Short version for those who skim (Ann): Maeve is fine. EEG seemed fine--a neurologist will have to interpret it officially, but the tech seemed to think all was well. We'll get the results soon--they're sending them to our pediatrician as well as the neurologist.
Longer version:
Bevin went with me, which was awesome because our first stop was at admitting/registration. Remember our ER trip? Remember how our insurance company supposedly didn't have Maeve listed? And how that wasn't really so and Blue Cross totally knew she was there? Ok, second verse, same as the first.
The registrar called a woman in billing--the same woman I left messages with the morning post-ER but had an underling call me back who obviously didn't do her job. She talked to me about our situation. Some gems from our conversation:
"This isn't something you can get done today." --Billing
"Like hell I'm going home, I've had my 4 year old up since 5 in the morning to take this test. You knew we were coming. If there was a problem, you should have called us." --Me
"Well, I understand. You're caught in the middle between your HR department and the insurance company." --Billing
"Blue Cross Blue Shield sends us EOBs about Maeve. One from last October." --Me
"You could put a down payment on the EEG today, and then have Blue Cross reimburse you." --Billing (my favorite suggestion from the conversation)
"I can't call Blue Cross. Your HR department has to." --Billing
"Ok, well, it isn't Cardinal Glennon's fault." --Billing
"I understand. Is there any way we can fix this?" --Me, realizing that I had her attention and it was time to negotiate.
"I'm going to write her down as approved for today only. And I will call your HR department and figure out what's going on." --Billing
So we went on to the EEG lab and went back to the room--a technician drew on her head and attached electrodes. Maeve fell asleep within 2 minutes of the lights turning off. And...that was it. They flashed strobe lights in her face after she woke up, and then took the electrodes off, which was the most traumatic part because they taped the electrodes down. To her hair. Couldn't there be a better way?
But the best part was during the lights-out phase. The woman from billing came down to the room. She'd called Blue Cross (even though she said she couldn't...). Maeve was, of course, on our insurance. We had a $9.07 co-pay for EEGs (huh?) but she told me not to worry about it for now. No shit. Then she told me that we'd still get a bill from the ER visit--I was right, they hadn't followed through on our first information that day after--but that I should call her when I got home and she'd give me the super-secret phone number to get that bill removed from our account.
And I thought again, couldn't there be a better way? When BCBS looks like it's denying coverage, it's obviously not hard for a phone call to come from an official source (and that's what BCBS told our HR department to have Cardinal Glennon do--CALL THEM for approval). The mysterious "you talk to your people who will talk to my people" method isn't working.
So my thought? If the EEG results are negative and are to my pediatrician before the 20th, I'm not taking Maeve to the MRI that day. I'm not having this conversation with the hospital yet again. And I'm not seeing their pediatric neurologist either. I've had three recommendations from other parents. I'll do a follow up with someone else if the EEG results are back in time and they are negative.
Now, if they're positive, I'll go ahead with the MRI and the follow up at Glennon. But I see that as a pretty big if at this point.
Maeve slept all afternoon after a stop on the way home for ice cream. She woke about a half hour ago and took a bath--I'm going downstairs to find her something more substantial to eat here in a second.
I feel like I can press the pause button to put us back into play again.
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11 comments:
phew. glad the results were good. Poor little Maeve.
and let it be said.
I. hate. insurance.
that's a good report, exactly why i visited here before my 8:30 meeting.
and i'm surprised they still tape those down. my sister had a bunch of EEGs as a child--severe migraines, a few so bad my mom thought they were seizures--and i remember her coming home with a head full of goop.
This is what insurance companies do. They deny the claim, hoping you won't question it.
Bunch of thieves is what they are.
Oh yeah, Blue cross is at fault. But what bugged me most of all is that Glennon was too--and they could have warned me (the whole thing that bugged me was that the billing woman told me that if there was a further problem after the ER visit, THEY WOULD CALL. They didn't call--oh, that and, the day of the EEG? She was a big obstructionist until I got angry on the phone with her. I shouldn't have to).
Heh. do you ever wonder if it would be possible to find ONE SINGLE PERSON who doesn't mind the insurance companies? Imean, even just one person who says, "Whatever, they're not so bad."? I have NEVER had a positive experience with an insurance company. Never. Ever. I would never work for one either. I'd be suicidal after about 1 week.
You're right...even dentists and car salesmen have their fans.
SO glad Maeve is o.k.
Busted. : ) I'm so glad to hear that my Maeve is fine.
Texan Mama, you don't have to look far to find people who will tell you that we have the best medical system in the world with no rationing. I guess they forget about people without medical insurance ...
So glad it seemed to go well.
Ice-cream and sleeping all afternoon. Sounds like my perfect day.
You have too much excitement in your life! Glad everything's OK.
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