Insurance companies are surely agents of demons.
Mr. Banana has been shuttling between hospitals and rehab centers for nearly 7 months. He has not been home since June 20th when he was hospitalized for a bone infection in his left hip. The antibiotics (kick ass ones) were hard on his kidneys, but the hospital said his creatin numbers, though high, were leveling off and he was discharged after the first 2 months to a rehab center.
Well it turns out his kidneys got worse and he was sent back to the hospital, where he was started on dialysis.
Back to rehab. It was discovered he was too weak and short of breath for PT or OT, so it was back to the hospital to have 4 stents placed in his heart adjacent arteries.
Back to rehab. Still weak, and with dangerously low blood pressure so back to the hospital for observation. No soon back in the hospital than he suffered a "V-Tach".. a dangerously rapid fibrillation of the ventricles and was rushed down to the CCU, where he spent a month trying to stabilize the blood pressure and keeping up with the dialysis. Then he had a defibrillator implanted under the skin of his chest wall. (Like the kind Cheney had disconnected for fear of hacking)
Back to rehab. Ever so slowly getting to his feet with the help of two strong Physical Therapists (Mr. Banana is NOT a small guy) It's taken him since Nov 6th to walk 12 feet with a walker and a Therapist, but now he can do it every time. He still cannot stand without a lot of help. In the unit, the aides use a hoyer machine to lift him in and out of bed to the wheel chair.
I thought he had 10 to 14 days of rehab to go.
TODAY, FRIDAY at 3:30 in the afternoon, I was informed that the insurance company will no longer pay for what they say is "custodial care" and we have 48 hours to leave.
I have two weekend days to make sure that a hospital bead, an oxygen machine, and oxygen tanks and a wheel chair, a hoyer, a commode and a bi-pap machine are delivered to my tiny little house before he gets here. I also have to figure out how to pay for an ambulette to take him back and forth to dialysis 3 times a week at $90 per round-trip. (NO coverage for THAT, thak you very much)
The Social Worker at the rehab facility said "Well, you can appeal and if you win you don't have to pay for the extra days" Keep in mind that reserving an empty bed costs $400 per day.
I asked her when had anyone with our insurance company ever appealed and WON? "Well", she said "I think there was one case during Sandy.
I have thrown out our sofa to make room in the living room for a hospital bed
I am weary with worry and at the edge of tears always.
Could use a vibe or two here
= new reply since forum marked as read
of Repuke fame.
You have so many great vibes and good karma coming atcha from Interior Alaska right now. We went through a non-dissimilar situation a few years ago. For a medevac flight - because our only hospital couldn't figure out a heart attack - the insurance co. paid $150. Actual cost? $13,000. Try explaining why taking an ambulance 400 miles through a mid-Alaskan winter (20 or so below) through the Alaska Range (anybody say Denali National Park?) to someone based in Irving, Texas isn't exactly realistic.
I even enlisted the kitties - they're all vibrating right along with me. And sending 5-rescue-kitty-karma your way.
We had my father-in-law with us for several years (end-stage Alzheimers) and needed lots of medical equipment at home. Our solution was stashing stuff UNDER the hospital bed, and on shelves, and always putting everything back in the same spot so it could be gotten to in the dark during power outages. We have lots of those. Also, making up meals ahead of time really helps, so when you have someone in to assist, put 'em to work.
Home care is one of the hardest things you'll ever do. It's also one of the things that's most worth it. 
We've had scuffles with insurance companies, but not like that. It's horrible how they will kick someone when they are down.
Warm, healing vibes coming your way!
I think I might need some help in insurance info. I'm most concerned about out of pocket expenses for ambulette rides to dialysis...