LymeNet Flash: VIRGINIA Residents- Insurance problems?

This is topic VIRGINIA Residents- Insurance problems? in forum Activism at LymeNet Flash.

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Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :

If you have an insurance policy in Virginia and have been denied reimbursement, you can do a couple of things.

1. You can contact the Virginia State Corporation Commission, Bureau of Insurance, specifically the Office of the Managed Care Ombudsman.

They said it is best to call them first to be sure they can help you; no sense doing a lot of paper work if they can't, which made sense to me.

If you'd prefer to email them, their email address is also listed below.

Phone: 877-310-6560 (toll free)

Email: [email protected]

Website with instructions and forms:

http://www.scc.virginia.gov/division/boi/webpages/boiombudman.asp

AND/OR.....

2. File a ``quality of care'' complaint with the VA Department of Health. You might want to ask why your insurance company is basing their decisions on IDSA Guidelines that have been found to be developed in a corrupt process.

Website: http://www.vdh.state.va.us/OLC/Complaint/

Phone- Toll Free: 1-800-955-1819 or
Metro Richmond area: (804) 367-2106

Email: [email protected]

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The other night I was reading a transcript from a court case about Lyme and the testimony from an insurance guy. Bottom line- they will often deny patients with Lyme right off the bat to save $$... but they usually will pay if an appeal is filed.

So NEVER let it drop when you are denied. Fight for your rights! And make it easier on yourself by getting help from the above agencies when doing so. I found some of them to be very helpful and surprisingly, very Lyme literate.

Good luck!

[Big Grin]