After two weeks had passed from my appt. with Dr. Boachie, we still had not heard anything from the insurance nazi. My mother called her and very politely asked her if she had heard anything back from my insurance company. In her words:"You people apparently don't understand that I don't work on weekends so it hasn't been long enough." My mom reminded her that if had been over two weeks, past the seven to ten days that she told us it would take for her to get something out to my insurance company. Her response was that my folder was sitting there with everyone else's waiting for surgery and when she got to it, she got to it. Low and behold two days later we received a copy of the letter that she had sent to my insurance dictating what procedures would need to be done and the cost, which was $170,000 (surgeries only).
After some discussion with my family and soul searching on my own, I decided to go ahead and see if my doctor in Pittsburgh, who had originally sent me up to NYC for another opinion, would be able to do the operations. He replied that basically he wanted me to get the opinion of one of the top surgeons in the specialty and to see if his findings and treatment plan matched Dr. Boachie's. They did. I live one hour from Pittsburgh, six from NYC. The cost to my family would have been huge besides my having to be seperated from my toddler for at least six weeks. So my doc is now going to do the anterior revision on April 14th and the posterior on the 21st.
Although I was very, very impressed with Dr. Boachie, I did not feel comfortable after meeting with Theresa, the insurance woman, and I physically don't think that I can survive until late summer which would have been the earliest it would have been done. My bottom curve that has broke loose from the revision of last year has gone from 56 degrees in Oct. to 68 degrees as of Jan. 17th.
So, if any of you are having insurance problems, tired of the run around, etc..., I recommend my doctor in Pittsburgh. He is the Chief of Spine Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He trained with and is a good friend of Dr. Boachie's also. His staff is very nice, and returns calls promptly.
All orthopedic rooms are private and the hospital is very easy to get to. If you would like more info, please e-mail me.
I sincerely hope that Dr. Boachie is aware of what is going on with some of his staff. It is a dark spot on such a brilliant surgeons practice. I'm sure that a lot of those who are sent to see him are at their wit's end both physically and mentally. The chronic pain of scoliosis is debillitating not only to the patient but to their entire family as well. To be treated with compassion and understanding at this difficult time is not to much to be asked of.
After some discussion with my family and soul searching on my own, I decided to go ahead and see if my doctor in Pittsburgh, who had originally sent me up to NYC for another opinion, would be able to do the operations. He replied that basically he wanted me to get the opinion of one of the top surgeons in the specialty and to see if his findings and treatment plan matched Dr. Boachie's. They did. I live one hour from Pittsburgh, six from NYC. The cost to my family would have been huge besides my having to be seperated from my toddler for at least six weeks. So my doc is now going to do the anterior revision on April 14th and the posterior on the 21st.
Although I was very, very impressed with Dr. Boachie, I did not feel comfortable after meeting with Theresa, the insurance woman, and I physically don't think that I can survive until late summer which would have been the earliest it would have been done. My bottom curve that has broke loose from the revision of last year has gone from 56 degrees in Oct. to 68 degrees as of Jan. 17th.
So, if any of you are having insurance problems, tired of the run around, etc..., I recommend my doctor in Pittsburgh. He is the Chief of Spine Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He trained with and is a good friend of Dr. Boachie's also. His staff is very nice, and returns calls promptly.
All orthopedic rooms are private and the hospital is very easy to get to. If you would like more info, please e-mail me.
I sincerely hope that Dr. Boachie is aware of what is going on with some of his staff. It is a dark spot on such a brilliant surgeons practice. I'm sure that a lot of those who are sent to see him are at their wit's end both physically and mentally. The chronic pain of scoliosis is debillitating not only to the patient but to their entire family as well. To be treated with compassion and understanding at this difficult time is not to much to be asked of.
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