So Confused and Upset Right Now

[NickelChip 702]

12 hours ago, ChunkCat said:

I hope the new place reaches out soon, they are probably swamped with end of the year patients.

I'm so happy to report that I have an appointment January 2 with the director of the new practice. When I spoke with the administrative person to make the appointment, she did make it sound likely that I would not have a lot of extra stuff to do since I was right at the end of the process before it got cancelled, just needing the routine pre-surgery tests and my insurance approval.

I'm so sorry your insurance is being a pain about your in-network coverage. The whole in or out of network coverage is total BS. If they're a licensed doctor, they should be covered. Period.

I have to say, the relief I felt when the HR person sent over the insurance benefit packet and I saw the logo of a very widely accepted insurance that is known to have good coverage is almost impossible to describe. This is sort of a long-term consulting gig for my husband, and I had nightmares that the consulting firm would be using crappy companies I'd never heard of to save some cash.

Financially, I may end up coming out of this a little bit ahead, maybe $1500 less out of pocket. But I swear I'll spend that on hair dye to cover all the gray hair this ordeal is giving me! And I'm self-employed, so I can't just request a few weeks of vacation when the time comes. I'll need to do some major reworking of my schedule to accommodate the new date. As you said, is the head of the old hospital losing sleep over this? No, he is not.

But it will work out, and this time next year I will be looking back on it and laughing. In that awkward way you laugh over things that are so not funny.

[Lily2024 116]

NickelChip you are amazing, this is truly reprehensible behavior from the admin at the hospital, and you are just not batting an eye, rolling on with what needs to happen to reach your goal in a new direction.

[CelticSoul 16]

23 hours ago, ChunkCat said:

Oh NickelChip, I'm so sorry!! I was looking forward to seeing you go through your surgery and everything that comes after! I hope the new place reaches out soon, they are probably swamped with end of the year patients, plus a pile of patients due to this closure... It never ceases to amaze me how careless hospital admins and insurance companies can be about their patients.

I recently found out that the network my bariatric surgeon is in AND my orthopedic surgeon are in, are more than likely going to be out of network come January because Cigna is being an asshat about re-negotiating their contract with them. And I was supposed to have a shoulder MRI and surgery in January. This is my second shoulder surgeon as the first one's practice behaved abhorrently regarding my bariatric surgery. Does Cigna care about any of this?? Nope. Are they losing sleep over this? Nope.

I'm really glad you were able to check out the policy your husband will be getting in January and that it covers bariatric surgery. I hate that all your carefully made plans have been wrecked by idiots who allowed surgeries to be scheduled knowing they would never be done. They could have at least finished out the year! And called instead of giving you a chart notification... So ridiculous.

Chunk Cat, Sorry to hear about Cigna! My HR department sent us a notice that Cigna is in negotiations with a hospital network in Boston and the hospital and their doctors may be out of network after January.

I hope that it all works out for you!

[CelticSoul 16]

10 hours ago, NickelChip said:

I'm so happy to report that I have an appointment January 2 with the director of the new practice. When I spoke with the administrative person to make the appointment, she did make it sound likely that I would not have a lot of extra stuff to do since I was right at the end of the process before it got cancelled, just needing the routine pre-surgery tests and my insurance approval.

I'm so sorry your insurance is being a pain about your in-network coverage. The whole in or out of network coverage is total BS. If they're a licensed doctor, they should be covered. Period.

I have to say, the relief I felt when the HR person sent over the insurance benefit packet and I saw the logo of a very widely accepted insurance that is known to have good coverage is almost impossible to describe. This is sort of a long-term consulting gig for my husband, and I had nightmares that the consulting firm would be using crappy companies I'd never heard of to save some cash.

Financially, I may end up coming out of this a little bit ahead, maybe $1500 less out of pocket. But I swear I'll spend that on hair dye to cover all the gray hair this ordeal is giving me! And I'm self-employed, so I can't just request a few weeks of vacation when the time comes. I'll need to do some major reworking of my schedule to accommodate the new date. As you said, is the head of the old hospital losing sleep over this? No, he is not.

But it will work out, and this time next year I will be looking back on it and laughing. In that awkward way you laugh over things that are so not funny.

NickelChip, that is great news. I wish you luck with your January 2 appointment, it sounds like they have most of the information needed to move forward quickly.

Haha, I just had my hair dyed in prep for my surgery; want to look good for the big day! I was formerly self employed, so I sympathize with having to rework schedules, etc. I've loved working for myself, but at times it was stressful! During Covid I had to close my business, it was a hard decision but it was the right decision in the end.

I know exactly what you mean about the awkward laugh... 😎

[ChunkCat 686]

On 12/15/2023 at 8:31 PM, CelticSoul said:

Chunk Cat, Sorry to hear about Cigna! My HR department sent us a notice that Cigna is in negotiations with a hospital network in Boston and the hospital and their doctors may be out of network after January.

I hope that it all works out for you!

Thank you!! I don't know what is with Cigna lately, they are doing with with my GYN office too! I sincerely hope someone does something useful and things get settled satisfactorily so I don't have to change 3 providers!!

[ChunkCat 686]

On 12/15/2023 at 10:24 AM, NickelChip said:

I'm so sorry your insurance is being a pain about your in-network coverage. The whole in or out of network coverage is total BS. If they're a licensed doctor, they should be covered. Period.

I have to say, the relief I felt when the HR person sent over the insurance benefit packet and I saw the logo of a very widely accepted insurance that is known to have good coverage is almost impossible to describe. This is sort of a long-term consulting gig for my husband, and I had nightmares that the consulting firm would be using crappy companies I'd never heard of to save some cash.

I'm so glad you are being seen soon!! I agree, if they are a licensed doctor, they should be covered, period. The insurance industry is a disaster in this country.

I know what you mean about contracting and medical coverage. My partner was an independent contractor for a long time and I have pre-existing health conditions so for a while I could only be covered by the state specialty plan until the whole healthcare marketplace thing. It was so stressful dealing with rejection after rejection because no one would cover me, and the cost was obscene, even for crap coverage. When they finally went back to working for someone else it was such a relief to have the health coverage handled by a company again!!

[JVJDRN 0]

It could be as simple as your surgeon has decided to leave the group, or is very ill. I hope it all gets sorted out soon.

[KGriff 0]

So sorry, I really hope they clue you in soon. I get super anxious when my plans change

[LilaNicole20 250]

Curious to hear how your Jan 2 appointment goes today!

[Lily2024 116]

3 hours ago, LilaNicole20 said:

Curious to hear how your Jan 2 appointment goes today!

Me too, I'll be thinking of you NickelChip.

[NickelChip 702]

I just got home from my appointment and am happy to say that I'm now scheduled for surgery on February 21. I was able to meet with the dietician right after my appointment with the surgeon and she went over the differences between my old program and their protocols, which are similar with the exception that I will need to do the 2-week liquid diet (my old place only did 2 days). I head to the hospital tomorrow for pretests and then just have to wait the 7 weeks until surgery. Time to get back to my good eating habits after the holidays!

I thought everyone was very nice and I got a lot of sympathy for what I'd gone through with the center closing. I was told one patient who is now at the new practice actually arrived at the hospital the day of her surgery and only then found out it had been cancelled. No one even called her. I don't even know what I would have done had that happened.

[NCL04321 151]

I am so sorry this has happened to you. I would be going crazy with anxiety! Such a let down when you are so looking forward to beginning your journey only to be told nothing! I'm sure it will get straightened out and hopefully you can start your journey quickly! Hang in there.

[CelticSoul 16]

That is great news, so glad to hear you have a new date! What a great way to start off the new year! 🎉

[Lily2024 116]

Good news, I'm glad to hear it. I'm glad you won't have to go through any new requirements.

[NickelChip 702]

Did you know there is a limit to how many vials of blood they can take on a single day at the hospital? Apparently, the limit is 12. Despite combining a few of the 17 different tests ordered by my surgeon, there are still 4 tests remaining that I will have to go back for another time. The phlebotomist just kept shaking her head and wondering out loud what all these doctors are thinking when they order so many tests all at once. Fortunately, it's not a rush. I told the surgeon what had happened and he said I could wait to do the others until the end of the month when I'm back in town for a final meeting with the dietician. (It's about 45-60 minutes without traffic from my house to the hospital.)

The barium swallow test lived up to its reputation. Thick grey sludge in a cup. Yuck. But I got to see my heart beating on the video screen, so that was trippy. And the technicians were very funny, so I was kept entertained. The results came back saying I have a minuscule hiatal hernia. Not sure if it will require any fixing.

My EKG was normal, but had I realized they would be putting sensors on my legs, too, I would have shaved!