Maybe I'm being too hasty. Hopefully that's the case. But these people are a nightmare to deal with.

First of all, everything is spread out among different companies - prescription benefits are handled by one firm, participating doctors by another, and the whole thing is managed by yet another company. By looking at the card (which is printed on cardstock and doesn't have our names on them, how cheap is that) it's not obvious what the answer to the question "what insurance do you have?" is.

Another head-scratcher: None of the above companies list their web sites anywhere on the packet we received. For instance, when I called the Keepers of the Names of Participating Doctors, I learned that they only like to dole out one name at a time. Of course, the name they gave me wasn't taking new patients. I sleuthed out their web site, and ran a search myself. Go me. But many of the doctors that were listed as accepting new patients in fact were not.

Back to the pharmacy dorks: All I need is a list of participating pharmacies, but you can't get that on their website! When I called them (and finally got to a human) she answered the phone by telling me their computer system was down and they were asking people to call back in two hours. "I just need a participating pharmacy - you don't have a print-out of that anywhere?" "No." Well, that's just stupid.

So I finally convinced a doctor's office that I was covered by insurance they take. The receptionist asks for the address on my card - and she says that one's not on her list!! Finally, we found an address that might work, but I'll be bringing in every scrap of info these knuckleheads have mailed us. Now if I can only find a pharmacy before my pancreas falls out... Ah, if only I could follow the current national health insurance plan - don't get sick.