Damn medical info - I lost the whole morning.

[MickinMD ★]

So my sister calls me: her husband is making an appointment for a colonoscopy where I had mine done over about 12 years ago and am overdue for a new one.

So we set one up for me too.

I got a call from the office to update info and I spent a long time looking up stuff like my endocrinologist's first name (Jawaad) and my current pharmacy that they couldn't find for a couple minutes (CVS a few miles from their office, didn't change). Then I gave my list of prescriptions and the receptionist had to find it on her list.  Medicare and BCBS ID numbers, etc. etc.

When I gave my Carefirst BCBS Medicare Supplemental ID, I realized it still had the name of my doctor who retired at the end of 2022 as my PCP.  So then I decided to use the Carefirst website to change my PCP's name to the new guy.  My ID and password - probably not used for a decade - didn't work.  So I clicked on new registration.  I was then told I had an existing registration and I had to supply BCBS ID #, date of birth, zip code, etc. before they'd tell me what my ID was.  I did that and had to type in the same stuff to get a password reset emailed to me.

Finally, I got into the website!

There was a link under my retired PCP's name that said, "Change PCP."  I clicked it, had to read another page and click to say I was responsible for fees, etc. charged by doctors not covered by my plan.  Then I got to a page where you entered a doctor's name.  I did, a page on him came up, rating him 4.8 out of 5, a statement that he qualified as my PCP under my insurance, and there was a "Select" button to click.

I clicked "Select" and it took me to a page that showed a Walmart-like star that apparently turns to show progress is being made, but it was frozen.

I repeated it three times and the page froze every time.

So I phoned customer service. I had to go through a number of "Press 1 if..." pages then type in date of birth, press 1 if their repetition of it was correct, zip code, press 1 if their repetition of it was correct, and say why I was calling or press 1 if I wanted a list of options. While Mozart's Sonata in C Major played in the background, I waited five minutes of so until the connection shut down.

So I phoned again. I went through the same "Press 1..." date of birth, etc. but this time I went for the list of options.  "Press 0 to speak to a customer service rep" was the winner.

After a few more minutes of Mozart's Sonata in C Major, I finally got a real, live person.

I explained the problem and asked if I could change my PCP on the phone. "Sure, I can do that for you," she did and said I'd get a new card in 7-10 business days and that my current card with my old PCP won't be a problem in the meantime.

This all started a little after I ate breakfast.  Now I can eat a late lunch.

[Razors Edge ★]

3 minutes ago, MickinMD said:

This all started a little after I ate breakfast.  Now I can eat a late lunch.

What did you have and what are you gonna have?

[jsharr ★]

1 hour ago, MickinMD said:

So my sister calls me: her husband is making an appointment for a colonoscopy where I had mine done over about 12 years ago and am overdue for a new one.

So we set one up for me too.

I got a call from the office to update info and I spent a long time looking up stuff like my endocrinologist's first name (Jawaad) and my current pharmacy that they couldn't find for a couple minutes (CVS a few miles from their office, didn't change). Then I gave my list of prescriptions and the receptionist had to find it on her list.  Medicare and BCBS ID numbers, etc. etc.

When I gave my Carefirst BCBS Medicare Supplemental ID, I realized it still had the name of my doctor who retired at the end of 2022 as my PCP.  So then I decided to use the Carefirst website to change my PCP's name to the new guy.  My ID and password - probably not used for a decade - didn't work.  So I clicked on new registration.  I was then told I had an existing registration and I had to supply BCBS ID #, date of birth, zip code, etc. before they'd tell me what my ID was.  I did that and had to type in the same stuff to get a password reset emailed to me.

Finally, I got into the website!

There was a link under my retired PCP's name that said, "Change PCP."  I clicked it, had to read another page and click to say I was responsible for fees, etc. charged by doctors not covered by my plan.  Then I got to a page where you entered a doctor's name.  I did, a page on him came up, rating him 4.8 out of 5, a statement that he qualified as my PCP under my insurance, and there was a "Select" button to click.

I clicked "Select" and it took me to a page that showed a Walmart-like star that apparently turns to show progress is being made, but it was frozen.

I repeated it three times and the page froze every time.

So I phoned customer service. I had to go through a number of "Press 1 if..." pages then type in date of birth, press 1 if their repetition of it was correct, zip code, press 1 if their repetition of it was correct, and say why I was calling or press 1 if I wanted a list of options. While Mozart's Sonata in C Major played in the background, I waited five minutes of so until the connection shut down.

So I phoned again. I went through the same "Press 1..." date of birth, etc. but this time I went for the list of options.  "Press 0 to speak to a customer service rep" was the winner.

After a few more minutes of Mozart's Sonata in C Major, I finally got a real, live person.

I explained the problem and asked if I could change my PCP on the phone. "Sure, I can do that for you," she did and said I'd get a new card in 7-10 business days and that my current card with my old PCP won't be a problem in the meantime.

This all started a little after I ate breakfast.  Now I can eat a late lunch.

You and @maddmaxx should get together and install an engine in a Corvette.

[Longjohn ★]

You take those requests too seriously.