Medication Refill and Insurance Issues
Intermediate English listening exercise ยท Pharmacy
Transcript
[Customer] Hi, I'm here to pick up a refill for my blood pressure medication. [Pharmacist] Sure, what's your name and date of birth? [Customer] David Kim, March fifteenth, nineteen eighty. [Pharmacist] Let me check... I'm sorry, David, but your insurance has denied coverage for this refill. [Customer] What? I've been taking this medication for two years. Why would they deny it? [Pharmacist] It looks like the brand-name drug is no longer on your insurance formulary. They're requiring you to switch to the generic version. [Customer] Is the generic just as effective? [Pharmacist] Yes, absolutely. Generic medications contain the same active ingredient in the same dosage. They're required by the FDA to be bioequivalent to the brand name. [Customer] So why is the brand name more expensive? [Pharmacist] The brand-name manufacturer spent years and millions of dollars developing and testing the drug. Once the patent expires, other companies can make generic versions at a much lower cost. [Customer] Okay, I'll switch to the generic. How much will it cost? [Pharmacist] With your insurance, the generic is a ten-dollar copay compared to sixty-five dollars for the brand name out of pocket. [Customer] Wow, that's a big difference. Let's go with the generic. [Pharmacist] I'll process that right away. Also, I notice you're due for a refill on your cholesterol medication next week. Want me to sync them so you can pick up everything at once? [Customer] That would be very convenient, yes please.
Comprehension questions
- Why was the prescription denied?
- What does bioequivalent mean?
- What is the customer's name?
- What date of birth does the customer provide?
- What type of medication is David picking up a refill for?