Topic: Waiting for Infusion Co to call- HOW LONG?!!!!
AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
LLMD said I should be contacted w/in a few days. That was Monday early afternoon. I have no patience and don't handle suspense very well.
I'm wondering if my insurance company could be giving a problem. (Aetna HMO)
I'm also wondering how long it took for others to be contacted by their infusion companies.
Not having any idea what's going on is making me NUTS!!!!!
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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Cobweb
Unregistered
posted
You mean no picc line today??????
Torture !
LLMD's office set up procedure at hospital and contacted infusion company for delivery of supplies and nursing appointments.
Nursing appointment set up for following day to change bandage and supplies were delivered the evening of the procedure so nurse could use them next day for her visit.
You must be exhausted.
Carol
for me the time line was something like Thursday LLMD visit following Monday -procedure Monday eve delivery of supplies Tues first nurse visit.
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sometimesdilly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9982
posted
ali-
is there anyone/anywhere to just call and ask??? the infusion company? a supervisor at your insurance company?
i know this is already bad enough for you. sorry its being made worse...
dilly
Posts: 2507 | From lost in the maze | Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
Wow. You got an insurance co to pay?! I hope I can do the same. I've got 2 insurances ... yet I'm paying out of pocket right now. But, still haven't got my results. I was close to giving up hope because I can't afford to pay for help on my own.
Posts: 65 | From Burbank, CA (recent) from Midwest | Registered: Apr 2007
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
So Carol, you had the company AT your house w/in 3 business days. Tomorrow will be day 4. LLMD knows what kind of insurance I have and he said he didn't believe there'd be any trouble getting it approved.
I'm positively wigging out!!!! My chest hurts & I know it HAS to be anxiety. I keep trying to distract myself but it's just not working anymore.
It has been a month since my primary LLMD told me I needed to do this and I've been getting more and more useless with each passing day.
Dilly, I don't know who the infusion company is going to be. I wouldn't have the foggiest idea who might handle this at the insurance company.
I think I'll call tomorrow "just to make sure I didn't write anything down wrong on the forms I filled out, like my phone number" (they called me to confirm the appt., so I know they have it).
Thanks for the hugs guys. I really needed them.
I really should be embarassed to be such a basket case about something I'm dreading to do anyway. I just want so desperately to be well ALREADY!!!!!
Ali
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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Cobweb
Unregistered
posted
Infusion company contacted insurance to clarify coverage.
Yeah it all happened within a week-not enough time for me to wig out. Well, not too much anyway.
We have an HMO and paid quite a bit out of pocket trying to figure out why my husband was so sick. We pay for our LLMDs fees out of pocket however our primary is authorizing lab work. Also, our LLMD's staff has managed to get meds authorized so far through our insurance. Just so you know it's possible.
Posts: 984 | From San Diego | Registered: Nov 2006
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Thanks for the info. I haven't found a general, neurologist, or anyone within my HMO that would refer to a LLMD, that would run any further tests than the basic Lyme screen, or anything.
I'm sick, my brain has spots, and I can hardly eat anything anymore, but according to the HMO, oh well. ...
They suggest psychotherapy anyway ... because my illness must be in my head. ...
Well ... it is ... but not how they are suggesting. (until recently now that I feel I'm losing hope)
My LLMD/Chronic Fatigue specialist knows exactly what my problem is ... but I just can't afford it.
Posts: 65 | From Burbank, CA (recent) from Midwest | Registered: Apr 2007
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
Thanks Carol.
I have to go try to go to sleep or something. I'm so frustrated.
Mickip,
I do not know for a fact that my insurance is not going to give me a hard time.
I've been paying my LLMD fees out of pocket for over a year. During which time, he has worked within my insurance for labs (Quest-yuck!) and medications.
After treating Babesiosis several times and txing the Lyme with oral ABX, he was able to get me to seroconvert on a Quest WB to be CDC IGM pos. I also threw up Bb specific positive bands on the IGG.
My LLMD has referred me to a LL-ID specialist, who is listed as covered by my HMO, for the IV therapy. The ID actually believes that ABX help with Lyme. My ID also sent justification to my PCP for me so I could get a referral from her to the ID.
IDs that have the capacity to think for themselves and consider ALL the scientific evidence, without mindlessly accepting the pontificates of IDSA heirarchy, seem to be hard to come by.
I'm sure that my chances of finding this ID without the help of my LLMD were not very good. I consider myself very fortunate and even though I have no money, I feel that my LLMD is worth much more than he asks to be paid.
I have not yet been approved by the insurance company, to my knowledge, but I am hopeful. I can't imagine the doctor making a statement like that, if he thought they would give me a problem.
The reason LLMDs do not take insurance is because they have to abide by the insurance companies demand in treating patients.
They would then end up spending less than 15 minutes with a patient you can't effectively diagnose & treat a patient with Lyme in 15 minutes or less.
There are types of insurance which will allow you to get 80% reimbursement, but that is usually limited to usual & customary fees. Since they don't recognize Lyme-Literacy as a specialty, they will only reimburse you based on the fees of a non-specialized MD.
I'm not sure whether that would justify the higher cost of those types of plans.
I hope that your LLMD will work with your two insurance companies to get as much coverage for you as possible.
Good Luck in your quest for wellness. Ali
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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posted
Our primary did not refer us to the LLMD. We were referred by the AP (antibiotic protocol) rheumatologist we were seeing who we were also paying for out of pocket. However, my husband is very sick and we did get a positive WB so our primary knows we can go the expensive chemo suppress the immune system rheumie route or try to fix what is wrong.
We keep the primary in the loop about what is going on and he authorizes what he can on the HMO side ie. monthly blood tests to check for liver function, CBC count, etc.. We paid for all the Lyme testing out of pocket.
Posts: 984 | From San Diego | Registered: Nov 2006
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AliG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9734
posted
I finally worked up the nerve to call LLMDs office. She told me she would call the infusion company and get back to me.
The infusion company called me before she could call back. I wonder what the LLMDs office said to them, and if I now have "troublemaker" written on my chart with them.
The IC told me that they just got the approval from the Ins Co yesterday afternoon. (I hadn't asked) She then proceeded to tell me the process the Ins Co goes through for approval. (I don't care)
Now I have to wait for them to try to set up appt for tomorrow or Monday with a nurse to come out.
There goes the phone........
It's going to be Monday. They're going to send out the supplies this evening. Now I have to wait for the nurse to call to tell me what time she'll be out. Her name is "Lana".
She also apologized for not being able to get someone here Saturday and told me that the hospitals try to discharge everyone before the weekend so they're really busy Thurs-Sat.
Maybe that translates to anyone who isn't being discharged can expect to be scheduled for Mon-Wed. ???
I told her that was OK, hopefully I won't get much stupidder by Monday.
I feel a little bit better now that I have a clue what's going on.
Thanks again for the support.
-------------------- Note: I'm NOT a medical professional. The information I share is from my own personal research and experience. Please do not construe anything I share as medical advice, which should only be obtained from a licensed medical practitioner. Posts: 4881 | From Middlesex County, NJ | Registered: Jul 2006
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