I hate the whole healthcare system! (need to vent please!)

Damn insurance companies! You pay and pay for years and years w/no problems and then the minute you are seriously ill they put up a fight about every medical expense. My poor dad who recently had a malignant brain tumor removed was supposed to go for a follow up MRI this morning. He was restarted on chemo this morning and was puking his guts out but he insisted on keeping his appt so I took him and we sat in the waiting room for an hour only to find out that his insurance co. has not given the authorization yet because they decided they need to do a clinical review first! There isn't even an emote-icon to describe the rage I was feeling but it was kind of like

Thanks for letting me vent guys!

Re: I hate the whole healthcare system! (need to vent please!)

OMG!! I'm so sorry you have to go through this!!

I hope everything works out and they stop being idiots at the insurance company!!

Re: I hate the whole healthcare system! (need to vent please!)

I agree about the damn insurance companies

Re: I hate the whole healthcare system! (need to vent please!)

insurance companies are really unbelivable these days i find them to be annoying they want you to pay more than what they take out on you they are suppose to cover the whole bill! i hope your dad gets the clinical review from insurance company so he can go to the doctor. and waiting a hour like that would p-o me also.

Message edited 5/23/2005 5:23:16 PM.

Re: I hate the whole healthcare system! (need to vent please!)

In the defense of insurance, because I work there.
As mad as I would be if it were my family member( AND I would be mad). WE DO tell all providers/members etc that it takes 24-48 hours for an approval.

At my company we have 5.5 MILLION members. There are over a 1000 MRI approvals a day coming in sometimes, if they approved everyone without a clinical we would be paying millions in un needed benefits, and health insurance would then have to cost thousands a month to members because of the staffing needs etc.

Im not making excuses, but for those who hate insurance, I did too untill I realized what was really going on.

If someone walked in wanting an MRI who DIDNT need it, then we would have to limit MRI's for those who do.

The REAL issue is the cost of MRI's and that when you make an appointment they dont call ASAP to authorize.

Im sorry your Dad went through that.

My advice is next time he is in need of ANYTHING emergent...tell the insurance company it is an "access to care issue". ALL insurances must do what they need to do to make sure emergency care/urgent care is given. ( an MRI in your Dad's case WOULD fall into this situation!)

Re: I hate the whole healthcare system! (need to vent please!)

Posted by dm24angel

In the defense of insurance, because I work there.
As mad as I would be if it were my family member( AND I would be mad). WE DO tell all providers/members etc that it takes 24-48 hours for an approval.

At my company we have 5.5 MILLION members. There are over a 1000 MRI approvals a day coming in sometimes, if they approved everyone without a clinical we would be paying millions in un needed benefits, and health insurance would then have to cost thousands a month to members because of the staffing needs etc.

Im not making excuses, but for those who hate insurance, I did too untill I realized what was really going on.

If someone walked in wanting an MRI who DIDNT need it, then we would have to limit MRI's for those who do.

The REAL issue is the cost of MRI's and that when you make an appointment they dont call ASAP to authorize.

Im sorry your Dad went through that.

My advice is next time he is in need of ANYTHING emergent...tell the insurance company it is an "access to care issue". ALL insurances must do what they need to do to make sure emergency care/urgent care is given. ( an MRI in your Dad's case WOULD fall into this situation!)