encourage
everyone to do the same. If your birth control pills are not covered, call your
health insurance company. If necessary, write them an appeal letter and post it
EVERYWHERE. They will NOT win this round. We are worth more than the few dollars
it will cost them to cover ALL birth control pills.
So suck it United Healthcare. I am coming for you. You have
been warned.
-
Lauren, health insurance company squasher
Text from my letter to UHC:
ReplyDeleteUnited Healthcare Appeals
PO Box 30573
Salt Lake City, Utah 84130-0573
RE: Lauren Cohen
United Healthcare PPO
Group Number/ Member Number
To Whom It May Concern:
Please accept this letter as my appeal to United Healthcare’s decision to deny coverage for Beyaz, my prescription oral contraceptive. It is my understanding based on two separate conversations with your customer service line and a letter from your company that the prescription has been denied coverage, because there is not a generic version of the medication.
It has been suggested that I change my oral contraceptive prescription, so I can receive a generic medication. I am unable to do that at this time. In the past twelve years, I have tried several different oral contraceptives with varying results, including heavy menstrual flow, skin irritation, cramps, bloating, weight gain, and depressive episodes. Beyaz is the only medication that does not cause adverse side effects and allows me to regulate my menstrual cycle, which is necessary for my health and for my quality of life.
Based on this information and the Affordable Care Act’s Preventive Medicine Provision, I am asking that you reconsider your previous decision and allow full coverage of my oral contraceptive. Should you require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at (404) 936 – 0970. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Sincerely,
Lauren G. Cohen CC: Senator John Cornyn
UHC Customer Representative Lloyd Doggett
What happened? Did they end up covering it? I have Humana right now who covers it 100%, but my new job offers United. I don't want to pay $118 a month for something they should cover.
ReplyDeleteHey,
ReplyDeleteThey did not end up covering it even after appealing twice (once on my own and once with a letter from my doctor). Now, this was before the ACA was fully implemented, and I was on a birth control pill that did not have a generic. That was their larger stated reason for not covering it. Too expensive.
You may have a different result now. I am not sure. You can call them in advance to see if they will cover it. You can also start the appeal process early. Make a lot of noise on social media. See how far you get. On the medical side, I did get financial assistance from a prescription discount card. There may be one available for your prescription. You will have to check.
Good luck and let me know what happens!
Lauren
Thanks for getting back to me.
ReplyDeleteThere still is no generic for Beyaz, which I take for PMDD. It has quite literally saved my life and I can't imagine it not being covered. I just signed up for my new healthcare (United) with my new employer. As of now, I am keeping my other health care plan that covers Beyaz 100% because that $75 a month is less expensive than the prescription, which just blows my mind. I'm going to start the appeal and get a letter from my gyno. If you don't mind me asking, what do you pay with the prescription card? Is it from Bayer? I was on patient assistance for two years when I didn't have health care. It was $15 every three months. Thanks so much for getting back to me.
- Gianna
Hey,
ReplyDeleteOf course! Let me see if I remember. I think that it might have been $75 or $85 per month with the card, and it was from Bayer. I am not sure if they are still doing it. I hope they are!