Besides obnoxious "hold" music...
Jan. 6th, 2016 10:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alexpgpI am ready to gnaw off that part of my mind that must listen to the numbingly monotonous and annoying "hold" music that Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) is piping at me as I wait to speak with a so-called "customer advocate." Up to now, I've always considered the unfortunate incident back in the mid-1980s, at Disney World in Orlando, when Galina, the kids, and I were stuck inside the "It's a Small World" ride, listening to the ride's cloying theme music for almost an hour while technicians searched for a faulty limit switch, to be the most annoying "musical" interlude of my life. Not any more.
It's almost as if they want me to hang up.
The story so far today:
Despite my appeal for a waiver, BCBSTX has apparently rejected my new physician's referral to the doctor who has been treating me for the past year and is, in my humble opinion, best acquainted with my case. The next step, according to my new physician's office, is to gather medical records and appeal the rejection.
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
Yesterday afternoon, I left a message in my MD Anderson (MDA) patient account—the medical profession doesn't do email, dontchaknow—asking to have my records faxed to my new physician's office. MDA responds this morning with a phone number for an office they have that apparently does nothing but provide medical records. I call the number and determine there are two ways for doctors to request such records. I call my physician's office and relay the information.
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
My "former" physician (as classified by the insurer, not me) called yesterday and inter alia, recommended an oncologist, suggesting I find out if said doctor is "in-network." After several phone calls this morning, it turns out the answer is "no" (and my suspicion that BCBSTX will have me treated at "Bubba's Kancer Klinic and Sports Bar" became just a tad stronger).
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
I'm not quite sure why I'm the one trying to find a suitable place to get treated, but there it is. I'm almost 40 minutes into my current call to BCBSTX, and am idly wondering (as I type this) whether I should upgrade the minutes in my cellular plan, in anticipation of future attempts to extract information by phone from insurers and doctors.
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
It's almost as if they want me to hang up.
The story so far today:
Despite my appeal for a waiver, BCBSTX has apparently rejected my new physician's referral to the doctor who has been treating me for the past year and is, in my humble opinion, best acquainted with my case. The next step, according to my new physician's office, is to gather medical records and appeal the rejection.
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
Yesterday afternoon, I left a message in my MD Anderson (MDA) patient account—the medical profession doesn't do email, dontchaknow—asking to have my records faxed to my new physician's office. MDA responds this morning with a phone number for an office they have that apparently does nothing but provide medical records. I call the number and determine there are two ways for doctors to request such records. I call my physician's office and relay the information.
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
My "former" physician (as classified by the insurer, not me) called yesterday and inter alia, recommended an oncologist, suggesting I find out if said doctor is "in-network." After several phone calls this morning, it turns out the answer is "no" (and my suspicion that BCBSTX will have me treated at "Bubba's Kancer Klinic and Sports Bar" became just a tad stronger).
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
I'm not quite sure why I'm the one trying to find a suitable place to get treated, but there it is. I'm almost 40 minutes into my current call to BCBSTX, and am idly wondering (as I type this) whether I should upgrade the minutes in my cellular plan, in anticipation of future attempts to extract information by phone from insurers and doctors.
Tick, tock, tick, tock...
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no subject
Date: 2016-01-07 12:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-01-07 06:17 pm (UTC)I'm just sorry it's such a red-tape beaurocratic piece of ongoing aggravation. :(