I finally understand what "CVS Caremark" is-- (it's not CVS stores) basically it's a service used by a number of huge healthcare plans to manage approved drugs and secure prices. It has its own network of pharmacies that goes way beyond just CVS.

This is why no one at your health insurance knows anything about why X drug wasn't approved.

I thought it was CVS stalking me trying to get me to go there for years, but my charmingly dysfunctional pharmacy is a "caremark" pharmacy.

Anyone who says that "government health care would mean bureaucracy" hasn't dealt w/ CVS caremark-- then there is the way that my doctor calls my insurance by one name, my work uses another, the pharmacy yet another & the insurance itself uses none of those.

Doctor "Do you have Earl Fiefdom Plus?"
Pharmacy "Is this ABC NYC XYZ Insurance?"
Insurance Co. "Thank you for calling HealthClub Go, the RTFM Plan. Please hold. [abominable music][audio cracks] Thank you for ..."

Feel like its on purpose.

@futurebird I've had Kaiser Permanente since I started with the government in 2002. The consistency and continuity has been the only thing that saved my sanity through a chronic illness, two kids, and all that comes with that. Doctor, pharmacist, specialist, whoever...they all use one system. It's not always the best, but when I hear stories like this, it makes me thankful I have an HMO.