American Medical Association President Jack Resneck Jr., MD, detailed in a post on the medical group’s website the “Kafkaesque” prior authorization process that an unnamed insurance company allegedly put one of his patients through. 

Dr. Resneck, a San Francisco-based dermatologist, was treating a patient with severe head-to-toe eczema, who was unable to sleep because of the condition, according to the post. Dr. Resneck found a medication that allowed the patient to sleep and return to work. 

Several months later, however, the patient was unable to get the prescription refilled at the pharmacy, according to the report. Dr. Resneck completed the paperwork describing how well the patient had responded to the medication, as required by the insurance company, and faxed it over. The prior authorization request for the prescription refill was rejected. 

Dr. Resneck said the insurance company rejected the refill on the grounds that the patient no longer met the severity criteria because not enough of his body was covered and he was not missing enough sleep. 

The insurance company allegedly wanted to take the patient off the medication for several weeks to let his eczema flare up again, according to the post. It took more than 20 additional telephone calls until the patient’s prescription was refilled.