Insurance Companies...

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#1 Post by **krikri306** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:23 am

So I'm scheduled for my surgery December 18th and I'm really looking forward to it. My surgeon submitted my paperwork on September 11th and a month went by with no word, so the surgeon's office called to check on the statues. Apparently they had lost my paperwork! My surgeon called back a week later and they said they had found it and I would have an answer by Wednesday (yesterday). Well I hadn't heard anything so my surgeon's office called again today and they said they had never actually found the paperwork.. So she's supposed to call back on Monday. Aw it's so frustrating! I knew dealing with the insurance company would be a hassle, but I had never expected it to be this awful. I'm starting to get nervous that it won't be approved in time. Sorry for the rant, just had to get this off my chest. I hope everyone is doing well!

#2 Post by **Svensk Tiger** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:27 am

Eek! How annoying for you, I'm sure you don't need this added stress right now. I didn't have any of this (I'm in the UK and I paid for mine) but I hope it's all resolved nice and quickly, must be a huge pain.

#3 Post by **gatorseh** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:34 am

My surgeon sent my insurance company all of my stuff in December '07. Followed up and the insurance company told my surgeon's office that they never received the paperwork. We sent it again with delivery & signature confirmation. Insurance company said they never got it. Called back-and-forth arguing for a good month until my surgeon's office had to fax my file two weeks before my surgery. Insurance says they never got the fax either. They then say they got the fax but somebody e-mailed them that my surgeon had changed and this had reset my claim and we had to start all over. They would not tell us who e-mailed them (wasn't me or my surgeon!) but said that once it was on file you could not take it back. Nine days before my surgery my immediate family, HR person in charge of insurance, me, and my surgeon started calling the company every day and we finally had approval after day two. My surgeon said she'd never dealt with a company who put up that much trouble ever. Hang in there!

#4 Post by **Audra** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 11:33 am

I know the waitlists are really long here in Canada (a year for me), but I have to say, I'd rather put up with that than trying to chase down these insurance companies you guys deal with in the U.S. It boggles my mind.

They received your paperwork - they are just stalling. Keep on them and hang in there.

#5 Post by **bstndance** » Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:52 pm

I have Kaiser Permanente and I could not believe how easy it was. In Southern California, Kaiser owns their own hospitals and employs all of their doctors and specialists. So all it took was my primary care doctor to enter a referral in her computer to see the surgeon and then the surgeon to look and say "yes you need surgery". Done. The only hard part was trying to get the orthodontist and surgeon to communicate and get the right things done on my teeth. The surgeon kept sending me back to get things changed.

#6 Post by **someday** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 9:46 pm

if you don't mind me asking how much did the surgury cost you with kaiser insurance?

#7 Post by **Emaciated** » Thu Nov 13, 2008 10:27 pm

I've been told that they cover 100%, every dime. At least in SoCal.

#8 Post by **bstndance** » Wed Nov 19, 2008 11:06 am

Just the co-pay which in my case is $100 per day in the hospital. I'm told I'm going to be outpatient.

#9 Post by **Lushpulp** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 6:55 am

that has got to be so fustrating!!! I heard about insurance companies doing this before I tried to get my approval. Relieved it didn't happen to me.
any update? did they find the paperwork yet?