...controlled by the Insurance Racketeers.
I discovered something yesterday, Health Insurance Companies have a ton of power when it comes to dictating cancer treatment and therefore I can only assume all treatments.
No wonder our President and the majority of conscientious people in this country have, and do wish for Health Care Reform, a.k.a. Health Insurance Reform.
AS of now, 3:51pm MST, I have passed all the necessary steps it takes to have a Stem Cell Transplant...I think.
I came in here day before yesterday with the "We're proceeding as if..." mentality of the docs down here and I wasn't too worried when I arrived.
We started the 24/7 Chemo and all was going well until yesterday when I was informed that I needed to have two more "tests" which would determine my eligibility for transplant. Those two tests, pulmonary and cardiac would let the Insurance company know I was healthy enough to have the transplant...that I needed to be healthy and not too sick to have the transplant!
Too healthy or too sick...go figure.
So they scheduled the tests for today...providing the Insurance Company would authorize and pay for them!!!
No tests...no transplant!
So, as I have discovered, Hospitals have staffs of people who fight with Insurance Companies and Insurance Companies have staffs of people who fight Hospitals. And as I really don't understand the rules of certain games like hockey and soccer I just sorta figure I'm like the puck or the soccer ball and I just get slapped and kicked around and hope that the better team wins!
So, as it turned out today I have already had the necessary cardiac tests up in Ft. Collins @ PVH and they counted!
But, although I have had pulmonary tests and treatment both in Ft. Collins and down here they, the Insurance Company wanted another one...which I summarily passed or appropriately failed! But I still, now need a Pulmonary Doctor who is employed by the hospital to come in and give his blessings that I am sufficiently sick or well as the case may be to proceed with the transplant and that is a lock(!), so I'm told.
So from having a sleepless night in Aurora, Colorado at the University of Colorado Hospital because I'm terrified I've come this far only to be dropped to an almost guarantee of a decent night's sleep.
I've believed, and have Faith in that this cancer was not gonna kill me...well, at least since the first two days after diagnosis when I spend sequestered in my bedroom crying an fearing the worst...the caveat being that I got treatment for it.
Well, part of this journey that I'm taking is that treatment is being threatened by the Insurance Racketeers and thusfar, a.k.a. to this point the Power that be and the Fighting Staffs (That oughta be a good name for a sports team, don't ya think?) seem to be the winning teams and I'm goin' with it!
Gonna go order dinner now and turn on the tube and see what's goin' on with that part of the world outside me!
Amen, Pete. It's crazy in the world of Modern Medical Insurance Fighting Staffs! Just remember that *you* are in charge of *your care* not some paper pushers who've never met you. You have the right to demand the highest standards for yourself in a timely manner no matter who says who will pay for what. If you need a fundraiser to get around the run around, just say the word. Money should not determine your care.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck! We're pulling for you.
Ivy
I like what Ivy said. I agree. My heart goes out to you and my prayers, to God, for you. Blessings my friend. This is not the end! Smile and hugs. :)
ReplyDelete~Gale