Re: [IP] Phone call from my supplier---problem
Ron,
You sound like a wonderful person! Taking care of your
wife like you do. My heart goes out to you. I know this is
not easy for you since you have diabetes also.
Pat :)
On Mon, Jul 5, 2010 at 7:37 PM, Ron @ thegouldfamily.net
<email @ redacted> wrote:
> Hi Sue
> Thanks very much for sending an e-mail to CCS.
> I have been going to my endo every 3 months for some years, so that was no
> problem really. Just something I need to be very aware of now.
> I was just so taken back by the CCS rep wanting me to open my Insert box
> to count out the number left, for her, then the cartridge container to
> count, then wanting me to open the refrigerator to count insulin bottles,
> then telling me that the next shipment would be 2 bottles of insulin (less)
> because I had enough to last the number of days until the shipment would
> arrive.
> I don't mean it disparagingly, really, I just get down sometimes when new
> surprises happen. I hold CCS in good esteem for their good overall service.
> Before CCS, I was in a situation where I had Two suppliers, one would ship
> Novalog, but explained they would not ship inserts or cartridges because
> they could not receive enough from Medicare/BCBS Illinois to handle those
> items. I am glad they explained it, so I could "get a handle" on what was
> happening.
> The other supplier would send inserts and cartridges, but not Novalog.
> After some considerable struggles, I got aligned with CCS, and they do all
> the items. I do think they are an excellent supplier.
> Surprises are especially hard for me to take.
> I am 72 in about 2 weeks, multiple medical problems, taking full total
> care of my wonderful wife of 50 years, she being in stage 3 of the 4 stages
> of Alzheimers. She wants to stay in our home since 1965, but I don't know
> what is going to come next, and basically, I am beyond any meaning of
> exhaustion.
> So, surprises are kinda like saying "now, in a few weeks you (I) can deal
> with problem number 10, 375. If I can".
> I hope no one takes offense at my posting personal stuff, but life is very
> real.
> I keep learning here at IP, and it is an invaluable help.
> But hey, tomorrow the sun will come up, and all of us will deal with our
> own situations that day.
>
> I keep slugging away, just as all of us do :-)
> The very Best to all--
> Ron :-)
> Belated Happy 4th, I was Navy 4 years, and lived on a warship for over a
> year at one point. It's hard for some to understand the feeling of coming
> over a hill, looking down at my ship, and feeling "Ahhhh, home" :-)
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sue Leferson" <email @ redacted>
> To: <email @ redacted>
> Sent: Monday, July 05, 2010 5:02 PM
> Subject: FW: [IP] Phone call from my supplier---problem
>
>
>> I sent Ron's email about the CCS rep to someone I know at CCS who's a bit
>> higher on the food chain so that she might find out who the rep is and
>> educate her. Interestingly, below is the response I received from her. I
>> must say I was surprised and also glad that Medicare is still my
>> secondary.
>> I dread the day it becomes primary.
>>
>>
>>
>> Sue
>>
>> "One of the greatest experiences in life is making a difference in someone
>> else's life."
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Thank you for sharing the email.
>>
>> Unfortunately the Medicare laws and rules surrounding Insulin Pumpers have
>> changed effective April 1, 2010, and I don't think that many patients
>> understand that the questions we have to ask are now required by law. It
>> seems as though this particular patient was under the impression that the
>> CCS Medical representative was making her own determination what supplies
>> he
>> was entitled to, which, based on the line of questioning, isn't the case
>> at
>> all. To some it might sound silly that we have to verify the amount of
>> insulin left in a bottle or even the most recent appointment visit, but to
>> Medicare, it's a requirement that we provide them this information before
>> they will ever allow us to send in a refill for shipment.
>>
>> CCS Medical is the largest supplier of Medicare insulin pump supplies in
>> the
>> entire country and so the company takes great pains to follow the Medicare
>> guidelines so that we don't lose our serving privileges.
>>
>> Based on the below patient response it doesn't seem like these guidelines
>> were explained very well.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> I had an interesting call from my supplier, CCS, some days ago.
>>
>> Them: "The Medicare Rule is now that you have to see your Endo every Three
>> months, or you are not covered under Medicare"
>>
>> Them:"When is your next Endo appt?"
>>
>> Me----"Today"
>>
>> Them---"What time?"
>>
>> Me---"1:30 PM"
>>
>> Them: :We will call your doctor after 1:30 PM to make sure you made your
>> appt:
>>
>>
>> I told my Endo, and she burst out laughing.
>>
>> It sounded like the same woman who had me on the phone for a very long
>> time
>> until I counted exactly how mant Inserts I had left in the box, how many
>> Cartridges I had left, how many insulin botttles I had left, and EVEN how
>> full is the present insulin bottle,
>>
>> Then she tried to reduce the number of supplies for my upcoming shipment!
>> I
>> cannot make this stuff up.
>>
>> It's a very good company, they just have some individual rep who appears
>> to
>> be on a personal power trip. It would do them well to consider if she
>> should
>>
>> be retrained or retained in employment----The Company image is starting to
>> get tarnished due to her, which is a shame.
>>
>>
>>
>> Best---
>>
>> Ron :-)
>> .
>
> .
.
----------------------------------------------------------
for HELP or to subscribe/unsubscribe/change list versions,
contact: HELP@insulin-pumpers.org
