Had my last appointment with NUT and surgeon....... needed a pre-certification letter from my PCP to submit to Insurance. Wasn't told this before so had to schedule this appointment. A week ago today I had the appointment PCP is thrilled that I am going to do this step to improve my health. Now comes the icky part...... submitted everything to my surgeon on Tuesday October 28, waited 2 days called the insurance to see if they had received the papers..... No they hadn't yet. So called the surgeons office (which never answers the phone) and asked for them to leave a message as the status of my paperwork (as I work and cannot always answer the phone sometimes with patients).Received a message saying that a few people were ahead of me submitting paperwork as they had finished the program sooner.

OK, kudos to them. So thought maybe they would submit all papers on Friday. Called the Insurance on Monday..... still NO papers. Called the surgeons and guess what NO ANSWER. Asked for them to call back and leave a message thinking I may had forgotten something. Now I sit here and no call back , no message, no nothing.!!! Aggravated is saying it mildly. I just want to know if I need something else before submitting papers. GRRRRRRr

it is a very long drawn out process and seems soon as you done with the last step something else pops up....on the good side it will be worth the wait.iam hanging in there with you.good luck lets hope we get our date soon

Let me clue you in on something.

This was the worst time for me to begin the process of having surgery! I was taken through hoops and loops with the doctor's office, nurses and everyone involved because little did I know that people that are going through the surgery at their clinic that had to be approved and completed by the end of the year according to their medical insurance....TAKES PRECEDENCE over people that did not have this clause in their insurance.

So instead of being told this upfront, I was made to feel like I was being given the run-around and almost left behind it. So here's my tips:

Tip 1). Call your insurance and find out if they have this clause in their insurance.

Tip 2). Ask your office (when they call you back) if other people need to have the surgery before the end of the year that takes precedence over you.

Tip 3). Tell them that you are anxious and just want to know or set your expectations accordingly.

Remember, the medical industry is a money making outfit, they are a business. So losing patients (no pun intended) is a BIG deal, and sometimes they are afraid to tell us that it may be longer than expected because they are 'afraid' of losing you as a client.

Hope you find peace soon with this!

i can totally relate. it took three weeks of me calling either the insurance company or the surgeon's office (i alternated, calling one of them every two or three days) before the insurance company gave me the news that i was approved.

then i thought i would be scheduled for the next week, and the surgeon was booked through 11/18, so here i am still waiting.

it's another step closer, and that's all you can say. be patient, be polite when you call (especially the surgeon's office, no need to tick anyone off there). it will happen, the surgeon doesn't want you to go away.

So called the surgeons office (which never answers the phone)

I would be most concerned about this... what if you need help after surgery? And they don't answer the phone?!?!?! Might need to look into a new surgeon!

I would be most concerned about this... what if you need help after surgery? And they don't answer the phone?!?!?! Might need to look into a new surgeon!

I don't know about you but my surgeon has different numbers for admin stuff and surgical/medical issues.

Let me clue you in on something.

This was the worst time for me to begin the process of having surgery! I was taken through hoops and loops with the doctor's office, nurses and everyone involved because little did I know that people that are going through the surgery at their clinic that had to be approved and completed by the end of the year according to their medical insurance....TAKES PRECEDENCE over people that did not have this clause in their insurance.

So instead of being told this upfront, I was made to feel like I was being given the run-around and almost left behind it. So here's my tips:

Tip 1). Call your insurance and find out if they have this clause in their insurance.

Tip 2). Ask your office (when they call you back) if other people need to have the surgery before the end of the year that takes precedence over you.

Tip 3). Tell them that you are anxious and just want to know or set your expectations accordingly.

Remember, the medical industry is a money making outfit, they are a business. So losing patients (no pun intended) is a BIG deal, and sometimes they are afraid to tell us that it may be longer than expected because they are 'afraid' of losing you as a client.

Hope you find peace soon with this!

OH MY GOODNESS. .I wish I had read that months ago...I was just recently beginning to suspect something like that...as that is exactly what is happening to me. ..it just didn't occur to me because I don't know much about insurance etc. And mine doesn't have to be done before the end of the year so I got pushed out til January..after being approved in September...I'm not bitter I just wish it had been explained to me instead of being dropped in my lap for me to just be confused about four 4 months..the dr office blamed insurance but then insurance tells me dr office picks the date..the blame game..but you explained it very well and it makes so much more sense now. Thanks

Edited November 5, 201411 yr by downsizingdiva

Yep. This same phenomenon is experienced every August and December where I work. We do upwards of 110 surgeries in one day trying to fit ineveryone who needs to have surgery before year's end.

I wanted to add that I'm more than glad to bow out so that other people who need to go before the end if the year due to insurance can get it done first....i just had no clue what was going on and don't like being in the dark or being mislead. Once again I feel so much better now that I understand why also. ..everything happens for a reason!

Edited November 5, 201411 yr by downsizingdiva