Chronic Benefit Changes and Member Impact

<p>Dear Discovery</p> <p>I was placing my monthly chronic order through MedXpress on the app when I noticed that my co-payment has doubled from ~R400 to ~R800. Surely this must be an error.</p> <p> </p> <p>So I phone the call centre. After being transfered and transfered and kept on hold for 20 min the agent informs me that my script changed from 15 tablets of Arava to 30 tablets and thus the increase. </p> <p> </p> <p>I told her numerous times that I have been taking Arava everyday for almost a year and the only change from the previous script is the addition of Plasmoquin. She continued to insist that I am in the wrong and that I only have 15 tablets a month. </p> <p> </p> <p>It is very frustrating to talk to someone and attempt to get to a resolution when they continue to repeat the same inaccurate statement and are not listening to what you are telling them. At this point she offered to phone me back.</p> <p> </p> <p>On the second call we continued the same story and I asked to speak to a manager. I was again on hold for how long.</p> <p> </p> <p>It took Discovery almost an hour to realize that the increase in payment was due to the change in chronic benefits you implemented. Do you not communicate to your staff about changes you make that will cause queries in the call centre? </p> <p> </p> <p>When you send change communication you should clearly state that there is a change. Secondly, it would be really great if there was something to compare it to....For example, last year we covered you for A and this year we cover you for A-1 for the same money you pay every month. Sending numbers in isolation is deliberately misleading. People like to trust that you have their best interest at heart. But then you send badly worded, unpersonal auto-generated blanket emails? </p> <p> </p> <p>I would also like to raise the timing of your changes. Let me explain, I very specifically choose my medical aid option for the chronic benefits. I actually downgraded my plan because logic dictates that I am better off creating my own saving's pocket. So now in the middle of the year you change the game and I cant amend my coverage or upgrade to a plan where I would have a savings pocket to cover additional cost on CHRONIC medication until January. How does this serve anyone but you?</p> <p> </p> <p>How about we look at the options you gave. Make an appointment with my specialist and pay co-payment there as well (cause no RA specialist in my area charges discovery rates, and I dont blame them.) so that we can discuss other treatment.....really. My specialist then has to take time out of her day to write you guys a love letter to defend the fact that I am on a specific medication for a reason. </p> <p>Did anybody do their homework on Arava's alternatives? It's Methotraxate guys. Look it up and then take a good long look at what it does to your body and what the side effects are. It's Chemo. Would you define that as an alternative???</p> <p> </p> <p>I am so disappointed in your lack of caring, the poor service at the call centre, the very clear message that I don't matter. </p> <p> </p> <p>And by the way - do you think you can add Chronic on your list of numbers to dial when you phone the call centre? Everytime I have to phone I kinda just pick a number, wait for a guy, ask him to transer me...</p> <p> </p> <p>COME ON.....</p> <p> </p> <p>Rulene v d Westhuizen</p> <p> ********** 219081</p> <p> ********** 791</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p>