Another bump in the road

Hello AMOS family: I just need to vent. My surgery is 2 weeks away and I found out yesterday that effective 3/1/05, my insurance company has been changed. The policy coverage is identical to our BC/BS and all deductibles, co-pays and out of pocket expenses are transitioned over to Aetna. We should have been notified before the first of the year, but my husband's employer did not get his retirement info to the people who handle the insurance so now I may have to get re-approved by Aetna. I am really fuming. Because my hubby retired on disability, after April, we have to pay the insurance premiums. I found the insurance had changed because I called to see how much our premiums are going to be. If I hadn't called, we would not have known until BC/BS refused to pay something. No one even advised us that when he retired, the insurance changed. Then, Aetna rep tells me it could take 30 to 60 days for medical review. I DON'T THINK SO!!!!!! I am having surgery on 3/17!!!!!! If they try to pull that, I will call our insurance rep from IR or DR and tell them that since they screwed up they better fix it. We won't even have ID cards for 7 to 10 days. Well, I guess I have vented enough. It just seems it has been one thing after another. Maybe it is just not meant for me to have this surgery. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. Brenda

Hi Brenda I am so sorry this is happening to you!!!! Its amazing how much we have to follow up on work done by careless individuals. At least you found out before surgery and not afterward.....Keep calling and speak to supervisors in care management, not just a rep. Explain your situation and hopefully your sensitivity will touch someone... I'll be thinking of ya, Cathy

Brenda I am so sorry that this is happening to you and so close to your surgery date .....Make all those call and keep calling until you get answer's also call your surgeons office and see what they can do about getting the paper rushed to Atena for your approval.....and make sure your surgeon takes it....if not then call and find out why you were not informed and I think I'm not sure if you were already approved with BC/BS why can't you just get in there and have the surgery..... Sweetie I am so sorry take a couple of deep breaths and then start by call your surgeon's office...then go on to the next...who knows Atena might be an easy approval.... I am keeping my fingers crossed and anything else I can cross for you....you will be in my thoughts and prayers.... Please keep me posted about what you have to do next...... and many {{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}} Christine

Hey Brenda... Not sure what to say. I know how discouraged you must be feeling, but you placed this in Gods hands...he was looking over you before when you had your date and then got sick. Im not saying that your date will change again...I am saying that you have placed your trust and faith in God and you need to keep standing and believing on his word! As for getting a rush put on things...I would call Dr Cole or Joanne and tell them the story and ask them if they will put an "urgent" reply on the new letter. I know that my insurance company will have the pre-auth within 12-24 hours if marked urgent and within 72 without it. So...maybe that is a bit of help for you. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers! you have my email if you wanna talk...and if you wanna call me...email me and we can exchance numbers. Tara

Thank you everyone for your wonderful words of encouragement and your prayers. Just reading your messages makes it easier to deal with this. I am doing much better today. The person at Dresser Rand and the supervisor of retiree benefits at Ingersoll Rand have been working to try to get this all settled. I contacted the doctor's office and requested that all the information they had forwarded to BC/BS now be sent to Aetna. I was told to continue with my surgery date. I did get to print out temporary id cards so I can at least give the info to my providers. Of course, most of my doctors are not "in-network". Thank you my AMOS family! Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. Brenda