Free Free Free!

I was talking to a friend on facebook today and we were swapping horror stories. It made me think of this incident and I wanted to share it. Way to long for a comment in a facebook post so I figured I'd share it with everyone.

About 4 years ago Emily and Katie were very very sick. I took both girls to the doctor and they almost called 911 to have Katie transported to the ER. She was wheezing very badly but we were able to raise her oxygen levels in the office. Both girls had high fevers, wheezing, coughing... everything you can imagine. At the time Katie was 1 and Emily was 3. After spending HOURS at the doctors office we left with 7 prescriptions. Knowing how expensive this was going to be the doctor gave me a coupon for a free inhaler to help ease the cost. I drove to the pharmacy and dropped everything off. I handed the girl at the window the coupon for the free inhaler and made sure to tell her about it so she didn't miss it. They told me it would be about an hour. They didn't have chamber for the inhaler so Katie could actually use it so I went to a pharmacy about 2 miles down the road to put in the prescription for the chamber. I didn't want to take the meds to other pharmacy because we use the same one every time and they would be more likely to catch a drug interaction.

After dropping everything off I took Katie and Emily home. I gave them medicine for their fevers and they fell asleep. I had Blaze watch the girls while I quickly ran out to get the prescriptions... or so I thought.

I drove to the first pharmacy and pulled up to the window...

Me: I need to pick up for Katie and Emily Even.

Bimbo: That will be $125.00.

Me: Ok, did you use the coupon for the free inhaler?

Bimbo: The inhaler is $15.00.

Me: Yes but I have gave you a coupon for a free one.

Bimbo: I understand. It's $15.00.

Me: No, it should be free.

Bimbo: Look... you can't just get stuff for free.

Me: I can if I have a coupon for a free inhaler.

Bimbo. Somebody has to pay for this. Who is going to pay?!

Me: I imagine the manufacturer.

Bimbo: Katie doesn't have insurance.

Me: Yes she does.

Bimbo: We don't have it on file. She's never used this pharmacy before.

Me: Yes she has but here is the insurance card.

Bimbo. She has never been here before if you ask her she'll tell you that.

Me: She ONE!

Bimbo: I need 15 minutes to put this information in the computer, can you come back?

Me: Fine.

At this point I drive to the other pharmacy and pick up the chamber. I got back to the first pharmacy. This takes about 20 minutes. I pull up the window and...

Me: I need to pick up for Katie and Emily Even.

Bimbo: Yeah... Katie doesn't have insurance.

Me: I just gave you the card. You told me you needed 15 minutes to put it in the computer and asked me to come back.

Bimbo: Oh yeah... I just like got back from a 15 minute break. Let me put her info in. Can you come back in 15 minutes?

Me: Are you serious right now?

Bimbo: I guess you can wait here.

Me: *furious stare*

Bimbo: I need Katie's insurance card.

Me: I GAVE you her insurance card and you told me to come back so you could get the info in the computer!

Bimbo: Yeah... Katie does have insurance but Kelly does.

Me: What person code did you use?

Bimbo: 1

Me: That would be my husband. Katie's person code is 7... WHICH IS CLEARLY PRINTED ON THE INSURANCE CARD YOU ARE HOLDING IN YOUR HAND!!!

Bimbo: Yeah she's not in our system.

Me: PUT HER IN THE SYSTEM!

Bimbo: Kelly's person code is 2.

Me: I AM KELLY. THIS IS FOR KATIE! CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME THE KEYBOARD AND I WILL PUT HER IN THE SYSTEM!

Bimbo: Hold on please. (20 minutes later) That will be $75.00.

Me: Was the inhaler free?

Bimbo: Umm yeah... that was never an issue.

I just paid for the prescriptions and just drove away. I needed to get back home for the girls. When I pulled up to the pharmacy I was on the phone with my friend Deanna. I put the phone on my lap to talk to the woman at the pharmacy and Deanna was a trooper. She stayed on the phone the WHOLE time. Every time the woman opened her mouth I could hear Deanna HOWLING with laughter. Had she not been on the phone she would never had believed that all actually happened.

What a fun day that was!!!