"I'm sorry sir, but he's retired. We cannot do more than a 3 month supply."
"He's active enough to be shipping out to Iraq tomorrow. What exactly is the definition of retired?"
Silence on the line.
"Did you hear the part where I said he's shipping out tomorrow? Now, we've been going back and forth with this for days now. You need to fucking get someone on this line who is going to solve this problem. Now."
At first I thought the request was some sort of a joke. The pudgy, I'm guessing early-to-mid 40's man in front of me had indeed been in about a week ago to ask for a four month supply of his Levoxyl and Vytorin to see him through his deployment. The insurgents most certainly must be on the run if we're shipping over people with thyroid and heart disease. I thought of the old Saturday Night Live skit about the attack of the elderly-in-walkers brigade.
First claim. Rejected. Call to help desk. Told to file two claims. One for 3 months supply of meds today, one for 1 month supply tomorrow. Did as told. Second claim. Rejected. Call to help desk. Need to research the problem and get back to me. Never got back to me. Third call to help desk. You can't do two separate claims because that would be fraud. Hold for supervisor. Supervisor on the line. Go to the top of this post.
Here's the thing. I don't support the troops. You heard me, I don't. You're doing a bad thing troops, and you need to stop. Actually I support this troop. I support that troop a lot. And these troops, I support them. The rest, not so much. Except for the guy in front of me. I sure seemed to be supporting him.
His daughter was there with him as he spent his last day in the United States at the pharmacy trying to get his prescriptions filled. She was maybe nine years old. I saw her face and I said a little prayer to a God I don't believe in that her father would come back. The same.
He told me they wouldn't let him on the plane without a four month supply of his meds. I could have stopped fighting with Tricare and done a little something against the war I supposedly am so opposed to. "Not my problem. That's what they told me pal." Was it professional responsibility or lack of conviction to follow through on what I say I believe that made me keep going until I found the one person at Tricare whose head wasn't up their ass? I don't know. But Dad is in Iraq tonight, doing who knows what, and partially thanks to me, he had no trouble getting on that plane. He shook my hand and gave me a sincere thank you.
Maybe I should just get one of those fucking ribbons now.
6 comments:
I think the troops are the least evil in this scam called the "Iraq Conflict" or so KTVU 10 o'clock news calls it. They are a fox affiliate.
Most of them are young and either have no other options, or worse, they have been brainwashed that they are to help our country no matter what the task, out of patriotism.
I knew nothing at 18. I know very little at 26. I cant imagine really having the critical thinking skills as a youngin to overcome the evagenlistic like witnessing of recrutiers.
Now I dont know about your 40 year old. But these poor young guys who come back with PTSD and maybe permenent injuries requiring rehab on their plate. I think they deserve our support.
I was just furious the other night. A guy came in asking about diabetes tests. The group that comes in to do tests was going to be back in about 3 weeks, but he said he was shipping out in a couple weeks. Basically, he had his physical and his blood sugar was really high and he knew it, but the army physician told him he was fine. He wanted a civilian opinion. They know perfectly well that he is having a problem, but god forbid they lose one of their precious fodder, I mean soldiers. He's going to try to get in to an endocrinologist. I wish him luck.
So, not only is the army happy to ship this pudgy, hypothyroid, man out to Iraq (along with all of his cholesterol), but they are not obligated to provide treatment for his diagnosed medical condition? They require him to hunt down a 4 month supply on his own? Unbelievable. And terribly sad.
he woulda scored those scrips elsewhere. you know it and I know it. he was determined to go even with all his agida. such a shame...
great post. definitely made me think, something you always make me do :)
Ok, you are driving down the orad to your sister's house after getting off work and just ahead is a blockade in the road.You are ordered by the men in uniform to pull over. The car in back of you has an elderly couple with the man driving. He doesn't seem to understand what the men are telling him so he keeps driving. The men in uniform begin to yell at him and draw their weapons. The old man keeps going,waving to them as he passes by. The men begin to fire on the vehicle. In a matter of moments, it is all over and the elderly couple are dead in their car. You are then motioned to move your car along. This is crazy you think. What is going on? Well, you see there are terrorists in your country. It has been invaded but the United States Of America. In my book, that makes us the terrorists. I have had a sign in my front yard for over 3 years now that says American for Peace.Stop the war now. I cannot tell you how many times I have come home to find the sign knocked down and more than once I have had my car egged and the house toileted papered. The police say I am antagonizing the neighbors with the sign. So, now I am being terrorized and labeled a bad American. Sad but true.
How can you say you are a liberal? You don't have to support what the troops are doing by any means, but coming from a someone who has successfully "escaped" the clutches of good ol' G.W.; our troops are the most shit on people in this country. The few that actually believe in what they are doing are just brainwashed by recruiters and right winging co-workers. This post proves that despite the never-ending mind numbing questions from Who's Who of American Idiots you still value helping people who deserve and appreciate it. Just remember that, as people, they may not deserve your respect but they sure appreciate your help. If not, then fuck 'em.
P.S. Being a tech I think your stories are great. It makes me feel better to know that it's just as soul crushing everywhere else as it is here.
Post a Comment