Health Insurance gripe of the day.

[LynzM]

Wanna know what's jacked up? My endocrinologists's office just called to tell me that I should cancel with the nurse practitioner, because insurance will no longer cover it, because of the (physical) office she is in. She is part of a practice that also contains the doctor I see, but I see him less frequently.

I can see the doctor in office A, City A, and if the NP were in city A, I could see her there. But because the doctor does not travel to the City B office, they will not pay for me to see her in City B.

I'd be seeing the SAME PERSON for the SAME AMOUNT OF TIME for the SAME ISSUE. But it matters which physical location I see her in?!

Fucked. Up.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. If you haven't already guessed,

the sole point of insurance companies is to take your money and then figure out ways NOT to pay out on it. I've filed claims for my doc where the office visit was $32, and had the claim denied because the office visit cost was "too excessive". I've also been told by insurance companies that they wouldn't pay for a food allergy test when the patient's symptoms and diagnosis was they had a food allergy!

[peace13]

2. I am sorry for your frustration.

Health insurance is so exasperating. I feel your pain. They take your money just fine. That is about the only time there is not a problem! peace, Kim

[RB TexLa]

3. Sounds like the doctor is telling you a lie.

If you see a nurse practitioner in an office without a doctor that reviews within x amount of time, usually 48 hours they only pay about 40% of what they pay when a doctor is in the office or travels there as you put it.

Now of course your doctor will tell you that it's for your own good for your doctor to get as much money as s/he can. You wouldn't want to do that to your doctor, would you?

[LynzM]

4. I doubt that.

I was speaking with the receptionist, who I know quite well. She told me that my health insurance company, as well as two others, have recently implemented this new rule. I have no reason to think that this doctor's office would make that up and go through the effort of rescheduling all of the appointments for those patients, and forcing them to travel to another office, possibly losing them as patients...

[RB TexLa]

5. They would and they do. Remember your doctor feels s/he deserves that money

what it does to you for her or him to get it falls very low on the list of concerns.

The nerve of the insurance company wanting your doctor to adhere to a contract they signed.