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Post by painttheseconds on Feb 15, 2012 0:50:07 GMT -5
Hi girls I started a new thread. I hope that is ok since this is specifically about my endo. If you feel like I'm cluttering up the board feel free to move this post back to my other thread. Well I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I'm having surgery with Dr. Redwine March. 6. My Mom and I are flying out to Redmond on the 3rd and will spend the night and drive to Bend on the 4th. There is a possibility I will be in the hospital for a few days after my bowel resection. Dr. Redwine is also concerned that I may have diaphragmatic Endo as well so he is having a general surgeon on hand during my surgery in case he needs help. The bad news is my insurance isn't paying a dime for my surgery. Since Dr. Redwine is out of network and out of state they are refusing to cover anything. Thankfully I talked it over with my Mom today and her and my Dad have decided to cover my hospital costs as well as my surgery. I'm so grateful to have such loving and caring parents. I have felt like such a burden on them lately, but they continue to love me and show concern. I'm nervous, but I'm so ready. I can't wait till I have recovered and can enjoy the things I've been missing out on because of my pain.
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Post by hellsbells on Feb 15, 2012 9:41:10 GMT -5
I'm sorry about the insurance but the rest is awesome news!
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Post by jessabug on Feb 15, 2012 17:52:08 GMT -5
Awwww, YAYAYAYAYAY Nicolle!! I'm so happyyyyy! Isn't it wonderful to have such amazing parents? I feel so grateful to mine for covering my surgery expenses too. I think that the extent that parents will go to for their children's health and happiness is so fascinating and touching. Is it weird that I secretly selfishly hope that you stick around for a few days so that I can try to find time to sneak home and see you?
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Post by painttheseconds on Feb 15, 2012 18:20:35 GMT -5
I hope I get to see you too Jess. That would be so great! I've had a lot of ups and downs with my Step Dad, but this really showed me that he does love and care about my well being. He called the credit card company yesterday afternoon to see if they would approve him applying for more credit and they did. I don't always give him enough credit and he definitely deserves it. My step Dad shows me more and more everyday that he cares about me. That's much more then I can say for my biological father. I'm just so grateful for my parents. They are truly wonderful to me.
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Post by Karen on Feb 15, 2012 19:55:31 GMT -5
Insurance sucks. But, I'm glad you have a way to proceed with the surgery regardless, and I'm glad you have a supportive family. I can't imagine going through everything without it.
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Post by semicolon on Feb 15, 2012 20:54:19 GMT -5
Hi paint- I'm not sure what insurance you have but make sure you try to exhaust any avenues for pay,ent or getting reimbursed. Did you check to see if your ins. company would cover the hospital or anesthesia parts of it, even if Redwine's charges are not covered? I know some ladies have gotten some in-network benefits for some of the costs, or been reimbursed after the fact. Sometimes you can appeal and submit it all after the fact, especially if you can document that you do not have an endo specialist near by. See if you can find out any information now so you have everything you need prior to surgery (since you won't care too much after!).
That's the one thing that bugs the heck out of me- I understand why some endo docs don't want to deal with insurance because of the low reimbursement but some at least try to bill. Ugh, I hate insurance, but remember if you can be the smart and annoying consumer to get as much out of them as you can!! I'm so glad you have the support you need right now, that must be very comforting.
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Post by Karen on Feb 15, 2012 21:55:28 GMT -5
That's very good advice! I would also add that sometimes if you can get an in-network provider to sign off on / refer you to an out of network provider, you may be able to get it covered that way, too. It all depends on your insurance plan, of course, but might be another avenue to look into. If you can prove to your in-network provider that you can't get the same level of care in-network, I believe they have to consider other options out of network.
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Post by painttheseconds on Feb 15, 2012 22:34:19 GMT -5
I don't have insurance with a major provider so things work a little differently. I have Cover Colorado which is a non profit that insures people with pre existing conditions who wouldn't otherwise qualify for regular insurance. I was turned down my multiple insurance companies because of my endo so I wound up getting Cover Colorado. Since I'm not having my surgery in Colorado they aren't covering it.
I tried speaking with them today, but they wouldn't budge.
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Post by JC on Feb 15, 2012 23:27:43 GMT -5
WOW this is great news! Finally getting in the hands of an expert! This is exciting! And wow your parents are amazing. That is really really awesome of them. The insurance thing, grrr, I don't even wanna get started on that. I'm just glad you found a way around it. Ohh man I sure hope you get relief from this!!! And if you get to see Jess that would be cool too!
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Post by Karen on Feb 16, 2012 0:00:50 GMT -5
Ah, got it. That sucks. But, I'd rather you have that than no insurance at all.
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Post by painttheseconds on Feb 16, 2012 1:39:04 GMT -5
Me too Karen. It's not the best insurance, but it's something. I don't even wanted to get started on the health care system in the United States. I could rage about that for hours.
I'm just choosing to focus on my parents and how wonderful they have been throughout this whole thing. It means the world to me. I'm very fortunate and just grateful.
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Post by semicolon on Feb 16, 2012 7:04:07 GMT -5
This is a site that links to organizations that help with medical expenses, although I don't think there is anything specific to endo unfortunately: www.needymeds.org/The Fight Like a Girl Club was doing a poll a bit back to see if they should support research or financial help to women, I voted for the latter because I think that is needed for gals like us. I don't think they are there yet but I'm hopeful maybe they'll be give out grants some day.
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Post by painttheseconds on Feb 17, 2012 0:40:53 GMT -5
I think the idea of grants would be wonderful! I was talking with a fellow endo girl this morning on facebook and she reminded me how fortunate I am to be seeing a specialist. It's not something every endo girl has the opportunity to do which is really unfortunate. I believe us endo girls deserve the very best in medical care. Grants would help make that possible. We can hope.
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Post by 1234 on Feb 22, 2012 15:24:14 GMT -5
Hey, Nicolle--so much has happened since I last checked in! You've made so many big decisions so quickly and had so much new information come so quickly--how are you feeling about all of them? Are you hanging in there with all of the surgery preparation?
I'm glad you're making this decision and feel good about it. You've been thinking wistfully of Dr. Redwine since I met you, so I'm glad you're taking this step.
I also was thinking about the pre-existing condition thing--isn't that something that Obama changed with his healthcare bill?
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Post by semicolon on Feb 22, 2012 20:43:13 GMT -5
Good thought- they did add that in the healthcare bill but I think the new laws don't come all into effect until 2014, I am hoping upon hope the pre existing conditions clause doesn't get repealed!
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