In today's mail I got two letters from the insurance company. One was the written denial of surgery...the other was the approval of one pre-op test & a few office visits.

Cute.

The approvals were done about a week ago, but the denial was entered um, yesterday. Yep, 24 hours later I'm actually holding the mailed letter in my hot little hands.

So they drag their feet on mailing approvals, but are all over it *thisfast* when there's a denial. Super!

I really hope it's going to be straightened out quickly & as smoothly as can be. I don't know if I need to call the doctor's office or insurance company. If so, what do I say? I don't know if someone will call me...or if it won't be addressed until my next visit & I get reamed by the dr when I go for my endoscopy.

I can totally see it happening, given what I've read and been told about my surgeon's bedside manner. I'll probably get blamed for telling "Karen" to fax the surgical request over. Yeah. Like I can *make* someone do that. I never asked anyone to do it.

It was a matter of:

Me: "Hi! I'd like to try & schedule some of the pre-op appointments if I could."

Karen: "Are you approved?"

Me: "Yep. I mean, I think so."

She asked for my last name & pulled my file.

Karen: (Indignant) "NO! You are NOT approved. You are only approved for the consult, endoscopy, and office visits. None of the other things can be scheduled until you have insurance approval for surgery."

Me: "Oh. Does that include the nutrition class too?"

Karen: (Still indignant) "YES!"

I mentioned my sob story about my DH being on pre-deployment vacation & I was hoping to squeeze in any of the pre-op appts if possible while he was available to watch our child.

Karen: (High & mighty) "And when were you expecting to have surgery?"

Me: "I was hoping to be able to do it mid to end of July, if possible."

Karen: (As though she was thinking out loud) "Ok. We're scheduled out that far. Let me fax the request over to them." (Irritated sigh)

Me: "Oh, ok. Thank you."

We hung up.

Grrr! So much about this whole process is bothering me...a lot. (As you can probably tell if you've been reading my blog. :thumbup:)

I know it bothers me deeply because I want this surgery soooo badly & there seems to be very little I can do to move the process along. Heck, there seems to be very little I can do to even get straight answers.

Hard to stay positive. :biggrin:

I'm prepared to fight. I've had to fight this insurance company before on prescriptions. I did win that battle.

Just wish I didn't have to fight. Why can't it be a remotely smooth process?