Agree I feel fortunate to have found a doctor(and their PA, and their staff) who feels like my own personal swat team to get my treatments. I am not wealthy and don't have gold plated coverage, I just found a winner.

It's so much paperwork and phone tag.

[–] medgremlin@midwest.social 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I was the feisty little gremlin that fought with the insurance at a cancer-focused plastic surgery clinic. I got really good at stacking up all of the info in the first submission so that they couldn't drag their heels on shit that was time-sensitive.

[–] GBU_28@lemm.ee 9 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Preesh.

As an EMT I rode with too many people who were sobbing in the bus because they knew the financial hit that was coming when we got to the ER.

[–] medgremlin@midwest.social 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm in medical school now and looking at either emergency med or family med, and either way, I am going to be exceedingly careful about how I construct my notes, diagnoses, evaluations, and treatment plans to leave as few cracks as possible for the insurance companies to try to weasel their way into.

[–] GBU_28@lemm.ee 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

I would encourage you to CAREFULLY and WITH DETAIL listen to your senior tutors (senior grisled paramedics, charge nurses, etc). They have a very particular line to walk and you can blow the show if you don't learn the language.

It's performative...everyone in the equation wants the patient to get the best, but if you haul off and make it obvious, they may be screwed.

Not saying you'd do that, but it's a new world of...bullshit nuance.

Edit and if they ever give you a knowing look, and ask you to check the blinker fluid, or if the vending machine is stocked with saline, nod, and go "check". They want to talk to the patient with no witnesses, so they can coach them on how to fit a proper insurance code.

[–] medgremlin@midwest.social 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I am quite familiar with this nonsense from the patient side as well. As a physician, I think I will be well-placed to ensure that my patients are getting appropriate care while not giving the insurance company bullshit reasons to deny claims.

[–] GBU_28@lemm.ee 2 points 2 weeks ago

Good on you. I mean no assumption, only shared advice from some years in the trenches.