Question:
HOW LONG DOES IT NORMALLY TAKE FOR A DOCTOR TO DECIDE IF ITS MED.NECESSARY .

I HAVE CAREFIRST BC/BS OF MD THROUGH A LOCAL UNION . ALL OF MY MEDICAL INFO WAS SENT TO A DOCTOR FOR HIM TO DECIDE IF IT IS MEC. NECESSARY. HAS ANYONE HAD TO GO THROUGH THIS AND IF SO HOW LONG DID IT TAKE . IT'S HAS BEEN A WEEK ALREADY.    — [Anonymous] (posted on November 16, 2001)

November 20, 2001
I WAS VERY FORTUNATE, I DIDN'T HAVE TO GO THRU A PCP FOR A REFERAL, I WENT DIRECTLY TO A SURGERY WHO AT THAT TIME TOLD ME THAT I QUALIFIED. MY DOCTOR WROTE THE PRE-D LETTER ON THE SAME DAY AS MY VISIT. IF THEY HAVE ALL OF YOUR MEDICAL RECORDS, THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON FOR THEM TO KEEP YOU UP IN THE AIR BEFORE THEY CAN GIVE YOU AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHEATHER THE SURGERY IS OR ISN'T MEDICALLY NECCESSARY. BASED ON YOUR HEALTH PROBLEMS, THEY CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION IMMEDIATLY. GOOD LUCK! MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW UP EVERY WEEK UNTIL THEY GIVE YOU YOUR ANSWER.
   — Angela W.