Insurance catches up
Maybe I'm just getting a litle more comfortable with it, or maybe it really is getting better. My family is telling me the torticollis looks better and today I was able to go with my sister to Valley Fair in San Jose. I haven't been to Valley Fair in 6 months. I was also able to shave with a blade for the first time in 2 months yesterday and I'm finding it easier to watch tv and use the computer. I just don't want to jump the gun and say I'm better when I'm not.
The day I can drive again, the day I can use my camera again, will be the day that I resume my life.
...It turns out that the Parkinson's Institute isn't covered by my health insurance, United Healthcare. I had to pay for my first visit out of pocket and I have no idea if or how much the botox is going to be covered at all. UHC said that they do cover botox, but the issue of treatment at an out of network provider is iffy. When the doctor prompted us about it my sister and mother both said to go for the treatment and to figure out the insurance later, they just didn't want to see me suffer anymore.
So, in the next few weeks I have to figure out how much insurance is going to cover me. I'm going to call them again on Tuesday. If things look bad, then I'll have to ask Dr. Liang to refer me to someone at Stanford's Movement Disorder Clinic.
...I have an appointment with my original doctor tomorrow. I have to explain to him that Dr. Liang re-diagnosed me with the Dystonia and then figure out a way to keep him in terms of medication management. I want to keep seeing him to see if there are any other meds that can help me along with the botox injections. The reason why I need to see him is that I can see him more often... and of course, he is cheaper because he's in-network.
Janey, my RN friend, affirmed me yesterday. The medical insurance system in the United States sucks.
As discouraging as it sounds, I actually don't really care. While I do have to figure out how to manage disability and getting back to work at some point and the medical bills of my future, that challenge is nothing compared to the end of the world when I was coming to grips with my condition just months ago.
The day I can drive again, the day I can use my camera again, will be the day that I resume my life.
...It turns out that the Parkinson's Institute isn't covered by my health insurance, United Healthcare. I had to pay for my first visit out of pocket and I have no idea if or how much the botox is going to be covered at all. UHC said that they do cover botox, but the issue of treatment at an out of network provider is iffy. When the doctor prompted us about it my sister and mother both said to go for the treatment and to figure out the insurance later, they just didn't want to see me suffer anymore.
So, in the next few weeks I have to figure out how much insurance is going to cover me. I'm going to call them again on Tuesday. If things look bad, then I'll have to ask Dr. Liang to refer me to someone at Stanford's Movement Disorder Clinic.
...I have an appointment with my original doctor tomorrow. I have to explain to him that Dr. Liang re-diagnosed me with the Dystonia and then figure out a way to keep him in terms of medication management. I want to keep seeing him to see if there are any other meds that can help me along with the botox injections. The reason why I need to see him is that I can see him more often... and of course, he is cheaper because he's in-network.
Janey, my RN friend, affirmed me yesterday. The medical insurance system in the United States sucks.
As discouraging as it sounds, I actually don't really care. While I do have to figure out how to manage disability and getting back to work at some point and the medical bills of my future, that challenge is nothing compared to the end of the world when I was coming to grips with my condition just months ago.
posted by RJ at 8:59 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home