Disappointment

About 20 minutes prior to my alarm clock waking me to start my 3rd day prior to surgery, my phone rang and woke me. Not recognizing the number, I sluggishly answered it with a mumbled "Hello?" It happened to be the gal from the Dr.'s office which woke me up instantly. She explained that she still hadn't heard from the insurance company (IC) and was going to reschedule my pre-op for tomorrow, silly lady my appointment was already scheduled for tomorrow. So she told me she'd call the IC and get back to me to let me know what the word was - remember I mentioned the IC could still deny me. I was prepared for a denial.

About 15 minutes later the Dr.'s office called me back to let me know that while the IC was going to approve me the Dr.'s office itself wasn't contracted with the IC so they couldn't approve my surgery. *GASP* I was shocked! How could they have put me through nearly 3 months of wait and see, schedule my surgery just to turn around and tell me they weren't contracted. Why in the world didn't they think of mentioning this when I first asked them about insurance?

Needless to say I've been a mess all day. To be denied for something out of my control, for something I can't fix or try to fix; I don't even know where to begin to explain the turmoil this caused. I've spent the morning and afternoon crying, making phone call after phone call, researching doctor after doctor. It seemed to be getting me no where fast. Finally about an hour ago I found 2 different doctors that accept my insurance; the big problem is most plastic surgeons don't even bother with IC's since the majority of plastic surgery is considered cosmetic which most IC's won't cover. However, I successfully found 2 new Dr.'s that will charge the IC and ARE contracted with my IC in particular. (Yes, I physically called the different Dr.'s offices and asked them specifically if they accepted insurance and if they were contracted with mine in more particularly.) I was informed that my IC was one they accepted and all I had to do was have my regular physician send a referral down. I then called my regular physician's office and left a message for her assistant.

After about 2 hours I started to become impatient and called my physician's office again this time asking to speak to him directly. He's so sweet let me add right now. I explained to him what was going on, that I had personally called offices and had found the 2 Dr.'s that would take my insurance. We agreed to go with the closest office so he assured me he would call them, fax my referral and call me back with an appointment time/day within the hour. We'd just barely hung up, I was explaining the situation to him when the phone rang. The Dr.'s assistant was returning my call to let me know that while the first office does contract with my IC, as of yesterday they stopped accepting new patients. My heart broke again; why didn't they tell me this when I had called this morning to see if they accepted my insurance grrr. Nonetheless I gave the assistant the number to the other office I had located - this one is about 100 miles from my town which is why I picked him last. The assistant and I hung up, I explained the situation to him then sat and cried, contemplating whether I should call the first office to beg them to accept my case since I missed the cut off by 1 day. My anger at the initial plastic surgeon's office resurfaced once again.

Thankfully my Dr.'s assistant called me back before I finished building my resolve to call that other office to beg them to accept me. I almost didn't answer because I didn't think I could handle the let down once again. (Keep in mind, I've been trying to get this surgery done for over 13 yrs.) Bless the assistant's heart! He happily informed me that the office is accepting new cases, he'd already faxed my referral up to them AND he had the appointment time/day already made for me.

I'm not looking forward to starting the process all over again and I REALLY REALLY hope and pray it won't take another nearly 3 months to find out if I'm approved or denied. But I'm slowly getting beyond the hurt and disappointment. I know Friday is going to be a painful day, I was so looking forward to having surgery on Friday. As it is every time I think about it all I start to get teary eyed all over again. Yes, I'm a big baby and emotional - I never thought I would get so emotional over something like this but after 13 yrs of waiting, fighting and physically hurting the end was so close then it was yanked away; I have to start all over again.

My appointment is the 29th of this month. Hopefully I'll know more about another surgery date soon.