randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
when i had that upper abdominal pain and high blood pressure, i called my gastro. they said what insurance do you have" i said "bc/bs" and they said "oh we dropped that. you're not longer a patient of ours." i said "what am i supposed to do" and she said "that's your problem. find another gastro".
i was furious, absolutely furious. i had been going to this guy for over 20 freaking years and they never sent me a letter, nothing.
so that's when i called my primary and with my blood pressure being so high, they said go to er, don't come here.
so i go to er and that's when it was 207 over 188 adn they kept me all day and half the night to get it down.
(they called my jerk of a husband to finally come get me. it took him 3 HOURS TO DRIVE ABOUT 20 MILES. HE DIDN'T WANT TO COME AND GET ME OBVIOUSLY.....
the er said they thought it was acute upper abdominal distress (one even mentioned pancreatitis but didn't definitely say so. i think it was but they never told me the enzyme levels.)
they gave me pain killers, valium, etc., and sent me home.
i called my primary and he said go to cardio, cardio said go to dentist. man, what a runaround.
so i have no gastro, a cardio who won't see me and i guess i'll call my dentist cause he put in a new bridge and filled 2 teeth.
symptoms are:
raging headache, temples throb severe ear pain. head feels like it's going to burst pain is constant 24/7 bp ranges from 120 to 140 range, heart rate is low a lot of burping after i eat stools are fine, no blood etc. some stomach pain temperature is normal low 97 or so tired not sleeping very sensitive to sound and light dizziness joint muscle pain feet hurt jaws painful, even hurts to eat or move them. neck and lower back painful
am now on zocor, nadolol, diovan, lexapro, and low dose valium 5 mg at night only.
guess i'll be looking for a new gastro and cardio. i hate the hospital that cardio practices at.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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jackie51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14233
posted
That sucks. Sorry to hear you are in medical hell. Hugs.
Posts: 1374 | From Crazy Town | Registered: Dec 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Q: can a doctor "drop" you?
Absolutely.
In your case, they dropped your insurance, so all patients with that insurance are dropped (unless they continue as self-pay).
It happens all the time and, sometimes, for other reasons.
I received a registered letter one day saying that a "CFS" doctor was dropping me. Turns out he had not believed a seizure I had in his office the day before was real. Big sigh but he also didn't believe lyme was real so I was better off without him. I should have fired him first but he was the only choice in town at that time and he at least "believed" in CFS - but made a fortune by ignoring lyme. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
Never ceases to amaze me how some doctors offices operate. Just dump you without so much as a by-your-leave (yes, I'm that old). I've heard people get dropped for less, though.
Doesn't mean it's right.
Sounds like it's time to find another doctor!
Posts: 624 | From Oklahoma | Registered: Jun 2010
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Usually, when they change and drop an insurance, a letter goes out to all patients a month or two in advance so that they can make other plans.
I've received many such letters over the years. Sometimes, I even changed to a different insurance company to keep the same doctor.
It is sad (and bad business practice) that no letter was sent and that the receptionist was just so matter of fact about it all, really even rude. Although it may be that they made a very quick decision (which may have been prompted by a change from BC/BS), there is no excuse for their not having sent a nice letter to all patients under that policy. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
By law they can notify you but have to give you 30 days to find another doctor. They HAVE to treat you during that 30 days. You will have to pay without insurance if they are not taking it. I also would check to see if they actually did drop your insurance or if they are just telling you that...
Posts: 871 | From orange county, ca. | Registered: Jan 2006
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posted
I guess the laws have changed. I was seeing a physician a LOOOONG time ago...and I saw him every month. I was actively seeing him. I came in for a visit and was told "I've done everything for you that I can do", and I didn't have a doctor anymore. No 30 days worth of tx while I found another dr, either.
Sure am glad to hear they can't do THAT anymore!
Posts: 624 | From Oklahoma | Registered: Jun 2010
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Rumigirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15091
posted
Oh, Randi, as if you didn't have enough on your plate! Well, 2 different drs dropped me this year with no warning or good reason!!
My LLMD that I had been seeing for 2 1/2 years faithfully every month sent a certified letter dropping me. It was devastating!
And recently my dentist, who had just begun a lot of work that I needed, canceled my appt on the same day, saying that he wouldn't work with me any longer, and refusing to give me a reason or speak with me! And I was in pain and needing treatment. I had no clue why. I was outraged! And he took his sweet time about sending me my x-rays. Never did send my records that I asked for.
I am sure that that is illegal, but what am I going to do??
Anyway, you DO need to get good drs and be evaluated ASAP!
I think you need to "immigrate" to a more Lyme friendly state! TExas sounds just awful in that regard.
Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
well i have a friend whose a nurse and she said he can't do this. it's called "patient abandonment" and it's illegal.
but ya know what. i was fed up with him anyway. he's the one who told my husband "oh there's nothing wrong with her, she just wants attention." po'd me royall i can tell you that.
but i did learn ONE thing. when i went to my obgyn office i told them never ever contact my husband or give him ANY information. they assured me they would not even talk to him. i'm telling all doctors from now on "don't contact him even in case of DEATH. notify my sister in ohio."
i'll stop that puppy right in his tracks...
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- * Why would you even want to see continue seeing any doctor who told your husband this: " "oh there's nothing wrong with her, she just wants attention." ?
This is wrong on so many levels and is clear abuse. Why get in line for more?
* If you are in an emergency, by law, your husband would still be contacted and if you are unconscious, his decisions would stand. To change that, you need to have a legal document drawn up to transfer power of attorney. Currently, by law, your husband automatically has that in an emergency.
You can change that but it has to be done through legal channels. Until you have that legally changed, your husband is still your emergency person.
I'm not sure, though, if you were to be unconscious whether or not your husband would be responsible to pay for treatment decisions that he did not make. I don't know the responsibilities of another being your power of attorney but they would need to be very clear about what is and is not covered by your insurance.
A lot depends upon how your insurance policy is designed. If it is your policy, they you and whoever is your Power of Attorney should be fine. But, if it is family coverage (or even paid together), this would have to be clarified - in advance.
An attorney would need to be consulted. Just call your county bar association and they answer a few questions and guide you from there. -
[ 11-20-2010, 02:07 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Whether or not your computer can only be used with a very safe password (which is a good idea), remember to erase your history often - and your cookies, too. Anyone can find all the sites you've been to very easily unless you erase from a couple different angles. Even if erased, a computer expert could find past posts. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
ha!! i just got a letter in the mail today (even tho that gastro's office told me they dropped bc/bs weeks ago), that they are "renegotiating" their contract with texas health services. which is all the texas harris hospitals, etc., there was alisting of over 160 places they have contracts with.
they said at the end of december, the 31st, they will no longer pay for services at any of these facilities unless "their" demands are met.
seems like i'm going to have to switching my primary, cardio, and find a new gastro (he was a jerk anyway), but i really like my obgyn and would hate to loose him. he's really very thorough and the only one who even said anything about my thyroid and all. hope i don't loose him.
the rest can go take a flying leap for all i care.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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posted
Randi, I hate to say this but I believe a lot of your health problems are caused by " husbanditis"
Your BP that high, you are lucky you didn't stroke out.
Now, you are facing the step son and step daughter in law in the next week or so. Adding to your health problems.
Maybe a two week vacation away from everyone and see if your health improves at that point. Just mentioning what I would do.
Feel better soon
Elaine
Posts: 671 | From Fort Myers, Florida | Registered: Jun 2009
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
yeah, i may want to "escape" at christmas and go home and see my family.
i can fly home in about 2 hours or so.
there is no way in hell that i'm helping him drive MY car to sell to his sister, so he can bloody well drive it himself all 1200 miles of it.
yeah, and i've learned to tell doctors to never ever discuss my condition with him. this jerk gastro really casued me problems and who knows what in the hell he put in my records.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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