We have no copay for our prescriptions, thus it wouldn't matter for us. Our friend went home and looked at her previous scripts written by the same base doc. All of them were for 32 or more. The only difference is this time the script was filled off base due to the fact that the base did not have it.
I know that she is upset because her lag time for seeing a doc is getting longer. I told her last night, I have no pity, b/c they opted to only use tri-care, he has insurance at SW airlines, but did not take it,
For retirees there are 2 theories, although she has been my best friend in the world for 15 yrs, we part here. She has the belief that her husband paid his dues, they promised it and should fulfill that promise. She feels she should not have to pay for private insurance. I feel that my husband paid his dues and lived, and since we have the option not to burden the system(w/Aetna), we will not use it, giving AD members the ability to have more availability/access to the docs. The AD members are under enough stress (pay and deployments being the top 2), adding medical could cause more stress.
By the time we were in for about 6 yrs, I quickly saw a trend that caused resentment in me towards retiees, and swore I would never be one of them. If you go to the base on the 1st, 2nd or 3rd of the month, you will not be able to get into see a doc (unless you are fortunate like we were to be flight med) and forget about finding any of the following in the commissary:
1. Milk
2. Bacon
3. DIAPERS
4. Formula
5. Carons of cigarettes
Also expect long lines at the BX/PX. Why because that is the reiree pay day and they make their doc appts. go to the BX/PX and then to the commissary. It is an all day affair for them since base hospitals are closing, the ones that have remained open are seeinga higher influx of retirees. After their day is done, than they hit the class six and gas station on the way out!
Out of consideration for young soldiers living pay check to pay check, I never go on base for my grocery run on the 1st or the 15th. They deserve the right to get the diapers for their own children, not like the retirees who take the last pack for their grandchildren.
Done my venting about retirees from a retiree!
Back on topic
The real point of this thread is to state don't use the VA or Tri-care as a model, b/c many AD members have their own horrific referral stories, where it took months or yrs to finally get their issues resolved and this includes AD members. 15 yrs ago Bullet asked for an elective surgery, he had to fulfill 2 requirements before they would even refer him(this had nothing at all to do with medical issues or flying whatsoever) he did, we were AF stationed at Ft. Bragg, he could either wait 9 mos after the referral was complete and do it at Bragg or drive 70 miles to SJAFB and have it done in 6 mos. We opted SJ, but the point is even AD members face wait times for simple procedures that never needed referrals in the "real world"
Our DS waited 36 hrs for his arm to be cast, because ortho couldn't take him, so they sent him home in a splint and a sling with meds and said we'll see you in 2 days. He was 13, and the son of an AD member.
Tri-Care works great for young single AD members because they use it 1x a yr for their planned physical, and if they do get sick, there is sick call every day M-F 2x a day that they can go to without an appt. It is when they get married, start having kids and needing appts for Ob/GYN, allergies, flues, sport physicals, etc. that people start seeing the big pic. Of course we were fortunate to have the "concierge" service of flight med, so when he was flying we called that morning and were in an hour later. When we weren't (Leavenworth and Pentagon) I got the real taste of Tri-Care and dealing with calling them(the 800 number) to get an appt. for the same day. If I was lucky enough to get one, Ihad to wait an hr at the docs for my appt, b/c they were always running late.
People need to also see an underlying statement that even the military acknowledges the problem, which is why does Flight Surgeons exist and take family members. They do this so the the flyer is not stressed out that their loved one is caught in the system when they are up in the air. In other words they acknowledge that family practice, OB/GYN/ peds are overburdened. I will defend flt surgeons for the rest of my life. These guys work harder than the FP or Pediatrician, no offense to them. Whenever we had a medical issue they have done house calls(even dropping off the scripts when Bullet was deployed), gone to the off base hospital to check on the family member, and called the flyer to make sure they have no questions. They work 24/7, and are dedicated to the flyer and his family. The relationship and trust is so close, you get to a point that you call them at their home on their off hours before running to the ER for a phone consult of whether you should go and spend the night waiting in an ER. The job is not 8-4. Not only have they done all of those things for us personally, they have even been kind enough to take the time to personall meet an AFA cadet (Hornet) druing his lunch break to mentor which route he should do in obtaining his dream of being a flt surgeon. He also gave him his personal email for direct access. This doc never had to do this, but a flyer came and asked for the favor, and he was kind enough to agree(that whole brethren thing only found in the military).
Again I am not saying the other docs are horrible and uncaring, I am just trying to highlight how much extra work they put in for the flyers and their families to give the "concierge" service. They should all be applauded. JUST like MullenLE and retnavy, because they go far beyond the requirements of the job since they do it for the love of the service.
