I met with a woman who was very worried that she lost Medicaid. She had a mental health issue and she had run out of medication. When she called her doctor to explain she was afraid she could not afford to pick up her monthly refill, the doctor told her to call us. Through tears she expressed how being off of her medication had impacted her life and how much she wanted to start taking it again as soon as possible.
I have met with multiple patients who have a difficult time navigating the numerous push button options for the Medicaid call center. She was one. Just the act of trying to figure out what buttons to push and what to say caused her great anxiety. During her visit, we together confirmed that her Medicaid was still active. We got the identification numbers for her plan and then called over to her pharmacy. The pharmacist knew her and was so kind. She pulled up the refill order, entered the Medicaid ID number, and started processing the script right away. The patient left our office and went straight to pick it up. By lunchtime, she had her medication.
When she walked in she was shaky, anxious, and overwhelmed. She left giving me a big hug and a smile. A small interaction like that took almost no time at all. There was a clear and simple solution. To my surprise a few days later I received a card in the mail. The card simply had her signature and the words, “Thank you for saving my life!” I think of her often as I work with patients- a simple listening ear, a little patience and compassion, and a small bit of help can make quite an impact on a patient’s life.
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