Insurance companies can be such a pain

March 22, 2002

I went to the doctor today for my monthly visit. He increased my

pain medicine to the oxycontin 40 mgs instead of the 20 mgs. When I

went to the pharmacy to get them filled the pharmacist informed me

that my insurance would't fill them because there is no generic for

them. I have to get pre approved before they could fill them. My

husbands work cancelled our insurance because he had to have surgery

from a work related injury and is out of work for another two and a

half months. So we had to get on the state insurance. Last month it

was filled with no problem but the rules have changed. I left the

phanrmacy in tears. I called my doctor and he pulled some strings and

got the script filled for me. Now next month I know they are going to

pull the same crap with me. Has anyone ever heard of such stupidity?

Why does the government think they can keep jerking people around

like they do? Another thing I have to ask can his work legally do

that to us? I think they are being totally anal retentive. They knew

he got injured there and cancelled our insurance the day of his

surgery. Two weeks ago I went to the ER and was treated so badly in

there mainly because of the insurance I am on right now. The nurse

blew my vein in my hand out and I am on a blood thinner to reduce the

clots she gave me. My hand is still swollen and sore from that. I was

also put in a room that had dirty sheets and the nurse kept flushing

my hand with saline flushes knowing it was burning my hand and arm.

When I had my Blue Cross I was treated very nicely and now I fear

going back to the ER. I am not sure if I am taking this wrong but I

feel that I am being treated like I am dirt. I hope anyone else on a

government insurance gets better care than I did in Flint Michigan.

Take Care all And God Bless you,

Kim From Michigan

March 23, 2002

Kim,

I am sorry that you are having so many insurance hassles. I don't know what

the laws in Michigan are but I know a little about the laws here in Ohio as

far as his insurance at work. First you need to check his employee handbook

at work and see if it addresses the issue of what happens to his benefits if

he should become disabiled due to a work related injury. If he has a union

where he works, contact the union. Here in Ohio, it is up to the employer

( and it needs to be documented in the employee handbook ) as to what their

policy is in this type of situation. If the handbook says once you are on

workers comp you loose your private insurance than you are screwed. But I

believe that most employers here will allow you to continue your health

insurance but you have to pay the premiums that the employer would normally

pay the insurance company if you were working. Depending on the plan this

could be anywhere from $200.00 to $500.00 per month. By the way, Oxycontin

is almost $350.00 per month.

I don't know if this info helps you or not. And I don't know if there is an

actual law that says they can't cut you off but I know if you loose your job

than it is a federal law that they have to offer you the Cobra plan for I

think up to 18 months. ( Can't remember as it is been so long since I have

had to deal with this stuff ). But checking the employee handbood is an

option. And if there is no handbook, call them and bluff them. Tell them you

want to know what they pay for his monthly premiums as you are of ther

understanding that these can continue if you pay the company for them ?

Heck, the worse thing they will say is no !

I guess you just have to see what works for you better. In the old days as I

use to call them, as a nurse, we did not care if the patient had insurance

or not, we treated them all the same. Those were the days of going home and

feeling good about your job. Theses days, I know of some docs that have told

me that they are often pressured by hospital administration not to be too

aggressive with certian types of insurances as the re imbersement rate is so

low for lots of services, if at all.

I think it boils down to the philosophy of the hospital and the luck of the

draw as to wish physician is in the ER when you get there. Sad I know.

Wishing you luck,

Lily

Insurance companies can be such a pain

> I went to the doctor today for my monthly visit. He increased my

> pain medicine to the oxycontin 40 mgs instead of the 20 mgs. When I

> went to the pharmacy to get them filled the pharmacist informed me

> that my insurance would't fill them because there is no generic for

> them. I have to get pre approved before they could fill them. My

> husbands work cancelled our insurance because he had to have surgery

> from a work related injury and is out of work for another two and a

> half months. So we had to get on the state insurance. Last month it

> was filled with no problem but the rules have changed. I left the

> phanrmacy in tears. I called my doctor and he pulled some strings and

> got the script filled for me. Now next month I know they are going to

> pull the same crap with me. Has anyone ever heard of such stupidity?

> Why does the government think they can keep jerking people around

> like they do? Another thing I have to ask can his work legally do

> that to us? I think they are being totally anal retentive. They knew

> he got injured there and cancelled our insurance the day of his

> surgery. Two weeks ago I went to the ER and was treated so badly in

> there mainly because of the insurance I am on right now. The nurse

> blew my vein in my hand out and I am on a blood thinner to reduce the

> clots she gave me. My hand is still swollen and sore from that. I was

> also put in a room that had dirty sheets and the nurse kept flushing

> my hand with saline flushes knowing it was burning my hand and arm.

> When I had my Blue Cross I was treated very nicely and now I fear

> going back to the ER. I am not sure if I am taking this wrong but I

> feel that I am being treated like I am dirt. I hope anyone else on a

> government insurance gets better care than I did in Flint Michigan.

> Take Care all And God Bless you,

> Kim From Michigan

>

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March 23, 2002

Kim,

I work for an employee leasing company in Michigan. When an employee

is off work for a work related field we offer to keep the insurance

as long as they pay the premium. If your husband is off on FMLA then

he should also have the option of paying the premiums. COBRA benefits

are for 18 months, but only if there are certain conditions met

(death, divorce, quit, layed off). If he is off because of a workers

comp claim, then COBRA would not apply. He should check with his

employer, maybe more than once, as he may get a different person

answering the phone who will take the time to tell him what his

options are. Also, He should have gotten information on his options

shortly after the insurance was stopped.

I don't know if this helps, but let me know if I can help in any way,

I work with insurance issues daily and might be able to give you some

insight.

Sharon in MI

March 23, 2002

Hey there.....

Im not real sure I understand all of this but are you saying that the

insurance didn't pay for your hubby's surgery or that they just

cancelled it because he had to have surgery but paid for the surgery

anyway? In the first place, I thought if it was work related,

workers comp paid for it and not your regular insurance?

Also, as far as that hospital, you need to get hold of whoever the

powers that be and write them a certified letter, not just one person

but several. Then I would get a freaking attorney! I am so mad and

so sick of folks being treated like this.

The only reason I am even up right now is because I hurt and can't go

to sleep and may be in the ER before morning! Take care and I will

talk to you later.

Kaye

In pancreatitis@y..., " crazymom118 " wrote:

> I went to the doctor today for my monthly visit. He increased my

> pain medicine to the oxycontin 40 mgs instead of the 20 mgs. When I

> went to the pharmacy to get them filled the pharmacist informed me

> that my insurance would't fill them because there is no generic for

> them. I have to get pre approved before they could fill them. My

> husbands work cancelled our insurance because he had to have

surgery

> from a work related injury and is out of work for another two and a

> half months. So we had to get on the state insurance. Last month it

> was filled with no problem but the rules have changed. I left the

> phanrmacy in tears. I called my doctor and he pulled some strings

and

> got the script filled for me. Now next month I know they are going

to

> pull the same crap with me. Has anyone ever heard of such

stupidity?

> Why does the government think they can keep jerking people around

> like they do? Another thing I have to ask can his work legally do

> that to us? I think they are being totally anal retentive. They

knew

> he got injured there and cancelled our insurance the day of his

> surgery. Two weeks ago I went to the ER and was treated so badly in

> there mainly because of the insurance I am on right now. The nurse

> blew my vein in my hand out and I am on a blood thinner to reduce

the

> clots she gave me. My hand is still swollen and sore from that. I

was

> also put in a room that had dirty sheets and the nurse kept

flushing

> my hand with saline flushes knowing it was burning my hand and arm.

> When I had my Blue Cross I was treated very nicely and now I fear

> going back to the ER. I am not sure if I am taking this wrong but I

> feel that I am being treated like I am dirt. I hope anyone else on

a

> government insurance gets better care than I did in Flint Michigan.

> Take Care all And God Bless you,

> Kim From Michigan

March 23, 2002

Hey there.....

Im not real sure I understand all of this but are you saying that the

insurance didn't pay for your hubby's surgery or that they just

cancelled it because he had to have surgery but paid for the surgery

anyway? In the first place, I thought if it was work related,

workers comp paid for it and not your regular insurance?

Also, as far as that hospital, you need to get hold of whoever the

powers that be and write them a certified letter, not just one person

but several. Then I would get a freaking attorney! I am so mad and

so sick of folks being treated like this.

The only reason I am even up right now is because I hurt and can't go

to sleep and may be in the ER before morning! Take care and I will

talk to you later.

Kaye

In pancreatitis@y..., " crazymom118 " wrote:

> I went to the doctor today for my monthly visit. He increased my

> pain medicine to the oxycontin 40 mgs instead of the 20 mgs. When I

> went to the pharmacy to get them filled the pharmacist informed me

> that my insurance would't fill them because there is no generic for

> them. I have to get pre approved before they could fill them. My

> husbands work cancelled our insurance because he had to have

surgery

> from a work related injury and is out of work for another two and a

> half months. So we had to get on the state insurance. Last month it

> was filled with no problem but the rules have changed. I left the

> phanrmacy in tears. I called my doctor and he pulled some strings

and

> got the script filled for me. Now next month I know they are going

to

> pull the same crap with me. Has anyone ever heard of such

stupidity?

> Why does the government think they can keep jerking people around

> like they do? Another thing I have to ask can his work legally do

> that to us? I think they are being totally anal retentive. They

knew

> he got injured there and cancelled our insurance the day of his

> surgery. Two weeks ago I went to the ER and was treated so badly in

> there mainly because of the insurance I am on right now. The nurse

> blew my vein in my hand out and I am on a blood thinner to reduce

the

> clots she gave me. My hand is still swollen and sore from that. I

was

> also put in a room that had dirty sheets and the nurse kept

flushing

> my hand with saline flushes knowing it was burning my hand and arm.

> When I had my Blue Cross I was treated very nicely and now I fear

> going back to the ER. I am not sure if I am taking this wrong but I

> feel that I am being treated like I am dirt. I hope anyone else on

a

> government insurance gets better care than I did in Flint Michigan.

> Take Care all And God Bless you,

> Kim From Michigan

March 24, 2002

Hi Kaye,

For some reason his work cancelled our health insurance the day of

his surgery. So we had no coverage for the surgery and had to go

apply for sate insurance and had it back dated for the day of his

surgery. I just don't see how they can legally do this. He ended up

with a herniated disc in his back from having to lift haevy metal

at work three years ago and lived with the pain and numbness until

it became unbearable for him. I had to talk him into getting the

surgery and he was worried that his work would end up doing exactly

what they did to him. It is a non union shop so I guess they can do

what they please. I still think that they should be responsible for

medical bills. They won't even give us workers compensation. He had

to get a short term disability which won't even last the full time

he is out of work. As for the hospital and what they did I would

like to get a lawyer. I think someone should pay for what they did.

I know I am paying, pain and suffering wise. And feel very bad self

esteem wise too.

I hope you are doing better today. Take Care and God Bless You.

Kim From Michigan.

> > I went to the doctor today for my monthly visit. He increased my

> > pain medicine to the oxycontin 40 mgs instead of the 20 mgs. When

I

> > went to the pharmacy to get them filled the pharmacist informed me

> > that my insurance would't fill them because there is no generic

for

> > them. I have to get pre approved before they could fill them. My

> > husbands work cancelled our insurance because he had to have

> surgery

> > from a work related injury and is out of work for another two and

a

> > half months. So we had to get on the state insurance. Last month

it

> > was filled with no problem but the rules have changed. I left the

> > phanrmacy in tears. I called my doctor and he pulled some strings

> and

> > got the script filled for me. Now next month I know they are going

> to

> > pull the same crap with me. Has anyone ever heard of such

> stupidity?

> > Why does the government think they can keep jerking people around

> > like they do? Another thing I have to ask can his work legally do

> > that to us? I think they are being totally anal retentive. They

> knew

> > he got injured there and cancelled our insurance the day of his

> > surgery. Two weeks ago I went to the ER and was treated so badly

in

> > there mainly because of the insurance I am on right now. The nurse

> > blew my vein in my hand out and I am on a blood thinner to reduce

> the

> > clots she gave me. My hand is still swollen and sore from that. I

> was

> > also put in a room that had dirty sheets and the nurse kept

> flushing

> > my hand with saline flushes knowing it was burning my hand and

arm.

> > When I had my Blue Cross I was treated very nicely and now I fear

> > going back to the ER. I am not sure if I am taking this wrong but

I

> > feel that I am being treated like I am dirt. I hope anyone else on

> a

> > government insurance gets better care than I did in Flint

Michigan.

> > Take Care all And God Bless you,

> > Kim From Michigan

March 24, 2002