Doctors Sometimes Forget

VarunaTT

I know my doctor is trying to do the best for me, but you can't just call and ask for a surgery consult so that I can be scheduled on June 6th!

Um, no, I have lots and lots of things to work out first.  It's for my eyeball surgery too, which I'll admit I'm terrified of:  http://www.intacsforkeratoconus.com/.

And insurance is all sorts of complicated with this.  I am never going to understand how the doctor can be in network, but the doctor's personal facility is not.

GBCK

failure to plan and all that.

June 6 is coming damn fast!

6fsn

 It looks scary, but I'm sure you have done every last bit of research and it will be great. 

What sort of recovery is involved with that?

VarunaTT

I don't really know, 6.  That's one thing I need to ask.

The other issue is the cost.  The doctor has privileges at the in-network hospital, but the hospital doesn't have their laser.  Since the facility is then out of network, I have a separate $5K deductible, then the insurance will pick up 50% until $11K total, then they'll start paying 100%.  That's basically a possibility of $10K out of my pocket for the facility.  Then, the doctor is in-network, but that's another $2500 deductible, then 20% of out my pocket until we hit the $5K total mark, then they'll start picking up 100%.  I mean, they're not stupid, the spots where they pick up the 100% are right about where the average cost of an outpt surgery would end up being.

I canceled the consult.  I'd been saving for the procedure under some old insurance (and might end up back at that provider if his facility would be in-network; this new provider is more desirable b/c my actual eye doctor and eye surgeon would be in same building), but that was all in-network w/that insurance.  *sigh* This is all so complicated.  Single payor would be so awesome.  They're going to have one of the insurance people call me so I can start gathering costs of surgery.

You know what really kills me though?  I will have to have cornea transplants to battle this disease.  But cornea transplants only last about 10 years.  They're estimated I'll start the transplants in my 40s.  I'll also have to be on immune suppressant drugs so I don't reject the corneas (which I only recently found out, I assumed that corneas wouldn't require that, IDK why).  Just pay for the implant surgery that will stop that, it' will be cheaper!

I couldn't have some uncomplicated eye thing, could I?

mysticl

VarunaTT said:

I don't really know, 6.  That's one thing I need to ask.

The other issue is the cost.  The doctor has privileges at the in-network hospital, but the hospital doesn't have their laser.  Since the facility is then out of network, I have a separate $5K deductible, then the insurance will pick up 50% until $11K total, then they'll start paying 100%.  That's basically a possibility of $10K out of my pocket for the facility.  Then, the doctor is in-network, but that's another $2500 deductible, then 20% of out my pocket until we hit the $5K total mark, then they'll start picking up 100%.  I mean, they're not stupid, the spots where they pick up the 100% are right about where the average cost of an outpt surgery would end up being.

I canceled the consult.  I'd been saving for the procedure under some old insurance (and might end up back at that provider if his facility would be in-network; this new provider is more desirable b/c my actual eye doctor and eye surgeon would be in same building), but that was all in-network w/that insurance.  *sigh* This is all so complicated.  Single payor would be so awesome.  They're going to have one of the insurance people call me so I can start gathering costs of surgery.

You know what really kills me though?  I will have to have cornea transplants to battle this disease.  But cornea transplants only last about 10 years.  They're estimated I'll start the transplants in my 40s.  I'll also have to be on immune suppressant drugs so I don't reject the corneas (which I only recently found out, I assumed that corneas wouldn't require that, IDK why).  Just pay for the implant surgery that will stop that, it' will be cheaper!

I couldn't have some uncomplicated eye thing, could I?

Maybe because corneas don't have to be a "match"? If I had ever thought about it that's the assumption I would have come to.