Guest guest Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 O' Lindsey.... what a shame!! So sorry to hear you got that sort of a response. *sigh* I've no idea on what or where to go with it but just to say I know how furious and upsetting that can be !! Hope someone's got some good suggestions for you hon. Disgusted as well with the medical community as a whole. *Sigh* (always those few excellent ones though, it's finding them that's tough) Dee~ ;( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Seriously I got off the phone with the lady feeling worse. I have an appointment with a reproductive endocrinologist that I have waited over two months to get. I have had the 35 volunteers that I supervise all change their schedule so I can make this appointment. The customer service rep said, " Your appointment's not 7/5, it's 8/2. " Turns out they changed the appointment on 6/8 and said they sent me a letter AND called to inform me and I received no message and no letter. The customer service rep said, " What do you want me to do...I can help you get in and see Dr. (vulvodynia specialist. " I said, " I don't think it's in my best interest to see a doctor that has told me twice that I'm not going to get better even though I am getting better. I want the $6000 I've spent out of pocket because your system is incompetent. I want the past year of my life back. I want the 100s of hours spent studying medical journals because your docs couldn't help me back. I want to see that reproductive endocrinologist sooner than 8/2 because 7/5 was too long to wait for an appointment. " Of course she couldn't do that. I told her that I was done dealing with them and that they would be hearing from a malpractice attorney or the medical ethics board, I wasn't going to waste my time with them. I told them my health had suffered because of long waits for appointments and their doctors' incompetence. UGH!!!! I would switch out systems, but by the time I got into a new one, saw a primary care doc, and got referred to a different reproductive endocrinologist it would be WAY longer than 8/2. Lindsey > > O' Lindsey.... what a shame!! So sorry to hear you got that sort of a response. *sigh* I've no idea on what or where to go with it but just to say I know how furious and upsetting that can be !! Hope someone's got some good suggestions for you hon. > > Disgusted as well with the medical community as a whole. *Sigh* (always those few excellent ones though, it's finding them that's tough) > > Dee~ ;( > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 ugh!!! I can totally relate! - your doctors sound like a bunch of *ssholes, too. I just drafted a letter to my former-gyn group about their negligence, and not only failure to treat my VVS for over a decade, but inability to identify that I have a prolapsing rectum, and huge ovarian tumors (those are general practice issues that many women have). They've called me a 'chronic' to my face, and have never made any appropriate referrals......just kept on taking my money. I could also use advice on how to make proper grievances if anyone knows. What I was thinking of doing was sending letters (certified) to those 'doctors', my insurance company, and my congressman. > >Reply-To: VulvarDisorders >To: VulvarDisorders >Subject: I'm disgusted >Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 19:15:42 -0000 > >By the overall horrible treatment and incompetence at my medical >group, UC . I even had the so-called vulvodynia specialist tell >me, " Nobody gets better from this, " WHEN I WAS GETTING BETTER. So...I >tried complaining a year ago and that went nowhere. Now a year later, >and $6000 out of pocket on doctors that actually do know what they're >doing I did mail a letter outlining my grievances. A month later I'm >getting a call back and I'm so mad I have a feeling I'm going to cuss >the lady up one side and down the other and then threaten legal >action. That probably won't help, but at least somebody else will >have a tiny fraction of upset like I've been through thanks to their >incompetence. WHEW! OK...any words of advice on how to deal with >this grievance procedure? It seems hardly worth it, but maybe I will >try and see if I get somewhere. It took multiple docs to get >diagnosed. I had to pay out of pocket to see a v specialist because >they said they didn't have one when they actually did have one. When >I finally got in to see the v specialist I had already paid out of >pocket for help. She basically told me I wasn't going to get any >better and she wasn't interested in finding out why I was sick but >just help with the pain. When I went to pain management they rx'd me >things that had already been rx'd by the doc that I paid out of pocket >for and said they do trigger point but didn't have a private spot to >do it so I should go back to my ob-gyn (who didn't know about >vulvodynia) for those. What a joke...I finally just paid out of >pocket for pt. >Lindsey > _________________________________________________________________ Don’t miss your chance to WIN $10,000 and other great prizes from Microsoft Office Live http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/aub0540003042mrt/direct/01/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 YES YES YES SEND THOSE LETTERS! Insist on your money back!!! They are assholes and so are yours. What state do you live in? Do you have an hmo or a ppo insurance? Lindsey > > > ugh!!! I can totally relate! - your doctors sound like a bunch of > *ssholes, too. I just drafted a letter to my former-gyn group about their > negligence, and not only failure to treat my VVS for over a decade, but > inability to identify that I have a prolapsing rectum, and huge ovarian > tumors (those are general practice issues that many women have). They've > called me a 'chronic' to my face, and have never made any appropriate > referrals......just kept on taking my money. > > I could also use advice on how to make proper grievances if anyone knows. > > What I was thinking of doing was sending letters (certified) to those > 'doctors', my insurance company, and my congressman. > > > > >Reply-To: VulvarDisorders > >To: VulvarDisorders > >Subject: I'm disgusted > >Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 19:15:42 -0000 > > > >By the overall horrible treatment and incompetence at my medical > >group, UC . I even had the so-called vulvodynia specialist tell > >me, " Nobody gets better from this, " WHEN I WAS GETTING BETTER. So...I > >tried complaining a year ago and that went nowhere. Now a year later, > >and $6000 out of pocket on doctors that actually do know what they're > >doing I did mail a letter outlining my grievances. A month later I'm > >getting a call back and I'm so mad I have a feeling I'm going to cuss > >the lady up one side and down the other and then threaten legal > >action. That probably won't help, but at least somebody else will > >have a tiny fraction of upset like I've been through thanks to their > >incompetence. WHEW! OK...any words of advice on how to deal with > >this grievance procedure? It seems hardly worth it, but maybe I will > >try and see if I get somewhere. It took multiple docs to get > >diagnosed. I had to pay out of pocket to see a v specialist because > >they said they didn't have one when they actually did have one. When > >I finally got in to see the v specialist I had already paid out of > >pocket for help. She basically told me I wasn't going to get any > >better and she wasn't interested in finding out why I was sick but > >just help with the pain. When I went to pain management they rx'd me > >things that had already been rx'd by the doc that I paid out of pocket > >for and said they do trigger point but didn't have a private spot to > >do it so I should go back to my ob-gyn (who didn't know about > >vulvodynia) for those. What a joke...I finally just paid out of > >pocket for pt. > >Lindsey > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Don't miss your chance to WIN $10,000 and other great prizes from Microsoft > Office Live http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/aub0540003042mrt/direct/01/ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Jeesh Lindsey now I understand a lot more as to why you were so upset. Arghhhhhhh no wonder & with good reason no doubt about it and what you told them is the truth about the whole damn thing. When that customer rep asked " "What do you want me to do?" I'd have been so mad I'd have told them they'd better darn well pull that phony trick on someone else then and cancel them to get you in. (You received no message and no letter! and made all those adjustments to work around 'them' and now they act like it's your mistake? nahhhh I don't think so.) The other thing I might have tried is, 'FINE..... I'm coming in and will just sit there until the doctor DOES take me then. (say on the date you were supposed to) I also heard that if a secretary or whoever receptionist etc.. gets an emergency phone call they have to notify the doctor. I'd have pleaded pure utter desperation maybe? Of course then they'd probably have said go to the emergency room *Sigh* Ooops never mind, being it's a reproductive endocrinologist doesn't help.. they'd say 'what emergency?" *groan* We're so frustrated to begin with and then to have to put up with the BS just isn't fair. Talk about adding more stress to the situation! Well I hope someone or somehow they are able to get you in hon.... (tho now you want to just dump them and I can't blame you)... Just know we all definitely understand and doubt there's a one of us at one time or another who hasn't been there with the urge to just strangle someone. *sigh*Hugs hon, hang in there, take a deep breathe, and say 'Frig'... it... LOL ('cept I'd be saying something else! and out loud too!!!! ha ha) Dee~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Thank you so much Dee for your support...it is so helpful! I am going to call them and remind them of a few things-1st is that I work in mental health for an equally large (to UC ) county system and that on a daily basis I see our doctors get people in on a last- minute basis for much less aggregious reasons. I will let them know that while she paints it as an IMPOSSIBILITY to get me in sooner, I KNOW that it is CHOICE and the least she can do is not insult my intelligence by insinuating that it is anything else. I will also ask for a supervisor to run it by them. After everything that I have been through, the doctor is CHOOSING to not get me in sooner which tells me an awful lot about her (lack of) dedication to her patients and professionalism. Cancelling at the last minute is not ok. I will also constructively encourage her to get better training on how to validate people's feelings because, as a licensed mental health clinician, her skills suck ass. I keep reminding myself it is NOT OK for me to go down there and pull out the can of whoop ass that I have used on more than one occasion. Deep down I am a scrappy little country girl and they don't want me to go country on them, hahaha. OK...thanks for letting me vent. Lindsey > > Jeesh Lindsey now I understand a lot more as to why you were so upset. Arghhhhhhh no wonder & with good reason no doubt about it and what you told them is the truth about the whole damn thing. > > When that customer rep asked " " What do you want me to do? " > I'd have been so mad I'd have told them they'd better darn well pull that phony trick on someone else then and cancel them to get you in. (You received no message and no letter! and made all those adjustments to work around 'them' and now they act like it's your mistake? nahhhh I don't think so.) > > The other thing I might have tried is, 'FINE..... I'm coming in and will just sit there until the doctor DOES take me then. (say on the date you were supposed to) I also heard that if a secretary or whoever receptionist etc.. gets an emergency phone call they have to notify the doctor. I'd have pleaded pure utter desperation maybe? Of course then they'd probably have said go to the emergency room *Sigh* Ooops never mind, being it's a reproductive endocrinologist doesn't help.. they'd say 'what emergency? " *groan* > > We're so frustrated to begin with and then to have to put up with the BS just isn't fair. Talk about adding more stress to the situation! > > Well I hope someone or somehow they are able to get you in hon.... (tho now you want to just dump them and I can't blame you)... Just know we all definitely understand and doubt there's a one of us at one time or another who hasn't been there with the urge to just strangle someone. *sigh* > > Hugs hon, hang in there, take a deep breathe, and say 'Frig'... it... LOL ('cept I'd be saying something else! and out loud too!!!! ha ha) > > Dee~ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 You 'WOP' ass, country girl !!! Good luck and let us know how it goes. You can rant here anytime!! We understand more than anyone. Dee~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 I just called the customer service rep today this morning and left a message asking for her supervisor. I also left her a message stating that I expect her to get me squeezed in sooner, that I work in county mental health and we do it for much less emergent reasons than this and that the doctor can stay late or come in early. I also told her I am filing a HIIPAA complaint. If she is going to INSIST that they sent my PHI out via mail AND phone and I never got it, clearly it went to the wrong place and somebody has my info out there. HIPAA violates are up to a $250,000 fine. Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 I would definitley write letters, copy them, save them, keep track of all your bills and payments you made out of pocket, copy those and track the names of all the docs that you have seen and write a letter to your grievance dept for insurance. I have an HMO that royally SUCKS! I went through 5 1/2 years, seeing 9 doctors, speaking with 42 because they said there was someone on the plan to help me but would not tell me who (they had no clue but was convinced there was someone)...after calling all those docs, nobody had a clue how to help me...and I finally found the right doc who was also NOT on my insurance and they were not planning on paying for my surgery that the doc said would definitely help because he was the only one that actually finally gave me a dignosis. I made my doc write a letter as well as sending in all my info regarding the incompetence of all the docs on their plan that they said would help me and that I had to use and after speaking in a conference with the medical committee (actually crying, lol) they came back with a conclusion to pay for my surgery completely. I also had sent them research articles that I found online that explained the fact that these disorders go untreated and undiagnosed for years and the fact we see doc after doc with no help. I asked them if they would rather deal with a death case of me killing myself from the stress this has caused in my life (which I really would not do but sometimes thought about) or to deal with paying for a surgery the doc said would be a 85-95% success rate. They agreed to pay but I had sent many letters through the years and they would not pay for some things like botox injections...they said that botox is not for medical purposes, it is elective for aesthetic reasons...yea, I want a prettier vagina, lol! Anyway, go for it, write it all down, send it and keep fighting!! Best of luck! > > By the overall horrible treatment and incompetence at my medical > group, UC . I even had the so-called vulvodynia specialist tell > me, " Nobody gets better from this, " WHEN I WAS GETTING BETTER. So...I > tried complaining a year ago and that went nowhere. Now a year later, > and $6000 out of pocket on doctors that actually do know what they're > doing I did mail a letter outlining my grievances. A month later I'm > getting a call back and I'm so mad I have a feeling I'm going to cuss > the lady up one side and down the other and then threaten legal > action. That probably won't help, but at least somebody else will > have a tiny fraction of upset like I've been through thanks to their > incompetence. WHEW! OK...any words of advice on how to deal with > this grievance procedure? It seems hardly worth it, but maybe I will > try and see if I get somewhere. It took multiple docs to get > diagnosed. I had to pay out of pocket to see a v specialist because > they said they didn't have one when they actually did have one. When > I finally got in to see the v specialist I had already paid out of > pocket for help. She basically told me I wasn't going to get any > better and she wasn't interested in finding out why I was sick but > just help with the pain. When I went to pain management they rx'd me > things that had already been rx'd by the doc that I paid out of pocket > for and said they do trigger point but didn't have a private spot to > do it so I should go back to my ob-gyn (who didn't know about > vulvodynia) for those. What a joke...I finally just paid out of > pocket for pt. > Lindsey > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Seriously, each time I read about another woman who has gone through the 'doctor and insurance hell' that we have, I get so pissed, I can't even handle it! Once I get all my diagnoses, have my surgery (or surgeries) scheduled, maybe I'll send you all a copy of the letter I plan to send to my local gyn practice who has neglected me for years. Today I got definite confirmation that I have a huge dermoid tumor protruding off one of my ovaries, that could lead to 'torsion' (whatever the hell that is), and cut off blood to my ovary causing it to die. I must have the tumor removed or it could become a medical emergency. I also have a rectal freakin' hernia, at the very least., and have an MRI and surgery consult coming up. I have to have at least one surgery. All of this was ignored by that 'doctor' I saw just two weeks ago, who gave me the 30 seconder, and told me my 'bulges' were normal. Thank god I persisted, and went to other doctors. They at least had the knowledge, care, and compassion, spoke with me at length over the phone about my options, and scheduled appointments for me right away. - I think you are awesome and should go country on their asses! I am also a clinical MH professional, and know that a doctor can get you in whenever (s)he very well pleases. Stacey- I admire you for going through all of that, and even speaking to them in person - I would love to do that! I think I'll send the 'doctor' my tumor once it's removed! ha ha ... (it's the freaky ovarian kind of tumor that could contain hair, teeth, skin parts, etc - totally bizarre). goggle 'dermoid' - it's a trip.... nicole > >Reply-To: VulvarDisorders >To: VulvarDisorders >Subject: Re: I'm disgusted >Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 21:02:00 -0000 > >I would definitley write letters, copy them, save them, keep track of >all your bills and payments you made out of pocket, copy those and >track the names of all the docs that you have seen and write a letter >to your grievance dept for insurance. I have an HMO that royally >SUCKS! I went through 5 1/2 years, seeing 9 doctors, speaking with 42 >because they said there was someone on the plan to help me but would >not tell me who (they had no clue but was convinced there was >someone)...after calling all those docs, nobody had a clue how >to help me...and I finally found the right doc who was also NOT on my >insurance and they were not planning on paying for my surgery that the >doc said would definitely help because he was the only one that >actually finally gave me a dignosis. > >I made >my doc write a letter as well as sending in all my info regarding the >incompetence of all the docs on their plan that they said would help me >and that I had to use and after speaking in a conference with the >medical committee (actually crying, lol) they came back with a >conclusion to pay for my surgery completely. I also had sent them >research >articles that I found online that explained the fact that these >disorders go untreated and undiagnosed for years and the fact we see >doc after doc with no help. I asked them if they would rather deal >with a death case of me killing myself from the stress this has caused >in my life (which I really would not do but sometimes thought about) >or to deal with paying for a surgery the doc said would be a 85-95% >success rate. They agreed to pay but I had sent many letters through the >years and they would not pay for some things like botox >injections...they said that botox is not for medical purposes, it is >elective for aesthetic reasons...yea, I want a prettier vagina, >lol! Anyway, go for it, write it all down, send it and keep >fighting!! Best of luck! > > > > > > > By the overall horrible treatment and incompetence at my medical > > group, UC . I even had the so-called vulvodynia specialist tell > > me, " Nobody gets better from this, " WHEN I WAS GETTING BETTER. So...I > > tried complaining a year ago and that went nowhere. Now a year later, > > and $6000 out of pocket on doctors that actually do know what they're > > doing I did mail a letter outlining my grievances. A month later I'm > > getting a call back and I'm so mad I have a feeling I'm going to cuss > > the lady up one side and down the other and then threaten legal > > action. That probably won't help, but at least somebody else will > > have a tiny fraction of upset like I've been through thanks to their > > incompetence. WHEW! OK...any words of advice on how to deal with > > this grievance procedure? It seems hardly worth it, but maybe I will > > try and see if I get somewhere. It took multiple docs to get > > diagnosed. I had to pay out of pocket to see a v specialist because > > they said they didn't have one when they actually did have one. When > > I finally got in to see the v specialist I had already paid out of > > pocket for help. She basically told me I wasn't going to get any > > better and she wasn't interested in finding out why I was sick but > > just help with the pain. When I went to pain management they rx'd me > > things that had already been rx'd by the doc that I paid out of pocket > > for and said they do trigger point but didn't have a private spot to > > do it so I should go back to my ob-gyn (who didn't know about > > vulvodynia) for those. What a joke...I finally just paid out of > > pocket for pt. > > Lindsey > > > > _________________________________________________________________ Picture this – share your photos and you could win big! http://www.GETREALPhotoContest.com?ocid=TXT_TAGHM & loc=us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Thanks for some great advice and tips there for many of us who run into those kinds of situations. Appreciated. Dee~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 ..... THAT is absolute negligence on that doctors part!!!!!!!!! (You're bulges are normal?) OMG.... thank goodness you were persistant... Good luck with it all hon and when you're much better I'd definitely give that doctor a piece of my mind and ''more'' as Lindsey & have suggested, BIG TIME.... what a shame! *sigh* Dee~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Good for you, !! Sandy Optimism is the foundation of courage. N.M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 I'm filing multiple grievances. UC refusing to give me the $ I've had to spent out of pocket because of their incompetence and refusal to do treatment on women's issues at the pain clinic. I am going to file a grievance for every little minute problem I have had with them that I have a right to file a grievance against. They have given me no choice. My only weapon at this point is to clog up their system and make their numbers look bad (the state reviews how many grievances are filed each month and those numbers are published and go out to all medical groups/their peers/insurance companies, etc.). Lindsey Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Yahoo! Autos new Car Finder tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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