Medicare requirements

Wow!  Thank you SO much for your response.  What you said was very much needed.  I have been feeling alienated and very depressed, disheartened at the whole process.  You know, it's REALLY hard working on this path for over a year and half and to be let down so swiftly and so abruptly at a time when I thought it was FINALLY over, sent me into a very dark place.  I hate to bad mouth the doctor... but he was not worthy of my year and half.  I have talked to people who think he's great... but he did their surgery quickly and they didn't have to do as much work as I did... and he didn't tell them at the LAST minute, oh... no go.  They didn't spend days and weeks calling over and over again and getting the cold shoulder/no response.  Of course they will talk good of him.  I believe he probably does good work as far as a surgeon goes, but I want a doctor who cares about ME and not about the money he's raking in by holding these cattle herding sessions with 40 people on a Saturday in shifts so he can cash in on their hopes, dreams and disappointment.  My friend went with me and she actually qualifies for the surgery but her insurance won't pay (school district) and they had all the information ahead of time... said they worked with the insurance: would fight it for her, and then when she got there she went through a speedy whirlwind of paperwork (probably 30+ pages) and started the psych eval and everything (One stop shopping!!!) and then told her sorry, but don't forget to pay the forty co-pay at the door before you leave and if she had turned in the psych eval, that would have been another 120 bucks!  For a refusal!!!  Who needs this?!  Preying on those who want hope.  They should have told her upfront not to waste her time or money because unless she was able to pay cash/charge she wasn't covered.  Now multiply that forty dollars times 40 people and they made good for a Saturday, you think?  I was stressing about being upset and didn't think I should discourage other people from going to him because this might be the surgeon that God has for them... but as you can tell this is a recent hurt and I am not over it yet.  YOUR RIGHT.  My daughter (17) told me to go talk to a different surgeon.  I live in Corpus so I have to travel to San Antonio or Houston/Austin or nearby to do this.  I am only next month going to be finally able to afford to buy a car for a couple thousand.  I'm a single parent and it's taken me a long time to save up the money and earn scholarships in college to get a car.  I won't give up yet.  I'll talk to another doctor... maybe one that does a lot of Medicare patients.  I have a very supportive PCP and he's written letters saying that he's in agreement and supports this decision for me to have the surgery.  He'd help me get the paperwork in the right direction.  It's just that it took me four months to get the surgeons office to coordinate with my doctor to get things faxed over.  I was the one who had to go and physically pick up paperwork and fax and then call for a week (or more!) to verify that they had in fact received the fax.  It is SO much hassle and such a process that it feels overwhelming to do this all over again.  I am SO sorry that I vented on you and that this is SO long, but you have helped me to release some of the anger and hurt associated with this very real painful experience.  You have helped me tons... THANK YOU.  I will call Medicare myself as soon as I have transportation.  I'll be my own advocate.  I pray for you the VERY best!  Kim

I am glad to hear at least a little more hope in your voice (finger tips eh). Sometimes you just have to rant to get it out. That doctor wronged you on so many levels. Keep trying.