Just an update and a vent over *&*^&@$ insurance

Switched jobs, had to switch insurance. Not an entirely bad thing. I'm able to get my husband into the University of Virginia hospital system. They have the nicest people and we like the infectious disease clinic. They however haven't started up the Hemin treatments my husband was taking for his PCT. Instead they decided to start at the beginning and first take a look at my husband's liver. Novel idea. The doctors at Kaiser never did an Ultrasound. They dx the PCT. Confirmed the Hep C and said it was the perfect storm of HEPC and HIV and PCT and sent him to Hemotology. Now I wonder why they didn't look at the liver.

All that with Kaiser Permentente and then to add insult to injury, I get a letter from them saying the are canceling me because I didn't pay the preium. I called and told the guy that I had canceled them as of the first of October. I had spoken with a customer service rep the 3rd week of Sept. to get a letter of Credible insurance and told her. She didn't mentioned I needed to send a letter. I also called Kaiser and spoke to another Customer Service rep on the 3rd of October because the first letter of Credible insurance coverage didn't list my husband or son. Again, no mention of my needing to write a letter. Long story short. The guy I talked to admitted that the Customer service rep should have told me...and yes, it would make sense that I was switching insurance since I was requesting a letter of credible insurance and yes, he could see that we had not used any services. He told me to fax a letter from my company stating that I did go on their insurance as of October 1st. I did that. I then had a message...didn't get the call because at the time I was in the waiting room while my husband was having his MRI. Seems that even through they did not do what they were supposed to do, they will not retroactively terminate me and they say I owe then $2070 for the unpaid preiums for October and November.

Mind you, the letter they sent me said they canceled me 11/7/08, so I don't see how they can charge me for November. Some days it just doesn't pay to get up in the morning.

The message did leave a name and address so I can write a letter of appeal, which I will do. It just burns me that they can freely admit they screwed up and I'm still on the hook.

So, My husband had the ultrasound done on his liver. I knew something was up when the tech told us to wait she wanted to get the radiologist and make sure she'd taken all the pictures he needed. He came in and told us that the ultrasound shows liver damage. That was no surprise. It's liver damage that causes the PCT. BUT the radiologist is not sure how bad or from what, either cirrohisis or liver cancer. So a MRI was scheduled so they can find out how extensive the damage is. In the meantime the Digestive health doctor called and said the blood work showed no Cancer. That's a good thing.

The day before the MRI my husband had an appointment with the eye doctor. He's been having problems with his vision. He lost the sight in most of his right eye about 9 years ago. He came home and said the eye doctor said something about the tissue being too thin and something eating the tissue around the nerve.....here comes my vent....

That's all the information I know, because he doesn't rememeber things. He doesn't know which nerve, I suspect the optic nerve. He doesn't know what disease it might be. I hate the fact I can't always be with him or find someone to go with him to his appointments. I end up with half the story and no answers.

Anyway so since he had the MRI schedule for his Liver, they were also able to set him up for one of his brain and eyes.

And so we wait. We know we're not going to be hearing good news. I just don't know how bad it's going to be......

UPDATED. Good News! The doctor called. Said whatever was seen on the Ultrasound isn't showing on the MRI for the Liver. No Cancer. No Cirrohsis. They had done a Genotype of his HEP C. It's one of the harder ones to treat so they will be giving him small doses of Chemotherapy(?) for the next year.

Still haven't heard from the eye doctor...but the day is looking brighter.

Edited by Esmerelda (11/24/08 12:10 PM)

Post Extras: Remind Me!