Highs and lows II

There's a funny postscript to the story of my medication (see last post).

As I wrote, Elvi's student insurance changed and part of that was the dropping of the drug plan. Quebec requires drug insurance and will provide it with a program called RAMQ if a resident is unable to secure private insurance. That happened to us, and RAMQ is retroactive.

My Cipralex had cost $70 and a dozen sleeping pills, prescribed should I need them, had cost $7. I filled and paid for the prescriptions the day before our RAMQ coverage began, but I knew I'd be able to go in later and make a retroactive claim.

I tried that Monday. Cipralex is not covered by RAMQ, which is a shame. I really can't afford an extra $70 a month right now. The better story is the sleeping pills.

The pharmacy charges $7 for uninsured customers. (I don't entirely understand why there are any uninsured customers, but that's what the lady at the counter told me.) RAMQ covers 50% of the cost of pills, but the pharmacy charges insured customers $18. She printed up the forms and told me I owed her another $2.

I was literally speechless for a moment, which gave her time to try to explain the above. That doesn't make any sense. I was flabbergasted, and the nice lady was sheepish. She didn't feel good about it, for sure.

We exchanged comments - mine perplexed, hers embarrassed - until she ended the stand-off. She slid the official forms she'd printed across the counter to me and whispered, "Let's just forget you ever came here." I told you she was a nice lady.

But I'm still flabbergasted.