Insurance can be a pain!!

[Guest guest]

Hi gang,

A few weeks ago we were notified that Ford Motor Co. (Joanie is retired) was changing from United Health Care to Blue Cross Blue Shield. Shortly after we were sent a letter we had to do a self assessment of our health. After several rounds of being deleted and stopped on the computer while doing so we finally completed the form. Joanie received a response in the mail they received her report. We did not hear about me. Joanie called a couple of weeks ago and they said we were OK and nothing more had to be done. A couple of days ago we got a call saying they needed our reports. After Joanie had a heart to heart with the caller she said she would put in that our reports were completed. Maybe they are in space.

In the meantime we contacted our O2 , c-pap, and concentrator supplier and he said he was approved for Blue Cross and Blue Shield. (no problem right?) We received a bill for over $350 for O2 and they said we were using a company out of network and they would not pay. We took a copy of our bill to our supplier and he said he would find out what the problem was. After a couple of weeks he said Blue Cross Blue Shield had different groups and ours was out of Michigan and we could not use him as a provider. We then went on the Internet and found 5 providers in network. Unfortunately the 3 closest are 23 miles away and our current provider is about 5 miles. Joanie called the provider in Fayetteville and they said they needed new prescriptions for for O2, c-pap, and concentrator. We went to our local pulmo and he wrote a prescription for O2 therapy and c-pap supplies as I own the c-pap. After faxing the prescription the called and said they could not provide the O2 without a current 6 minute walk (last 90 days) test results. I called Emory and a wonderful Tech (Mari Hart) said to come up at noon today and she would slide me in. I did a 2 minute walk and she stopped me after I dropped to 80%. She then went to the Dr. and he wrote a prescription for O2 and all of the supplies,concentrator, bottles, etc. I returned home faxed the prescription to the new provider.

They now want me to come over and be fitted for the c-pap mask before providing one. This is 23 miles, Emory was about 40 miles and I have to pay for the gas not to mention the aggravation. Emory was kind enough to give me a token for parking otherwise it would have cost me another $4.00

If I need extra bottles in a hurry at a late time I am screwed., and the owner of my present provider gave me his cell # and I did call him once when on vacation and he responded quickly giving me a great feeling of security.

This is the type of insurance help we need. Stop the harassment. If a person has been on O2 for over a year and a half and has IPF, do you think a miracle has happened and it suddenly has disappeared.

This also raises my BP too.

Joe

   JOE & JOANIE LAMENSKIE

IPF JAN. 2008