I got a bill yesterday from the ophthalmologist (yes, it took me about five tries to spell that word). The bill was something of a surprise. It took me an anxious three weeks to get the referral, then it took me six weeks to get in for an appointment, and now apparently my insurance company won't cover the visit because prior authorization was not obtained.
I guess that obtaining a referral is not the same thing as obtaining prior authorization. If I'd known I needed to do that I would have filled out paperwork, sent faxes, driven across town, donated blood, whatever it took! WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE TELL ME!
When I called the insurance company I found out that the doctor's office was supposed to obtain the prior authorization. However, I'm the one who signed the paper that says if the insurance decides not to cover it, I have to pay. I haven't got the doctor's office side of the story yet - I intend to go in and talk to them in person.
4 comments:
We have had a LOT of insurance problems. Usually a quick talk with the HR departmment at Ryan's work will cover it. Good luck!
hope this works out for you, Becka. It should, as you should not be held responsible for something that someone else was supposed to have taken care of! Hope those involved will be of the civil, helpful nature. It's amazing how individual personalities make such a difference in these situations (like air travel encounters with the gate agents from heaven or that opposite place...) Love ya!
ACK!
I hate insurance companies. :( They're the only entity in the world that makes beautiful, empty promises with the right hand while pickpocketing you with the left, and they don't get dragged off to jail for it.
Oh, they're not the only ones. That happens in every industry. The insurance industry is just a popular whipping boy, lately.
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