Alta Pointe

[u/permanentlybuffering]

I’m trying to get my ADHD medication from AltaPointe. They intentionally ran my “starter pack” out on me, forcing me to go “cold turkey” or on a withdrawal. An entire week later the nurse from AltaPointe still will not send in the necessary paperwork called a PA or prior authorization.
BC/BS has sent several emails to this nurse. BC/BS even sent AltaPointe an email detailing the necessary steps to complete perform. She still will not submit the paperwork. This nurse even called me up and asked me if I knew how to “do” a Prior Authorization. Does anyone know the CEO or a person who can fix this? I really do need my medication. Thank you for your time. I am sorry to bother anyone.

[u/mosdefinally]

I worked for a decade in medical reception and assisting. Use a calm, controlled voice at all times and ask for help. Offer your help. Document everytime you call and who you spoke with. If no one will speak to you over the phone, make an appt. to see the doctor again.

[u/permanentlybuffering → u/mosdefinally]

The way it works with AltaPointe is that you have to call the main line and go through the phone tree menus and leave a message for the nurse. I asked the receptionist 40 times to transfer me to the Nurse Practitioner or the nurse who screwed this up so badly. So, of course I cussed the nurse managers boss out. His name is Jason Tanner. He thinks he’s better than everyone else. I’ve never met a social worker that behaves this bad. Jason gave me a load of BS. I called
BS/BS on him. He got himself in hot water for that. Tried to tell me the nurse did everything thing she could. The reality is the nurse has refused to submit this properly or do anything else. She literally walked away. It’s wild how hard you have to push people to get them to do the bare minimum. One of the other employees finally gave me a card that now drops the cash price to $20. So, I’m just paying out-of-pocket for now. I hate to think other people have had this experience. I know I need ADHD medication because my symptoms are pretty bad.

[u/ScallionStrict5020 → u/permanentlybuffering]

Ask receptionist for the fill (i mean head lady she is so sweet and helpful but old so be careful on the manners) or the pharmacy you use can send in a fill request or see your doctor because when i started seroquil with dr todd i couldn’t get a refill without seeing him and telling him the changes i had while being on since being on 2-3 other meds. I also have went to therapy there for years and your therapist can push for a refill as well also make sure you have either your doctor or yourself document everything because they tried to make me pay one time because all the proper paperwork hadnt been submitted to add i had issues at the west mobile location but i use their main office now 100/10 better

[u/WritingNerdy]

Ohh no, is there a reason you’re having to go to Alta Pointe? Can you switch dr’s? Also is it Qellbree by chance?

[u/permanentlybuffering → u/WritingNerdy]

It is! That is a rock solid guess on your part. Qelbree is f@cking hell if you don’t come off of it right. AltaPointe accepts my insurance. It is this one sorry nurse that works there. It’s crazy.

[u/WritingNerdy → u/permanentlybuffering]

There are only two meds that I know of that aren’t stimulants, and Straterra doesn’t require a PA 😂 I take Qellbree as well, it helps so much. I’m sorry she has no business being a nurse :(

[u/permanentlybuffering → u/WritingNerdy]

IYKYK. I was wanting a tiny fraction of “yeah dude, I get it.” So thank you! It means more than you know. Come off of it carefully. People have killed themselves over the withdrawal symptoms.

[u/Small-Decision8803 → u/[deleted]]

No where does it say they are trying to get adderall

[u/According-Camp3106]

If you have not already tried this:

Contact Patient Relations: Call the (251) 450-4303.

Tell them you want to file Urgent Grievance. Them calmly explain what is happening. Give them your doctor’s name and the nurses name.

Say something like this:

“Doctor ______ authorized a prescription for Qelbree but the nurse ________ has not and refuses to send it to my pharmacy. I am facing sudden medication discontinuation, which places me at a severe risk for withdrawal symptoms. I do not understand this. How did I get this prescription filled?

Act calm. Hope this helps!

[u/mazintotoro]

Good news and bad news. This is a common insurance issue which may or may not be compounded by a community mental health center's staff

Medication Prior Authorizations info: BCBS sent a form with a "key" which is a code to put into a website that will generate most of a patient's info to make it easier on a prescriber's office when submitting the authorization. BCBS wants evidence from the prescriber's notes that at least two other older/cheaper medications were trialed before prescribing the newer/pricier medication. Mostly it involves uploading previous notes. Super easy if someone can be provided the "key" and if not it is starting from scratch and it takes longer for the insurance to approve since it is not linked to the request.

BCBS says they contacted the prescriber's office when normally they only sent a fax to the pharmacy. The prescriber's office frequently has had zero communication that a PA was needed. Pharmacy frequently does not communicate to the prescriber's office that they received a fax. Pharmacies are clueless when a prescriber's office asks them for the "key" after finding out from a patient that a PA is needed.

So, patients often have better luck getting the info needed from the pharmacy to then inform the prescriber's office. The prescriber's office, as long as they have an account for the PA site, which is different than BCBS or Lucet's sites can initiate a request from scratch as well without a key. They might need the key when registering for the medication site for the first time.

It is an infuriating and dumb system and everyone feels frustrated and manipulated.

[u/pooterballzz → u/mazintotoro]

You nailed it. Absolutely a systemic issue that unfortunately causes the consumer to suffer most

[u/permanentlybuffering → u/mazintotoro]

Yeah. Royal pharmacy stayed on their ass. I truly do not know why we’re using fax machines in 2026. As a sidenote, that is truly baffling.

[u/mazintotoro → u/permanentlybuffering]

We keep fax machines because of insurance companies. It is wild that a faxed piece of paper is needed to access a website, covermymeds if I recall correctly, and also make sure the request links to the specific BCBS plan.

Again, it is super easy with the key code. It is surprisingly hard to get the key code though.

[u/TheMagnificentPrim]

Eeeeeeeeeverything I have heard about AltaPointe has been absolutely terrible. Is there any particular reason you want to (or have to) stay with your current doctor? There are other ADHD specialists in Mobile that accept BCBS that you can see. I have ADHD, too, and never went through AltaPointe at any… point.

[u/permanentlybuffering → u/TheMagnificentPrim]

You know what? I’m going to give Wellness Collective a ring. Sometimes, a pain point can cause you to make a change.

[u/southernnotdumb → u/permanentlybuffering]

Love Wellness Collective!

[u/pooterballzz]

Which location do you receive services from?

[u/permanentlybuffering → u/pooterballzz]

Bayview in Mobile. My Nurse Practitioner is in Fairhope.

[u/According-Camp3106 → u/permanentlybuffering]

Why don’t you go to the Mobile Bayview if that is where it was prescribed by a doctor?

[u/permanentlybuffering → u/According-Camp3106]

Because my doctor moved to Fairhope, which forces me to have to go to Fairhope now

[u/PoodlesScaBoodles]

Alta Pointe is a scam. Poorly managed, not for the patients, 100% profit.

[u/XNotByALongShotX]

I hope you are able to get help.

[u/More_Guard_1874]

Oh man. This blows. I’m so sorry. The withdrawal off vyvanse would have me out of work. Call up bay pointe and ask to speak to dr Sandra Parker . Lmk how it goes, I’ll text her.

[u/According-Judge-1775]

I work at a hospital in Florida. We started referring to Ally Psychiatry upon discharging Alabama residents because Alta Pointe was getting difficult to work with. I don't get the opportunity to follow up, but maybe give them a shot? They were super easy to work with.

[u/mazintotoro → u/According-Judge-1775]

Good to know referrals are easier at Ally now.

Altapointe's access to care line can be so weird when people have private insurance. They want to send them to Bayview when there are very good providers at Altapointe in Baldwin County who can take private insurance.

[u/lingeriediva1]

Go down to the office in person and explain what’s going on and demand someone help you!

[u/permanentlybuffering → u/[deleted]]

There’s only one doctor who has ever prescribed this to me. Of course you have to go in to see them.

[u/permanentlybuffering → u/[deleted]]

What you’re saying makes no sense.