The *Angriest* Pharmacist You want your prescription filled when? Eat shit…

Movie review and a stupid bitch

I went and saw the movie Juno recently. I absolutely loved it. The one liners, cutdowns, and internal commentary of Ellen Page as the title character, Juno, is flawless. She created the character and played her as if it were second nature. I recommend that everyone go and check this movie out as soon as possible. I must say, though, that Michael Cera as Bleeker was likely the most awkward and uncomfortable character I've ever seen. His character in Superbad was equally awkward. Granted, that's what the director wanted for these characters, but while he was on screen, the awkwardness he portrayed made me fidget in my seat.

-=+=-

On the pharmacy front, I recently had an uncomfortable and irrational encounter. This tank of a woman came in and requested a transfer of her Paxil CR from a nearby Walgreens to my pharmacy. I thought nothing of it, and we got it filled up with no problems. However, the insurance card she presented and we put in was not accepted by my pharmacy. When the lady came in to pick it up, she was told 100 bucks or whatever that mess of a SSRI costs. She, of course, was livid.

I told her that we didn't accept the plan. She told me I was a misinformed liar (which is rather contradictory, right?). "I talked to my employer and they gave me a list and your pharmacy was listed as a provider."

"Do you have a copy of that with you? It could have been a typo. We've never accepted this plan. Walgreens paid a lot of money to be the only pharmacy that accepts this plan in this area. And, as far as I've been told, that's how it still is -- and has been for the last five years."
"I don't have a copy of the letter with me. But, I know you're on it, and you're going to take it." [Condescendingly]
"Well ma'am, now you are misinformed. These computer communicate in real time with the computers ran by you insurance provider. They say we don't take it, and therefore, won't pay for it. The only way you can leave here with this medicine today is by paying cash. If they are in the process of adding us, and that takes place in the next week to ten days, we can reimburse you." [Of course, I said this like a huge dick]
"This is ridiculous. You're an idiot. I want to talk with the store manager." [yelled -- of course]
"I'm sorry to say, but the store manager has no control over the pharmacy. He can't help you. However, I want to help you, but the fact of the matter is, I can't help you." [I said this really nicely, because I know that I can't help her regardless of how badly I wanted to]
"Fine, I'll just call your corporate headquarters. I'm sure they'll be interested in knowing that you are refusing to fill my prescription."
"I'm not refusing you service. I've got your prescription filled....here it is right here. What I'm telling you is that we are not contract with your insurance. We cannot just give this $100 prescription away. I'm sure if you called my coorporate headquarters and told them the entire story, and not just the part about you leaving here without a prescription, they'd apologize for not being contracted -- but they'd go on to tell you that we have no control over that here. Walgreens has cornered the market, and there's nothing you , I, my boss, or my bosses' boss can do about it."
"You need to find a new job -- you're not very good at this one." [This is the second time some fuckhead has told me this in a week because they didn't get their way when a situation came up that was completely out my control -- fuck this fat bitch!]
"You're wrong. I'm good at this. You're just not good at listening or understanding that certain things are out of the realm of control of workers. Do you yell and make a scene towards the cashier at McDonalds when the McRib is taken off the menu? I mean, he could call up the CEO and say he wants it back on the menu...but, that's kind of futile isn't it? Anyway - what do you want me to do here to help you, keeping in mind that there is no humanly possible way for me to bill this to your insurance provider?"
"Just transfer it back to Walgreens - I know I'm never coming back here again!"
"Sounds good to me! Happy New Year."

As she left, I acted like I was calling Walgreens immediately. Right when she got around the corner, I hung up. She can wait for an hour or two at the WAG. That's her punishment for being an irrational bitch from hell. [PS - I'm aware that this was unethical, unecessary, and crossed even my line...but I'm a dick...I get mad AND I get even...]

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