I despise managed health care

[clevermanka]

A few years ago I went to Mikell Adams to talk about her NMT allergy treatment. It is very expensive, and she said I should ask my doctor about a referral. If I had a referral, insurance would cover up to 30% of the cost. My PCP said no way, they wouldn't refer to chiropractors. Earlier this year I finally got off my butt and changed my PCP. He's wonderful and sent me a referral to Dr. Adams, no problem.

I just got a call from Dr. Burt's office. Dr. Adams's office isn't a Blue Cross provider. I called Adams's office. They "aren't interested in dealing with HMOs" (yes, that's a quote from the receptionist). Well, I guess I'm not interested in dealing with you all, then, either. What an asshole thing to say. If your office doesn't want to deal with the paperwork to help people afford your services, fine. Find a more polite way to say it, though.

There are no other practitioners of NMT in Lawrence. I'm not sure I want to drive to KC once a week for allergy treatments, even if I could find one that "deals with HMOs."

God damn it.

Comments

[stuology.livejournal.com]

That sucks because Mikell Adams does appear in the Blue Cross provider directory. I guess that is why there is always the disclaimer to "call and check if they accept" blah, blah, blah.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

FirstMed said they were horrified because they'd been sending people to her for years. I guess none of them were on Blue Cross.

[stuology.livejournal.com]

Well, at least not on a Blue Cross HMO plan. I have Blue Cross, but it is a PPO, not an HMO.

[starstraf.livejournal.com]

You could call my chiropractor and see if they do NMT or know someone that does - cause they take my coventry hmo
Advanced Chiropractic services 842-4181

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I have a consultation appointment for Friday with Dr. Colleen

[starstraf.livejournal.com]

Please tell them I refered you - (I usually use Dr Chris but I've used Dr Colleen before also - actually I have an appmt there friday at 11:30

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I did! They called you "a sweetheart." =D

Icon

[adriang.livejournal.com]

I love that icon. 8-)

Adrian

Re: Icon

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Feel free to snag it!

[shrijani.livejournal.com]

That absolutely sucks. The state of healthcare in this country is ass. Are there any good doctors in Lawrence?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Well, my new PCP (Dr. Burt at FirstMed) is absolutely fantastic. His office apologized all over themselves about the insurance thing with Dr. Adams. I guess they've been sending patients there for years and this is the first time insurance ever put up a stink about it. Figures.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Well, if it's any consolation... and I know it probably isn't, so scratch that little platitude,... I was disappointed when I was paying out of pocket to see her because she was one of the "come back three times a week" brigade, and I could hardly feel any changes from one appt to the next.

[theoneinblue.livejournal.com]

ugh - I am so sorry. That totally sucks. And the phrasing, as you rightly point out, is awful - the subtext of we-don't-give-a-damn-about-your-health-unless-it's-convenient is atrocious. But a couple of my doctors' receptionists haven't always had their facts straight and have mispoken regarding how their offic deals with my insurance company - can you ask them to double check?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Seeing as Blue Cross basically sent my PCP a cease-and-desist letter, I think it's accurate that the chiro office doesn't take HMOs. I might call them this week to ask Dr. Adams herself is the office is, indeed, unwilling to register with Blue Cross.