I'm having a break down!

I have hand delivered a request twice (June 3 & Aug 14) to my primary doctor without success in trying to get what I need for insurance. All I freakin need as two years worth of weights and a letter of medicial clearance!!! This last Tuesday I filled out a form at my surgeons office to see if that request would get any results. Now I get an invoice in the mail for $30 to have a "copy" of records to be sent to the surgeon! (This is a company out of Lenexa, KS and my Dr is in Parkville, MO!) I'm beyond upset! I feel so betrayed! How can I get an advocate to help with this issue?!?!

This is a sure sign I need to find a new doctor. What is she trying to hide?

Please let me know what I should do next. I don't know where to turn.

I understand your frustration. I've had complications getting all the requirements met, too. I did not have to pay to have my medical records sent to the surgeon, but I did have to pay $20 for a referral letter. I just paid the fee and considered it a means to an end...meeting my surgeons requirements and ultimately getting the WLS. Maybe someone from your surgeon's office would be willing to place a call to your primary doctor's office and help you get the records you need. Hang in there!

I'm sure they wouldn't have a problem with calling. They have been so supportive with this deal. I have been through so much this last year..having all the tesing done, etc. I don't want to give up but it's certainally making me rethink things.

Hang in there once your surgeon send a request it should take long, if it does i would contact my insurance company and make a official complaint.

I had to submit 5 years of weight history. I went to the Ergent Care that I had seen several times in the past 5 years and guess what? They never once recorded my weight! So my insurance accepted pictures of me for the lasr 5 years. I just had to put down the year and the weight I was at.

It is not uncommon for a doctors office to charge a fee for medical records. Especially if it is 2 years worth.

I too paid a certain fee for some of my medical records.

"Charges

A provider cannot deny you a copy of your records because you have not paid for the services you have received. Even so, a provider may charge for the reasonable costs for copying and mailing the records. The provider cannot charge you a fee for searching for or retrieving your records."

You are probably paying for someone's time to retrieve the records, make copies and supply postage, if necessary.

The policy at my office is that if the patient requests records there's a fee (if you're there and ask me for a copy of your last record or two it's not an issue, if you want years worth we actually have a company that comes in once a month and prints and mails them, hence the invoice from another company). If another provider asks for records there is no fee. With any luck they'll send a copy to your surgeon and all will be fine.

By law I THINK your provider has 30 days to get you the records when requested with a possible 30 day extension if needed.

If this is the case then why wasnt this done back in June when I orginally requested it? I see no excuse for having to wait this long and having to get another office to request it BEFORE they even think about doing it! The funny part is there was a form with this request to be filled out by the doctor and faxed...that form was sent without any issues! I have seen that form and I seriously doubt that my doctor signed it by the scribble that was on it. I have seen my doctor sign other things and that was not done by her!!!

Just trying to offer a possible explanation. Best of luck to ya.

HW 312, pre-op (RNY) 255, current weight 200.6

I'm so sorry!!! Please don't think that my comment was against you SoccerMomma!!! I can't thank you enough for all that you have done!! PLEASE FORGIVE ME?!?! My emotions got the best of me

I feel that things are stacked against me with the surgery. I want this so much.