autologous blood donation

[Guest guest]

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Call your insurance comapny and speak to a supervisor. I too had to donate

my own blood for surgery and my insurance plan covered it and transporting

to maryland from NJ. I donated 5 pints. Talk to someone at least five times

at your insurance company because I was given inaccurate information on two

phone calls. after five phone calls I finally had the right answer given to

me three times by three people two of them supervisors and it was covered. I

didn't want to get stuck with a $3,000 bill post op to pay! So it should be

covered because although bank blood is 'safe' it still carries other risk

not just 'aids' such as matching factors or other contaminents in the blood.

Autologous is the safest form of blood donation. My husband works with the

FDA on blood banking hiv and Hepatitis unit and the American Red Cross. If

your insurance company still says they will not pay.. when you speak to a

supervisor quote this make sure you get the full spelling of their name date

of call time ect. make sure you try about 5 times though. People can be

stupid or lazy to look up the right info or assume your policy is the same.

I have J & J Cigna. Cigna offers 130 variations. So NO they don't know mine

off the top of their head even when they say they do.. I don't believe them.

I am right most of the time.

So if the ins. supervisor says you are NOT covered for Autologous blood

donations you get their name date time phone number and ask that a letter be

sent to you saying that they will not cover the autologous blood donation.

Make sure you have the prescription for the blood donation from your doctor

handy in case you need to fax it to them. I had too. then you say to them "

OK IF you won't cover my self donation of blood (autologous) and I have any

adverse reaction to banked blood then I will hold you (X) my insurance

carrier liable for all associated costs and outcomes due to your decision

not to pay for two pints of autologous blood. Then you say " is that correct

then because you won't cover it therefore i am to use bank blood even though

my doctor says to self donate. " Normally at that point that person will

pause when they here liability and if they do pause you ask to speak to

their supervisor or try to get it in writing but at least you have your

written notes of whom you spoke with and when. But I would suggest at least

five attempts to see if you get to the right person before giving up. Your

doctor doesn't suggest self donation for the heck of it..he knows it is much

safer then risks of reaction to banked blood. Well this is my suggestion and

opinion anyway.

wishing you many peaceful moments

TwistedSister in NJ

1982 Scoliosis Harrington fusion, 1998 Revision A/P Surgery for Flatback

Syndrome, 1998 Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, 1999 Degenrative SI Joints,

2000 Weight Loss Surgery, 2000 Spinal Hardware Removed, 2001 Cervical

bulging discs, 2002 Arachnoiditis, 2002 GERD, 2002 Adhesions, 1993 Mitral

Valve Prolapse, 1996 Fibromyalgia, 2001 Kidney Stones,

2003 Interstitial Cystitis, May 2003 Anterior spine hardware removal

** LIFE IS UNCERTAIN.............EAT DESSERT FIRST **

Harrington Rod scoliosis people and other post-op multiple spine surgery

people may interested in the following website dedicated to Flatback

Syndrome and revision/salvage spine surgery... " Salvaged Sisters of

Scoliosis " website on Delphi Forums at:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/adultscoliosis/messages