So yesterday I posted that my surgeon called to book my surgery and surprised me with a $3000 program fee. Crazieness.

After spending all morning on the phone with my insurance, new potential doctors, the old surgeon, and my primary doctor. I finally have a plan. It totally stinks that I have to have this plan but  have it.

So I found a new surgeon (two actually in the same office- so I will be using whoever has better availability). The New patient coordinator was awesome. Put my mind at ease that this happens more often that you think it would. Told me who to contact to place a complaint. She also told me what I needed to do to fast track things to get into their clinic. I had to get a referral from my doctor (even though insurance doesn't reuire it the hospital does). She was extremely helpful and told me she would do her best to squeeze me in where she could. And she said I would need to do a few appts with their dietician but they could do a combo consult/dietician and then preop/dietician in the same visits so it wouldn't be that bad of a wait.

The next issue was the transfer of records from one practice to the other and that is even more tricky. The old doctor refused to let me have the records for all my appointments (only would release some records- but refused to release my psyc eval). So that is my next problem to overcome.

I am pleased though that things are falling into place and hoping that they will continue to do so. Sad that I have to wait a little longer but overall it will be worth it.

Thanks for the advice!

They can't refuse to release your medical records. They may charge you a small fee for copies being sent. Tell them you are going to report them to the State Medical board. They are really trying to do a number on you. I don't know that when I get all my records from them that I would not report them anyway and also fill a complaint with your insurance company against them.

Actually, they can refuse to release part of your medical records if they believe in doing so it would cause you harm.  That provision of HIPAA is not used often, but when it is it is generally used for MH records.  It is up to the physician to make that decision.  You can file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights in your area, which is the regulator that has enforcement jurisdiction over the HIPAA rule.  If the physician refuses to release the full record to you, they should deny your request in writing, and that denial must include instructions on how to file a complaint with the OCR.  If they don't send you a letter, you should mention that in your complaint to the OCR.  Good luck!

Oh, and they can only charge you their cost of producing the records and mailing them to you.  If you pick them up, they can't charge you a mailing fee.

I second that.  Legally, they must provide you with any and all records you request, and they must do it in a reasonable amount of time.  Any fee for copies must also be reasonable.  I think they do deserve to have a complaint lodged, not just for the records problem, but for the exorbitant extra fee they intended to charge.  

See if your current surgeon's office can request a copy of the psych eval.  So stiles they will not release it to YOU but will release it to another provider.  If not, definitely submit a request for the psych eval record in writing and make them deny it in writing.  They are using part of the law that truly was intended to prevent patients from emotional distress just to be a pain in the ass since you are switching surgeons.  

Glad you were able to get things lined up.  It sounds like a good thing!

Lora

They aren't using the "protection" part of it against me. They simply said they wont release it because it is their medical opinion and belongs to their office. However, their opinion has already been submitted and approved by my insurance...so they have seen it. The person who told me this was the head nurse- so who knows how much truth there is to it. She is the same nurse who lied to me about my approval and who has lie to me about availibity of appointments before.

Their true colors are showing .... good thing you are getting out before surgery. Sometimes you have to fight for things.... and it is worth it.

I am the third vote for plastering the surgeon's name as bad/unethical/scam-artist/beware type heading. Use FB, OH, thinnertimes- a blog!

But only AFTER you get your paperwork.

What a piece of crap that practice is!

It's disgusting that a weight loss surgeon would resort to bait and switch tactics.

You would be doing many people a favor if you would post the name of the surgeon and/or program that did this to you so others would could avoid the same scam.