Today was a most frustrating day all day from the initial contact with my insurance company until 5:00 p.m. with another call to them to check on what supposedly had been changed on the referral to Physical Therapy.
I’m not allowed to use the words on the blog that emanated from my mouth several times today. I’m sure this is a test of my stress level and I guess I passed it. I’m still alive. I do not know how truly “sick” people deal with the system. It stinks big time.
Started at 8:00 a.m. with a call to my principal insurance provider about an incorrect facility in the referral for outpatient physical therapy. I was put on hold for 20 minutes while the agent checked on it to be sure, after I asked if a new referral with the correct place needed to be sent from my doctor. She returned to say that it was the only facility they would pay for because I was no longer a resident of the Rehab center. She said my doctor could request a change but it would likely be denied and the appeal process would take 30 days. I won’t need it after that, most likely.
Then I called my doctor’s nurse to explain what happened. The accountant in charge of such things called my provider and put in a changed location for the provider. I didn’t hear until 4:00 p.m. today that it was approved, but we have nothing in writing, and only an authorization number. I called the insurance company again and gave them the authorization number and was told it was still to the old facility. So back on the phone to my doctor’s office and the woman who had just called to report nothing had changed. I wanted to know before I made another appointment at the Rehab center that I would have to break. She called again and found the paperwork had apparently not been updated in all the right places. Now we await verification.
Let’s see .. what else today? I spent loads of time on the computer responding to folks all over. John took the 3 horses to get them their flu shots. The wind started blowing again, fiercely all day, but that did not affect his getting them into our trailer and taken down for their appointment.
Oh, another call this morning to the HEBB (health benefits for the state), satisfied them that our wedding date was indeed July 12, 1969. I never heard the other date they had. He actually said the correct one before I had to tell him. Also they were asking for his and my Medicare cards, which we thought had been submitted with the application. Sure enough, they were in the file.
Finally, I made another call to the provider of my 4-wheeled walker which may not get delivered until I no longer need it. They didn’t have any in stock with 8” wheels but no one thought to call me since last Monday when I refused to accept the 5” wheeled version. First, the person contacted today said 2-3 weeks and he’d have to order; then he found they had one with 7.5” wheels and perhaps I will get it as late as this week. Wow.. more frustrations.
Did I say ? Something is wrong with this system, and I wonder how others are treated. Certainly they don’t get any better “customer” service than I have experienced.
Actually, there is good news with my eating ability. I managed to eat ½ piece of pizza john made for himself for dinner. That was before my bowl of soup. So I’m improving a little. Not fast enough for John’s wishes, however.
Nancy
[from JFH: Have you ever noticed how things seem troubled when the wind blows?]