Help and advice please....................

Maria,

I new that I saw it somewhere on the forum. This is quoted from a post of Rosie's:

"Patient Advocate Foundation. Direct Services Provided to Patients at No Cost Include:
Negotiation pre-authorization approvals; Providing assistance at expedting the appeal process: Ndegotiation resolutions to coding and billing errors, Resolving debt crisis realted to diagnosis, Mediating insurance apppeals, Negotiating access to pharmaceutical agents, chemotherapy, medical devices and surgical procedures, Co-ordinating benefits, Brokering resources to supplement to limits of Insurance and to assist access to care for the UNINSURED, Resolving insurance issues in the public and private sector. It also has a co-pay relief program. The website is www.patientadvocate.org or telephone 1-800-532-5274. The organization can be of help to all of us in some way, I am sure. Rosie"

It sounds like a place for you to call if you get no resolve tomorrow.

Thanks Rosie!

Karen

Hi Maria,

I think that you spoke to a bad seed today, but that doesn't necessarily me that the whole apple is bad...I suggest calling tomorrow and asking to speak with someone different...a supervisor maybe? Have them explain why they need what they are asking for, if they indeed do, and for what reason...It is like being in the ER bleeding, and having some moron come up to you and ask for your insurance card...I hate that too.

If you are happy with the Dr.'s then don't let the Billing Dept. sway you away from what needs to be done. You need to continue being treated, and time is of the essence with this disease. Please don't let a Billing Clerk with no social skills turn you away.

Karen

Thanks Holly. Insurance is not an issue, it is the attitude and the lack of understanding from the staff at the xx center which I was totally shocked and unprepared for. They do have an international center so this scenario is not entirely new to them. I spent a lot of time explaining my insurance, they have a copy of my insurance details, but obviously can't be bothered to verify the information. I am very angry, distressed and upset about this and totally de motivated to have anything done at this present time. Had the TUR 10/19 an there has been nil progress since then!!
I will phone the NCC and the NCI tomorrow, thanks again.

Maria,

When I was at the Dr office just this past Friday - I had picked up and read a brochure from the American Cancer Society about Cancer and finances. In it they listed various resources - one was a free service that helped get thru all the preapproval/insurance verifying/etc. They even help negotiate fees and that for patients with weak ins. Maybe if you contact the American Cancer Society they can direct you. Otherwise, tomarrow morning I will go there and get it and send you a post.Keep the faith, this will be got thru, Holly

Oh Maria,

This part is indeed the hardest part, finding out the dx and reccomended treatment. Then the figuring out the where and who will be doing it. Perhaps this stuff withthe Moffitt center can be better handled by an intermeadiary. I have read of services for cancer patients that get thru garbage crap like this. I will look it up again and get some links to you to help if I can find them.
Please understand that with a T2-3 dx you cannot wait indefinately here. Mayo's did my surgery 8 days after I called them for an appointment - other places move quickly too. Patricia will be here soon and she is a Godsend with this part of things from what I have seen. Hang in there, Holly

I received another phone call to day from the XXX Center. To cut a long story short………….they want our business tax returns, monthly income, even wanted to know what vehicles we own, do we own a house or rent a house and so the list went on !!!!
I asked why they needed this information and they said it was “standard practice”
Is that correct?

I pay for my out patients visits and claim back from my insurance company, apparently I must be deemed a risk, a judgment made by an office worker! I said I would bring a certified check with me………..still not accepted. >

Bottom line is that I have been told that if I do not provide the information requested that I will not be offered an out patient appointment. So I told them that I will not provide the information. Then this woman said to me………”I don’t know why you have been referred here as there is a cancer center much closer to you” I asked her if she was a ‘specialist in cancer dx’ she didn’t reply. So 2 fingers to the supposedly wonderful XXX Center. Out of sheer principal I will not go that hospital now!!!

Now after all this time I will have to start looking around again. I need some tips from you guys. I have not had to do anything like this before.

My husband phoned the XXX Center, asked which docs deal with female bladder cancer, he was told “we are unable to inform you of this information until your details have been processed”

To say I am seething is an understatement, this whole doctors hospital thing has just been fraught with difficulties………….like I have nothing else to do and nothing else to worry about. It seems nobody wants to reply to you about anything and I just feel so let down by this system!!

Stepahny, Pat and Holly ………..I seen your replies on my other post, thanks I will look into those issues tomorrow.