Matthew Zachary’s Post

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Entertainer • Speaker • Consultant • Documentarian • Advocate • Cancer Maverick• Podcast Hero • Host of Out of Patients, a Top-10 Healthcare Podcast | Influencer of Things

[HEALTH INSURANCE STEAM VALVE RELEASE] In the before times, COBRA kicked in at 22 years old. So, while there's never a "good time" to get cancer, I was 21.5 years old. So, I had to enroll in an individual policy one week after cancer treatment ended. Life before the ACA meant $3600/month, thanks to United Healthcare. That is until I got married in 2005 and fell under my wife's fantastic policy, which, at the time, was the fabled "GHI" gold standard of premium union-mandated policy for all NYC educators and associated professionals. Tranquility went to pot during the pandemic when the union caved to BCBS, who pretty much forced us (and 132,000 others) to find new doctors and negotiate prior authorization denials ad nauseam. But the seas calmed after weeks of crapness, and life went on. Until this June, when BCBS was replaced with CVS Health CVS Pharmacy Aetna, a CVS Health Company, and all hell broke loose again. We nipped early shenanigans in the bud thanks to our many past experiences and privileged relationships. However, one thorn still exists in my side – and it's threatening to significantly impact my quality of life as a long-term cancer survivor. My dad jokes that the secret to life is to  1) Clean up nice 2) Make it look good 3) Never look under the hood But "under the hood," at least for me, is a bag of cats held together by a MacGyver-level amalgamation of toothpicks, ball bearings, and Jello. Twenty-seven years later, one of many invisible gifts that keeps on giving includes chronic GERD. (TMI alert) Irrespective of diet, weight, or lifestyle, my duodenum lacks the neurological capacity to do its job, so I've depended on the latest proton-pump inhibitor innovations (Pepcid, Prilosec, Nexium, and now Dexilant) for over two decades. Note: Generics suck, and I've fought to stay on brand for years while not going bankrupt in the process. Well, the fight just got worse. CVS/Aetna didn't think my medical and prescription history mattered and decided to deny prior authorization for Dexilant (brand) and generic (even though it won't work anyway). They've decided on my behalf that OTC Nexium is the best thing for me. How nice of them. I've called in a few favors to commence the Sisyphean formulary exemption battle while I have two weeks' supply of medication remaining. No one is immune. Wish me luck. Grace Cordovano, Christy Snodgrass Erin Galyean Grace Vinton Christine Von Raesfeld 💜 Andrew Becks Louis Naimoli Jennifer Manning Peter Pitts Amy Turnquist Vicki Kennedy, Lisa Lurie Gloria Webster Kim Whittemore Janak Joshi Alicia C. Staley Evan Strome Geralyn Lucas Kevin Jeske Joe Abdo, Melissa Berry Maimah Karmo Shwen Gwee Deanna Dammers Lindsay Houff Courtney Gray Haupt Noël Boatwright-Lopez Gil Bashe Celia Jones Daria Wagganer Levi Peterson Madeline Murphy Shana Bartlett Kathleen Biesecker Joanne Armstrong Joel Helle Karen S. Lynch

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Matthew Zachary

Entertainer • Speaker • Consultant • Documentarian • Advocate • Cancer Maverick• Podcast Hero • Host of Out of Patients, a Top-10 Healthcare Podcast | Influencer of Things

8mo

THE QUESTION - Who knows who at the highest ivory towers within CVS/Aetna because there’s an open invitation to be a guest on my show and explain why the hell they’re doing this to me and other people like me. So, who actually knows someone?

Marianne Sarcich

Breast Cancer Survivor/National Advocate. Breast Health National Advocate. Health Literacy Champion and Health Writer.

8mo

Oh how I feel for you. I have IBS. And if I were to need prescription drugs and not be able to get it, I don't know what I would do. My condition can take me down for days when it's triggered. Have you ever reached out to triage cancer? They are an outstanding noun profit founded by lawyers that focuses on helping cancer patients and survivors with health insurance issues and legal issues. Joanna Morales is one of the founders. Think about reaching out to them for guidance on how to navigate this ridiculousness or as you call it shenanigans

Dave deBronkart

"e-Patient Dave" - Patient Empowerment evangelist, author, rousing keynote speaker

8mo

The people in these jobs are DISGUSTING. They're amoral and heartless. cc Dr. Kedar Mate, Pedja Stojicic, MD, MPH, Tina Shah MD MPH

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Gary Earl

A Fervent Health/Well-being Leader, Experienced Company (private)/Community(public) Executive Advisor, Staunch Commercial/Social Engineer

8mo

Ah, another great example of the "complicated, constipated and currency lead system of care at work". Thanks for sharing your story friend. At least you have the education, energy, support and resources to fight the fight and advocate for yourself - hum, how many others can do the same today?

Mary Ellen

Regional Business Manager at Servier

8mo

Matt, I wish you much luck with such unpleasantness, you don’t deserve that nor do any cancer survivors. Have you thought of writing to the CEO?

Susan Sabo-Wagner MSN, RN, OCN, NEA-BC

Vice President of Clinical Innovation, Cancer Survivor, Patient Advocate, Nurse, Mom

8mo

Take a look at healthcare statistics all over the world.. the US isn’t winning any “first world” contests.. but those pockets sure are getting filled somehow! As long as everyone stays in a damn single file line and take the proper medicines on the “good list”… don’t even look at the other list.. those are no good, very bad medicines…. No matter what your doctor tells you..

Britt Kemp

Regional Sales Director | Healthcare logistics, fulfillment, technology

8mo

I feel your pain. I had to fight for 7 months, every week, to get an answer why the specialized amino based formula for my son would be completely covered by insurance if I took him in and had a feeding tube done for him but I had to pay out of pocket ($1,000+/month) for it if I fed him threw a bottle. He didn't need a feeding tube nor the possible complications of that to get nutrition. Make sense? No.

Stacy Hurt 🌻

Chief Patient Officer at Parexel

8mo

Make sure you ask the prior auth person if they are qualified as a brain cancer survivor to make these type of decisions…

San Agarawal Nurse Engineer Scientist(RN, comp sci, Ayurveddoc)

CEO@Helpsy, CHANGE NAVIGATOR, I help people/loved ones with CANCER OR CRITICAL ILLNESS navigate their care to have better quality of life and better outcomes.

8mo

Was your symptom a side effect of cancer or cancer treatment? If yes, your oncologist can write an explanation of why this particular medication is needed as others have been tried and not effective. Very common in oncology world and insurance does approve - eg Zofran vs Emend, and many others like that. As a cancer clinician, We do it all the time for our patients because OTC and some lower cost meds are not effective for some patients and insurance approves after some pushback.

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