Chicago Public Schools (CPS)-- Benefits

I started working for Chicago Public Schools on July 21 and my benefits were supposed to take effect starting on Day 1. On August 20 I called CPS to ask when I could expect my insrance cards. They looked me up in the system and determined that "it was strange" because I had registered correctly for benefits in the CPS system but "for some reason" BCBS (Blue Cross Blue Shield) didn't get the info they needed. I was forwarded to the voicemail of a "specialist". I left her a message that day... and then the next day, then a few days later and so on and forth for the next 1.5 weeks. She never returned my calls! I hate her.

Fortunately, while calling the CPS HR Deparmtnet for the twentieth time, a man named Jerome (who is very wonderful in my opinion) answered the phone and took me under his wing. His investigation got the ball rolling. While I never heard from him again, 2 weeks later I was in the system for BCBS. "Great," I thought, "Now I can get my prescription filled!". Nope. Turns out Caremark takes care of any thing related to prescriptions. However, the good folks at BCBS were kind enough to provide their number. I called Caremark and to get my "Bin #" (which was requested by the pharmacy). Well-- and oh darn-- it turned out I wasn't in their system. Actually, that's not quite right, I was previously in their system but my eligibility ended on August 1, 2008.

Short story long, it is now September 17 and all has been taken care of. I haven't actually received my insurance cards but, after one internet attempt and two phone calls to pick a primary care physician, someone on the phone tells me that they will arrive shortly.

Yay.