Contacting Drs. Rice and Achkar

[Guest guest]

Hi, all!

This may be slightly OT, but I was wondering if any patients of

Drs. Rice and Achkar have info on who to contact in their offices.

Let me explain: and I have been on COBRA for our insurance

for 16 months and will soon pay a much higher rate for insurance

(COBRA is extended to 29 mos. because is under Soc. Sec.

Disability, but the price is going way up in March). We're trying to

get a different insurance that would be cheaper, but they have to get

a lot of medical info. about us and decide if they'll accept us,

first. So, every doctor we've seen for the last 5 years needs to fill

out a form on us, which includes Drs. Achkar and Rice for him. Are

there any patients of theirs out there that have had luck with getting

forms filled out or with insurance issues by contacting a certain

person in their offices? The insurance person recommended that we

visit each physician, but when I told her that wasn't possible since

they're in another state, she suggested I at least call them and

impress upon them how important these forms are. I'm going to come up

with a cover letter explaining the forms, also.

I hope everyone is doing O.K. with their swallowing issues! Have

a great day!

in BRRR C-COLD Michigan

[Guest guest]

,

I do not know who does this for Dr. Achkar, but I do for Dr. Rice. You

need to call at 216-444-1921 and ask to speak to Dr. Rice's

case manager, a Stepnik. a will complete the forms. Given them

7-10 business days. Both and a are wonderful. You might

ask and/or a who does the forms for Dr. Achkar.

In VA

>

> Hi, all!

> This may be slightly OT, but I was wondering if any patients of

> Drs. Rice and Achkar have info on who to contact in their offices.

> Let me explain: and I have been on COBRA for our insurance

> for 16 months and will soon pay a much higher rate for insurance

> (COBRA is extended to 29 mos. because is under Soc. Sec.

> Disability, but the price is going way up in March). We're trying to

> get a different insurance that would be cheaper, but they have to get

> a lot of medical info. about us and decide if they'll accept us,

> first. So, every doctor we've seen for the last 5 years needs to fill

> out a form on us, which includes Drs. Achkar and Rice for him. Are

> there any patients of theirs out there that have had luck with getting

> forms filled out or with insurance issues by contacting a certain

> person in their offices? The insurance person recommended that we

> visit each physician, but when I told her that wasn't possible since

> they're in another state, she suggested I at least call them and

> impress upon them how important these forms are. I'm going to come up

> with a cover letter explaining the forms, also.

> I hope everyone is doing O.K. with their swallowing issues! Have

> a great day!

>

> in BRRR C-COLD Michigan

>

[Guest guest]

,

Thank you so much for your quick response!! That was just the

info I was looking for!

I have been reading about your case and my heart goes out to you!

To get yourself all psyched up for surgery and then having it

postponed must be very difficult! I know it's easier said than done,

but hang in there! I believe that sometimes things happen for a

reason and maybe the tooth problem came up because it wasn't the right

time for you to have surgery. I'm so glad that it didn't flare up

AFTER surgery, either, to interfere with your healing!

in Michigan

>

> ,

>

> I do not know who does this for Dr. Achkar, but I do for Dr. Rice. You

> need to call at 216-444-1921 and ask to speak to Dr. Rice's

> case manager, a Stepnik. a will complete the forms. Given them

> 7-10 business days. Both and a are wonderful. You might

> ask and/or a who does the forms for Dr. Achkar.

>

> In VA

>

[Guest guest]

,

I believe things happen for a reason too, and I am not as emotionally

wrought up as I was. Two weeks from today, I will be in the OR with

Dr. Rice, and I know I am in the best of hands.

Good luck with the forms. Dr. Rice's office is very accommodating, as

when I was trying to get my short-term disability, I was denied at

first because my disability company thought I only had a hital hernia!

I was finally approved, after appealing,and now I am on long-term

disability. The people who first look at these forms know nothing

about medicine and results are based on data entered into a computer.

The lady had never heard of achalasia---but I have had ER doctors who

have never heard of it either....SAD.

> >

> > ,

> >

> > I do not know who does this for Dr. Achkar, but I do for Dr. Rice. You

> > need to call at 216-444-1921 and ask to speak to Dr. Rice's

> > case manager, a Stepnik. a will complete the forms. Given them

> > 7-10 business days. Both and a are wonderful. You might

> > ask and/or a who does the forms for Dr. Achkar.

> >

> > In VA

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I didn’t have them fill anything out..but I did get all my

records from ccf. I would suggest calling their offices and just asking…tell

them why you need them and if you can fax them over to them!

Never hurts to just ask!

From: achalasia

[mailto:achalasia ] On Behalf Of let45ride

Sent: Monday, February 11, 2008 6:53 PM

achalasia

Subject: Contacting Drs. Rice and Achkar

Hi, all!

This may be slightly OT, but I was wondering if any patients of

Drs. Rice and Achkar have info on who to contact in their offices.

Let me explain: and I have been on COBRA for our insurance

for 16 months and will soon pay a much higher rate for insurance

(COBRA is extended to 29 mos. because is under Soc. Sec.

Disability, but the price is going way up in March). We're trying to

get a different insurance that would be cheaper, but they have to get

a lot of medical info. about us and decide if they'll accept us,

first. So, every doctor we've seen for the last 5 years needs to fill

out a form on us, which includes Drs. Achkar and Rice for him. Are

there any patients of theirs out there that have had luck with getting

forms filled out or with insurance issues by contacting a certain

person in their offices? The insurance person recommended that we

visit each physician, but when I told her that wasn't possible since

they're in another state, she suggested I at least call them and

impress upon them how important these forms are. I'm going to come up

with a cover letter explaining the forms, also.

I hope everyone is doing O.K. with their swallowing issues! Have

a great day!

in BRRR C-COLD Michigan

[Guest guest]

,

I'm so glad you're feeling a little better about things! I know

for sure that you'll be in good hands with Dr. Rice and the CCF staff.

I'm glad you got short and long-term disability. finally

got his a few months ago. It took over a year to get approved for

short-term! I'm sure their people had never heard of DES. We found

out later that he was actually approved because of depression.

is also being treated for that (as a result of his DES and subsequent

job loss), but I think that was a strategic move by the disability

company. They only have to pay long-term for 2 years for a

psychiatric problem and they probably figured that was easier and

cheaper than trying to understand a rare disease.

Take care of yourself! I'll be thinking of you!

in Michigan

>

> ,

>

> I believe things happen for a reason too, and I am not as emotionally

> wrought up as I was. Two weeks from today, I will be in the OR with

> Dr. Rice, and I know I am in the best of hands.

>

> Good luck with the forms. Dr. Rice's office is very accommodating, as

> when I was trying to get my short-term disability, I was denied at

> first because my disability company thought I only had a hital hernia!

> I was finally approved, after appealing,and now I am on long-term

> disability. The people who first look at these forms know nothing

> about medicine and results are based on data entered into a computer.

> The lady had never heard of achalasia---but I have had ER doctors who

> have never heard of it either....SAD.

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks for your help! I think I'll start my phone calls this morning.

in Michigan

>

>

>

> I didn't have them fill anything out..but I did get all my records

from ccf.

> I would suggest calling their offices and just asking.tell them why

you need

> them and if you can fax them over to them!

>

> Never hurts to just ask!

>

>

>

>

>

> From: achalasia [mailto:achalasia ]

On Behalf

> Of let45ride

> Sent: Monday, February 11, 2008 6:53 PM

> achalasia

> Subject: Contacting Drs. Rice and Achkar

>

>

>

> Hi, all!

> This may be slightly OT, but I was wondering if any patients of

> Drs. Rice and Achkar have info on who to contact in their offices.

> Let me explain: and I have been on COBRA for our insurance

> for 16 months and will soon pay a much higher rate for insurance

> (COBRA is extended to 29 mos. because is under Soc. Sec.

> Disability, but the price is going way up in March). We're trying to

> get a different insurance that would be cheaper, but they have to get

> a lot of medical info. about us and decide if they'll accept us,

> first. So, every doctor we've seen for the last 5 years needs to fill

> out a form on us, which includes Drs. Achkar and Rice for him. Are

> there any patients of theirs out there that have had luck with getting

> forms filled out or with insurance issues by contacting a certain

> person in their offices? The insurance person recommended that we

> visit each physician, but when I told her that wasn't possible since

> they're in another state, she suggested I at least call them and

> impress upon them how important these forms are. I'm going to come up

> with a cover letter explaining the forms, also.

> I hope everyone is doing O.K. with their swallowing issues! Have

> a great day!

>

> in BRRR C-COLD Michigan

>