Major VENT but good news too

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

I just got off the phone with Amaya's pediatrician's office and I really

need to vent because I am so p*ssed right now!!!

Let me start at the beginning....I was up til 4am this morning doing

research - trying to find out where to go locally for a consultation for

a helmet, since we don't have a Cranial Tech. office in MN. I was very

happy to discover that Gillette Children's Clinic here in St. has

FDA approval for the " CranioCap " , which is a band rather than a helmet.

This is the only FDA-approved craniofacial orthosis besides the STAR

Band and DOC Band in the country. I read all about it, and the dr.

( Wood) who helped develop it, and decided this is who I want to

see. So today I called my insurance company and by some stroke of luck,

this dr. and clinic ARE providers for our insurance. Woo hoo! They also

told me the CranioCap would be covered 90%...Woo hoo again! They said I

just have to get a referral from our primary care physician. So I called

the physician's office, and the dr. isn't in today, so I spoke with the

nurse. I explained the situation, and told her I do not want to wait

another month like the dr. told me to, and I was STUNNED when she said

" There is no possible way we can refer you to Gillette's. We ONLY refer

to specialists within our own clinic system. " So I explained that

Gillette's is the only place that offers the CranioCap and she (this is

supposed to be a PROFESSIONAL nurse) said real snippy " Well that's just

too bad for you then. We will NOT make a referral. Besides, if the dr.

told you to wait til her 6 month check-up then she must not be

concerned. " And then I lost it. Yikes! I told her my daughter was NOT

going to suffer just because they wanted to keep the dollars in their

own system. I also told her that the pediatrician's lack of concern is

just making the problem worse, and I REFUSE to stand by and watch

nothing be done, therefore I will be finding a new pediatrician at a new

clinic. And the nurse told me " Go ahead, we don't have the time or

resources to deal with hypochondriacs (sp?) here anyway. " OMG!!!!! I am

still in shock that she would say such a thing!!! For one thing, the dr.

WAS concerned enough to have 25 stinkin x-rays taken of Amaya's head at

her last visit, and for another thing, this is the ONLY issue I have

been persistent about, because I am the one who has to look at my poor

baby's head and face every day, knowing that the clock is ticking. How

does that make me a hypochondriac?! I am so angry right now. I am going

to send off a letter to the clinic, my insurance company, the medical

board, and anyone else I think of who can address the matter. I hope

this nurse gets fired...but she probably won't, since I never did get

her name (stupid me I know...I was just so angry I couldn't think

straight). And I am NOT bringing Amaya there ever again.

Anyway....(it is now 20 minutes after I wrote the first part of this

vent), I called Dr. Wood's office directly and told them what happened

and they allowed me to make an appointment with Dr. Wood himself for

next Monday, without getting a referral. I just hope my insurance

company will still cover it. If he determines she needs the CranioCap I

don't see what it matters anyway whether I had a referral or not. So,

wish us luck with this and in finding a new pediatrician!

Oh...and for those who had read my first post when I was utterly

clueless....we were approved for the loan so we can continue our

insurance. So that is a HUGE relief. It must have been due to all your

prayers! :-)

Thanks so much for letting me vent if you read this far...I know you

guys would understand my anger regarding this.

--

~Sheila (mommy to Amaya - 5 months old)