Friday, April 24, 2009

and life continues....

Anyone who says life is boring is kidding themselves.... I run from sun-up to sun-up and I'm lucky when I don't have a great urge to fall asleep while attempting amazing feats like playing with my daughter, chasing the dogs, or catching up with my hubby after a long day apart.
I spent last night up listening to Melody cough. Tried what I could, I couldn't get it under control and the 3 of us (daddy included) had a rather restless night. I took it in my power today to fight insurance companies and find help for Melody's cough. She had this same cough starting last April and it took until June to get rid of it. Letting her cough until June is unacceptable. Last year, I worked with her pediatrician until all resources were exhausted and an appointment with the pulmonary department at the local children's hospital was made. In a last ditch effort (pulmonary couldn't get her in until July), I called my allergist and found out that he does pediatrics as well and set an appointment for Melody immediately. Unfortunately, at the age of 4, children can't tell you whether the cough is coming from the throat or chest. After a couple trial and errors and a full run of allergy scratch testing (poor kid, I had to use her as a guinea pig) we found a medication to use in a nebulizer that made her cough a bunch of crap up and all was good. The allergist told me to follow up with the pediatrician and that the only thing she was allergic to is grass. Well, I took it upon myself not to call the pediatrician's office this time but called the allergist as soon as I could. The allergist is out of town but due to the nature of this and the fact that Melody is only 5 and most cold/allergy remedies for children under 6 have been pulled from the market, they called another allergist and I recieved a phone call back. After following instructions from the "on call allergist"... I don't know for sure who you are but thank you, Melody is sleeping quietly on the couch and has an appointment to see the allergist as soon as he gets back in town.

I learned another important lesson while going through all of this dealing with insurance companies. I've been on the phone with doctor's offices and pharmacies over prescriptions medications and Melody's cough. Aparently, the people who work in the pharmacutical side of insurances don't know what meds you can buy and try over the counter. Well, while verifying Melody's coverage, I called my insurance company (yes, my family is divided amongst insurance companies, we aren't all on one policy) to let them know that I was quite upset that they wanted me and my husband to go through the "step" program for prescribed meds that both he and I were put on a while ago. What gives the insurance companies the right to tell the doctor that he has to put us on a "lessor/cheaper" medication? Well, I let the poor guy on the phone know in no uncertain terms that I was quite upset that my hubby was having to repeat the "step" program for a med he's been on for one year and that they were requiring me to do the same thing for a med I had been on for 2 months. The insurance guy remained calm with me and explained, "Well, there is no records of you or your husband ever having prescriptions for these medications that we are requiring." I quickly responded with "Have you ever heard of 'over the counter'?" He asked what that had to do with anything and I explained to him that I had already bought the meds that they insisted Joe and I switch to over the counter and they weren't working. I asked him why he was wasting his time, my doctor's time, and my own time and playing with our health to make us take something we had already been on because he didn't research and when my doctor sent in the letter telling them we had already been on these different meds why he didn't believe that was possible simply because a prescription had not been written for something I could buy off of the shelf? He quickly responded with an apology and a few button clicks later the hold for our meds were released and I was able to pick them up from the pharmacy. Calling out insurance companies aparently works!
Thanks to anyone who read my rant tonight. I needed to get it out. I guess I can't say tonight, it is 1:30 am. Guess I better go to sleep cuz tomorrow is scheduled to be another busy day.

http://www.rainbowkids.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=639

Please cut and paste the above link into your web address box and urge your senators and congressmen to keep the tax deduction to help offset the costs of adoption. Without the tax deduction I'm not so sure I would have Melody in my life.

Good night, or should I say good morning?

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