i don't know how to feel (sorry, rant included)

i'm sorry i haven't been around much; things have been a *****aotic getting ready for surgery and then my stomach issues flared for a couple of days... well, it's lame but i didn't do much of anything this week except for some shopping and a whole slew of pre-op testing.  but that's not why i'm writing. 

i need some catharsis.  i need some advice, if anyone has any. 

my surgery was initially planned for july 8 at good samaritan in san jose.  this date was moved to july 15 due to something about being unable to get the surgical team together for the 8th.  ok, not a big deal.  i had already put in for my leave from work, so i figured it would be nice to have a work-free week to prepare.  i was in full-out preparations mode today when i got a phone call from one of the doctor's insurance specialists.  my surgery date is being (insert profanity) POSTPONED.  as of 11 am yesterday morning, i was still on the surgery schedule at good sam.  i talked to a nurse in pre-op admitting for 45 minutes about all my medical history/medications/etc.  and now, all of a sudden, at 4 pm it's off? 

evidently, good sam is negotiating with blue cross and their contract expires on the 14th so they can't do any surgeries.  the lady i spoke to told me that she should hear something definitive by monday and is hoping that i will only be delayed by one week. 

i'm freaking out.  i'm honestly trying not to, but it's like being left at the altar.  seriously.  all kinds of big preparations have been made and now you tell me less than a week before the surgery that it's off?  i mean, they KNEW about this.  she told me that good sam did the "same thing" last year and it was promptly resolved.  i called blue cross tonight and they did some digging for me and they got a letter from my surgical group stating that they would no longer be performing surgeries at good sam on the 8TH! 

i'm so sorry to be whining.  i am just so disheartened.  i'm upset that the doctor's office was more upfront about a potential delay when i scheduled.  i don't know why they waited 3 days after their letter to blue cross to notify me.  i don't know what to do about work.  i can't afford to sit out on my rear end waiting for something to happen but i don't want to go back in only to have them deny medical leave since i technically just had a week of it.  am i making any sense?

if anyone has any advice or words of wisdom to help me handle this situation, i would really appreciate it.  has this happened to anyone else?

 

I am so sorry you are going through this.  I don't have any advice just wanted you to know I am thinking of you and saying a little prayer that this all works out quickly.  Hang in there girlfriend....it will all be worth the wait in the end.

Stay strong...

It may be a sign, if you belive in that kind of stuff. Personally I would start looking for another DR. If he doesn't have his **** together why go in the first palce? Most doctors contract with a couple of different hospitals so why can't he just do it somewhere else? Just doesn't seem right to me.

I would take it as a sign that this is all wrong and I need to find a different doc.You have the approval so it shold be easy to transfer it to a different Dr and you can get copies off ALL your tests so you don't have to do them again.

 

Edit- Just saw who your doctor is, I know he uses several hospitals, maybe not in San Jose but certainly in No Cal. I surprised you have trhis issue with them.

I was going to suggest you try to get moved to a different hospital too. LapSF does work out of about 20, it seems. Okay, slight exaggeration... more like 4 in NorCal and a couple in HI.



In the meantime, go into work and tell them your surgery was rescheduled. It happens all the time so HR should be used to dealing with it. No sense in burning off sick days/vacation for no reason!

ETA ... changing doctors seems a bit extreme. I don't see how this is the surgeon's fault ... if the insurance company and the hospital are having a ******g match, what does that have to do with the doctor? They are being inconvenienced and jerked around as much as their patients.

Oh I'm so sorry!  I would sent your entire post directly to Dr C and get a response from him.  I'm leaving for home in 1 hour.  He NEEDS to know how his patients are being treated. If you don't have his direct email, let me know by PM and I will send it to you.

 

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ Isy }}}}}}}}}}}}}

---jan--- 

Oh, a giant puss filled pox upon the heads of every person who had a part in your delay and for not telling you as early as possible.

There are a few of us on the DS forum who are also stuck in the BC vs. GS battle by way of LapSF. I have heard that there are approximately 15 people who are approved but cant get scheduled and 20 more who have not gotten approved yet because of this issue. I think you have gotten the absolutely the worst deal out of this mess. It is totally wrong and unfair and IMHO, GS, BC and LapSF all have been bad actors in this case.

I too have heard that the issue is on the brink of being resolved, but I am currently finding it hard to believe anything any of these schemers say.

I have been working every angle, talking to BC, GS and LapSF every day and so far nothing, except my increasing frustration, is happening.

The same thing happened last year?!? Those dirty rats!!!! I have a few choice expletives for these people.

Those bass-turds!!! If I were you, I would have to duct tape my mouth shut when LapSF called to prevent me from telling them I'll be right up to collect my $$$$ until they get their fur-reeking act together. Actually surprised they called you rather than just leave you hanging like the rest of us.

I feel your pain, my dear. Thinking of going to the San Fran support meeting on Monday evening and asking some choice questions. The lack of a sincere apology on the part of LapSF is extremely grating to me. BC, I expect to try to F. me. GS is probably getting F'd by BC too. LapSF's behavior just leaves me shaking my head.

sorry this crap is happening to you, too.

D2K

I work for a large "managed care" medical group (read: HMO/PPO contracts, mainly) and every summer one of the participating hospitals will send an email saying that they are restricting non-emergency/surgical admissions for whatever insurance  while final negotiations are being made. So the surgeons had to scramble patients to the other participating hospital.

Don't panic yet. Wait until 12:30 on the 14th to see what happens. They may have had last minute negotiations and you will have the surgery yet!

Good Luck! :)

thank you everyone.  i'm trying not to blow it out of proportion but i found last night through blue cross that lapsf sent a request to change the hospital venue on the 8th!  why couldn't they call me then?  i am really losing faith and don't know who to trust, if any.  i am really surprised that this is going on at lapsf because they do have such a great reputation.

if it doesn't resolve soon, i will change doctors.   i'm going to call them again on monday, but i'm not sure what to say.  i have never been good at confrontation.  (i guess it's my southern upbringing.  "good girls" don't get angry.  good girls don't say anything unless it's something good.  just stuff down your emotions.  that sort of thing.  not healthy, but i am working on getting over it.)

right now i'm just numb.

By the way, get confrontational, you pay for health insurance.  I was such a pest with my doctor when this happened to me, that I was one of the first ones on the schedule for the surgery when he was cleared to do surgery at the new hospital.  I don't put up with anything, no BS, it's an Italian thing.

That is EXACTLY what happened to me.  I was scheduled for surgery in Nov of 06, then the hospital no longer took Blue Cross.  I ended up waiting almost 5 weeks while my doctor found another hospital to get certified at so his patients with Blue Cross could have their surgeries.  I understand your frustrations all too well.  Best you can do, is just not stress about it, go with the flow, and it will happen when it is supposed to happen.  There seems to be alot of problems with Blue Cross not taking care of their bills and alot of hospitals are just not taking that insurance any longer.  I know it sucks, but hang in there.

 

Good luck, Diane