Re: HBOT, medicaid, and SPECT scans in Idaho

[Guest guest]

Hi Todd,

We are in the Panhandle and go to the Hyperbaric center in Spokane.

He just got approved with Medicad. The first round we had to pay for since

they were not billing insurance

companies yet. But now that they are..... YIPEE

Where are you getting the SPECT scan done??

Also, if you are in the Boise area, there is the Elks Rehab that has the

chamber.

Sherri

On Sat, Sep 20, 2008 at 8:58 PM, todd.harkins <bar11mt@...> wrote:

> Hello,

>

> Our two year old son who is brain-injured is scheduled for a SPECT

> scan next week, and we will hopefully follow that with HBOT the

> following week. This will be our first attempt.

>

> We have questions that perhaps some of you can answer...

>

> 1.) Has anyone in the state of Idaho applied for or been denied for

> medicaid funding of HBOT?

>

> 2.) Is there an ideal time frame between the first SPECT scan and HBOT?

>

> 3.) How should I proceed if medicaid denies my request to reimburse

> HBOT or the SPECT scan?

>

> Thanks much for any help you can give.

>

> Todd

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

A SPECT scan shows brain function by mapping blood flow in the brain,

or cerebral perfusion. The scans show areas of hypoperfusion, where

brain activity is too low, and hyperperfusion, where brain activity

is too high. People who benefit the most from HBOT tend to have

more areas in the brain where the activity is too low.

SPECT scans can be used to predict the effectiveness of HBOT. If you

do one pre-HBOT SPECT scan, and another SPECT scan after one HBOT

treatment, and you compare the SPECT scans, you can predict how

effective HBOT will be. The greater the change between the two SPECT

scans, the greater the effectiveness of HBOT. You can also do a post-

HBOT SPECT scan and compare it to the pre-HBOT SPECT scan. The

greater the difference between the two SPECT scans, the greater the

effects of HBOT.

However, SPECT scans require the injection of radioactive dye into

the person getting the scan. Children getting SPECT scans are often

sedated with drugs that can harm the brain. While doctors will tell

you that getting radioactive dye injected into your child and

sedating your child is safe, it's up to the parent to decide if the

risks of a SPECT scans outweigh the benefits.

Since you can determine if your child improves from HBOT by the

changes in their cognition and behavior after the treatments, a SPECT

scan might not be necessary.

Diane

>

> Hello,

>

> Our two year old son who is brain-injured is scheduled for a SPECT

> scan next week, and we will hopefully follow that with HBOT the

> following week. This will be our first attempt.

>

> We have questions that perhaps some of you can answer...

>

> 1.) Has anyone in the state of Idaho applied for or been denied for

> medicaid funding of HBOT?

>

> 2.) Is there an ideal time frame between the first SPECT scan and

HBOT?

>

> 3.) How should I proceed if medicaid denies my request to reimburse

> HBOT or the SPECT scan?

>

> Thanks much for any help you can give.

>

> Todd

>

[Guest guest]

Sherri,

What is your child's diagnosis? Do you know of any child with autism

whose HBOT has been covered by Medicaid? We live in Coeur d' Alene

area and a few parents were turned down by their PCP's when they

asekd for a referral to get HBOT. In fact, one pediatrician has

called the state Medicaid office and expressed his disdain against

HBOT and his reason was that MD's will lose income if the coverage

goes on.

My son has autism and he has taken 120 hours of HBOT in Spokane and

that's what helped bring back his language. I am trying to help other

parents and I want another 40. My appointment with our PCP is on Nov.

4 so I am preparing to do everything possible to get that referral

and get these other children helped too.

Any studies, argument techniques, citation, materials will help. If

we (parents here) need to go to your referring doctor.

You can e-mail me at barakotey@...

We can also talk if you want. I am glad your current HBOT is now

covered. God bless!

Sheila

>

> > Hello,

> >

> > Our two year old son who is brain-injured is scheduled for a SPECT

> > scan next week, and we will hopefully follow that with HBOT the

> > following week. This will be our first attempt.

> >

> > We have questions that perhaps some of you can answer...

> >

> > 1.) Has anyone in the state of Idaho applied for or been denied

for

> > medicaid funding of HBOT?

> >

> > 2.) Is there an ideal time frame between the first SPECT scan and

HBOT?

> >

> > 3.) How should I proceed if medicaid denies my request to

reimburse

> > HBOT or the SPECT scan?

> >

> > Thanks much for any help you can give.

> >

> > Todd

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Good Morning,

My son was 18 when he was rear ended out here in Garwood on Hwy 95. He was

stopped and was hit at 60 MPH and sustained a

Traumatic Brain Injury. He is now 20.

My sons PCP is wonderful. All you have to do in the state of Idaho is get a

referral or script from your Medicade Dr and make an appointment with the

Spokane Hyperbaric Center and they do the rest. The state of Idaho is not

giving anyone any problems. I know of two of us, maybe 3 now from Idaho.

If you call Medicad and ask them if they pay for HBOT they will tell you

no. But last spring when Mike was in the chamber I called and gave them the

billing codes and they told me that they pay for that.

Anyone under 21 as you know from this site is to be covered. The state of

Idaho has been wonderful in not fighting this.

We go to Hayden Lake Family Physicians. Our Dr is Dr Brososki. We have

been going to him for years. He knows Mike and is seeing his progress and

has no problems with the chamber nor anything else I seem to approach him

with.

I have talked to another mom from Post Falls and her physician for her son

in CDA Peds and that Dr doesn't have any issues with HBOT either. Maybe you

need to change physicians ??

If you did the treatments at the spokane hyperbaric chamber a while ago,

they were not billing insurance, but now they are !!!

Let me know how all this goes for you

Sherri

On Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 5:44 AM, teybarako <teybarako@...> wrote:

> Sherri,

>

> What is your child's diagnosis? Do you know of any child with autism

> whose HBOT has been covered by Medicaid? We live in Coeur d' Alene

> area and a few parents were turned down by their PCP's when they

> asekd for a referral to get HBOT. In fact, one pediatrician has

> called the state Medicaid office and expressed his disdain against

> HBOT and his reason was that MD's will lose income if the coverage

> goes on.

>

> My son has autism and he has taken 120 hours of HBOT in Spokane and

> that's what helped bring back his language. I am trying to help other

> parents and I want another 40. My appointment with our PCP is on Nov.

> 4 so I am preparing to do everything possible to get that referral

> and get these other children helped too.

>

> Any studies, argument techniques, citation, materials will help. If

> we (parents here) need to go to your referring doctor.

> You can e-mail me at barakotey@... <barakotey%40aol.com>

> We can also talk if you want. I am glad your current HBOT is now

> covered. God bless!

>

> Sheila

>

>

> >

> > > Hello,

> > >

> > > Our two year old son who is brain-injured is scheduled for a SPECT

> > > scan next week, and we will hopefully follow that with HBOT the

> > > following week. This will be our first attempt.

> > >

> > > We have questions that perhaps some of you can answer...

> > >

> > > 1.) Has anyone in the state of Idaho applied for or been denied

> for

> > > medicaid funding of HBOT?

> > >

> > > 2.) Is there an ideal time frame between the first SPECT scan and

> HBOT?

> > >

> > > 3.) How should I proceed if medicaid denies my request to

> reimburse

> > > HBOT or the SPECT scan?

> > >

> > > Thanks much for any help you can give.

> > >

> > > Todd

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

> >

> >