Weeks later, I received a thirty-thousand dollar bill which was denied by the insurance company. The reason was that, although we went to an in-network hospital, the hand surgeon was out of network. After multiple calls, letters, trips to the personnel office where I worked and sleepless nights, the insurance company agreed to review the claim. Weeks later, they agreed to honor the out-of-network physician, but they continued to deny the claim stating that he had too many surgeries in one day. There are no words to describe the low feeling in the pit of my stomach when I read that letter. The next few weeks were spent trying to plead with the not-so-friendly insurance representatives to re-review the claim as well as stop, or at least hinder, the bills and threatening non-payment notices that were coming in the mail every week.
I was happy to find out later that the insurance company decided to pay the claim. Feeling a sense of relief, I called the doctor’s office and let them know the check would be coming soon. The next day, I received a letter from the insurance company denying the eight thousand dollar anesthesia bill. I guess they felt my son should have been awake during the operation. I was back at square one. Once I fought this denial, they refused to pay the follow-up care and rehabilitation bill.
In the end, I ended up paying thousands for the follow up care, which the insurance company adamantly refused to pay for, and deductibles. Not only was it a great financial burden, it also cost me many sleepless nights, many tears, many fights and a lot of worry. This whole process lasted over a year.
I am, however, very aware that I am lucky that I had insurance for my son. I know very well that if I did not have insurance, the hand surgeon would not have come to the hospital and worked to reattach my son’s fingers. He would have simply deemed the fingers nonviable and the surgical resident on call would have amputated them, thus ruining my son’s career that he worked so hard to attain. I work in the medical profession. I have seen this situation many times before.
Is this the high standard of care that we are fighting to protect? Is healthcare reform really so bad? I definitely think an overhaul of the system is necessary to prevent situations like mine, and to help the unfortunate victims who have lost their jobs and benefits. Not just as Americans, but as human beings, we should have a moral responsibility and obligation to care for our fellow man.
I am outraged at the attacks led by the Republican base. I believe it is the height of hipocrisy to claim to be the voice of religious rights and then deny insurance coverage to millions of Americans. Isn't the backbone of every religion to "Love One Another"?
I am also appalled at the constant barrage of criticisms of the Obama administration. Although I do not agree with the handling of every situation, I do support most of the president's agenda. I am appalled at the attacks and outrageous lies presented by the GOP and the media coverage of them.
Sadly, after the election, I became complacent and slowly stopped visiting barackobama.com and attending events. I realize now, that our grass roots movement didn't stop when President Obama took office. It is just as, or maybe more, important now as ever. I refueled, and ready to become as active as I was. I hope you are just as angry as me and will continue to fight for what is right.
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