OK. Enough about ‘reforming’ health care. Came up a little short anyway, right?

Back to “The Practice of Insurance.” (Some of you might remember that tag line.)

A la Tip # 528, we recently put out another fire.

New hire ‘Phil’ signed up for his employer’s health plan for January 1st, but as sometimes happens, his enrollment hadn’t been processed when he showed up at the pharmacy. And, he was out of a much needed (what I came to learn) anti-psychotic medication. 

When the call came in, it was because an agitated Phil was literally confronting my client in his office; “Jon, this poor guy is beyond desperate. We really need your help!” 

Gulp.

Two hours later I was able to call Phil at his apartment and provide a Member ID number (after some world class groveling!) and the addresses of both the nearest network pharmacy plus a local mental health provider.

My client’s next call – just the other day – was to say Phil not only got his medication but the professional help we had discussed. 

He was back at work and productive. 

The kind of happy ending that even a flawed health care system routinely delivers!