No one likes to admit they’ve no one else to blame but themselves and quite likely no one more than I. Changed health insurance this year having been lured by extra benefits at the same cost and more fool me. As a traditionlly low user of medical care facllities I’ve been a poor student of what’s a PPO , HMO , PCP or even a “network” and so am forced to embrace my ignorance … and take the blame.
Guess I was a bit slow on choosing a primary care Doctor as the new insurance company waited a month and then sent me a new card with name of one listed as my PCP . I looked her up and found she’s in a cardiology center and so I felt pehaps something along the lines of a GP { see, I’m learning } would be more appropriate and especially right now. Perused my insurance companies web site and found a Doctor they claimed was in my network with 5 star raves. Better yet, even had a nice website that allowed for new patients to set up their appointment and I did so. Even let me type out the 12 page new patient forms and print them .
Three days later I presented myself before the receptionist to discover that the miserable twat behind the counter has never heard of me. She demanded to know why I needed to see a Doctor and I explained a large painful boil on my back the size of a pregnant golf ball that is now infected and barking like a rabid dog.
“I don’t think we accept your insurance .” she said with an inflection implying zero sympathy.
A more pleasant woman in the office overheard and then took my card and ran it through the puter and said … ” Yes we do “… and she banished me to the waiting to fill out yet again the 12 page new patient forms and of course, on both sides. I began to think things were going my way when after completing those 12 pages for the second time I was told that a Doctor could see me at 11:00 a.m. and I could come back then. At 10:40 a.m. on my way back to meet the appointment I received a call to say they don’t accept my insurance after all . Fine… I have a plan B and so presented myself to the office of the Doctor who’s name is on my insurance card next to the description of PCP. Here it was made abundantly clear that my need and request of medical services was indeed an unwelcome intrusion on their valuable time and busy schedule.
To start, they also claimed to not accept my insurance so I questioned why the name of the Doctor in residence had her name on my insurance card next to the title of Primary Care Provider . This got me banished once more to the waiting room to fill out forms where I discovered that this time there were 14 pages {both sides} . When finished the lady with a sour face informed me she now had to transcribe all these 14 pages onto the computer while I stood and waited and wondered why the hell she didn’t just transcribe the answers while she asked instead of me waisting 20 minutes with a pen. When finished she said …..
“You’re in luck, we have a cancellation and can get you in to be seen by the Doctor nine days from now.”
The fact that I could be dead from infection induced sepsis in nine days cut no ice … my mention of that was countered with …” go to urgent care or the hospital ” .
That brought me to Plan C ….
Now wait … I know this story is long and a bit drawn out but trust me, it gets longer and more boring.
Plan C brought me to the clinic where a Doctor who is now out of my “net” had rectified a similar issue for me years ago charged me $ 129.50 for a three minute interview with the explanation that he no longer does this work. Since it’s the largest infected boil he’s seen in 40 years I need to see a Pro. He gave me a precription for antibiotics and sent me to see a local surgeon that qualifies . Having then gone to the office of that surgeon to make an appointment I was told that they can’t see me with out a referral . Turns out the Doctor who sent me there is not in their “network” and his office refused to provide the necessary referral …. claiming they can’t .
Here we go … Plan D … go through the hassle of calling the insurance company for advice . Turns out that the surgeon that I was sent to requireing a referall is actually in my insurance network. On the strength of the word of an unseen office worker in Illinois with no medical background, nor having personally seen my affliction, I’m granted a much needed appointment . While the licenced medical practioner having personally diagnosed my problem cannot because he’s not in the same network ….. That’s corporate greed making sure the stockholders money doesn’t escape the “net” …
Maybe I’m not entirely to blame after all ….
