I just had the most horrible experience on the phone with Dr. L's office, whom some of you had recommended in my Ft. Myers area. His office refused to see me because I am a chronic Lyme pt. and would not be "cost effective." They had the nerve to say that. Further, they take my insurance, but for Lyme pts, they are asking for cash payment up front, again, because it's not cost effective. I don't think that's even legal since he is a participating provider. So now I am sitting here crying that the only dr. in the area refuses to see me, not that he sounds like he's committed to the Lyme community. I just needed to vent, and to warn others who might want to see him. Interestingly, they had given me an appt. until I questioned how they could charge cash as a participating provider, and then they suddenly remembered that they aren't taking any new Lyme pts.
Posted by lymie tony z (Member # 5130) on :
Boy that kind of stuff just frosts my pumpkin!!! Try not to let it get you down too much. These so called "doctors" should have their liscenses revoked...a sick person comes to them for help and because they're afraid of being prosecuted they want cash up front...I know of one up here in Clearwater Dr R that went the same route...he won't even take Medicare and file the paperwork...There may be a doctor you can contact in Clearwater thru the Bowen institute...I'll get that info if you need it cuz there's a guy I know that's going to him a Dr S I believe...my dr C in Tampa gave me a fast shuffle when I added my wife's florida first insurance to my way of paying for my meds and office visits...but because he isn't in the network his office folks did'nt want to do the paperwork necessary "they said I should find another doctor" like LLMD's fall from the sky every day... The Id docs in my wife's coverage gave me appointments until I told them I had lyme and then they conveniently told me they were not taking any new patients...after I already had an appointment....the one I did see cuz I did'nt let him know what I had only handed me a script for antidepressants and sent me on my way....I had two doors slammed in my face that month when my pcp would'nt designate the HBO treatment a in network neurologist suggested as medically necessary...the insurance company has got to be guilty here...you would think that if we got cured by an out of the box method the insurers would be happy...we would'nt need all the continuing abx therapy...and we might even return to society...sheeeesh!
It's not nice what happened to you and not at all fair in as much as you're duck is in your coverage...I know you're not interested in fighting but this bozo should be reported...the dang insurance companies would probably back him up cuz I suspect they're responsible for his decision in the first place....crap....
Well I'll say a prayer that you find a doctor who cares as I did when the two doors slammed in my face....this guy isn't too savvy on lyme but he's got guts and is'nt afraid of the big bad wolves of insurance companies...he's treating me as I should...one patient with a resistant persistant infection....I thank God for this DOCTOR... Good luck and God bless.......the zman
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Posted by lymebrat (Member # 3208) on :
Sorry you had to go through that!
I'd report him!
I would call his office back and tell them that your insurance company needs in writing, that they are no longer taking on new lyme patients, in order to approve an out of network referral..
See what they do? I doubt they'll give you the letter and you have grounds to sue.
Not necessarily for money, but for healthcare. They have no right to make you pay cash if your insurance company is accepted at their office. It's illegal.
My LLMD and my kids LLMD both take our insurance, even though I have had many people tell me that they don't take insurance.
But I simply tell them that I have a referral from my insurance company and because they accept my insurance company for other healthcare issues, that they HAVE to accept my card and receive payment thorough my insurance company. And they do.
Not that you want to see this guy, but if he is the only LLMD in your area, get your insurance company involved and fight for your right for treatment.
It's sad we have fight so hard for medical care, but we do. I fought for 3 1/2 years to find out what was wrong with my daughter.
Today thanks to Dr.Jones , she is well on her way to recovery.
So fight..fight ..fight!
Wishing you wellness,
~LymeBrat
Posted by Wyattbw09 (Member # 4894) on :
There is another docter in that area that I can recomend to you shoot me an e-mail at [email protected] and I will be happy to share it with you