Reply #16: My story [View All]

[LiberalCatholic]

My turn...

When my youngest son was born he was diagnosed with a "very large" VSD (a hole in his heart. We were told that fall that he should have Synagis, a monthly shot to prevent RSV which he was in danger of getting and which could be dangerous given his health condition. Well, UNITED HEALTHCARE approved the shots immediately. Great, right?

Each month I took my infant to his doctor's office where a nurse would give him two shots. Then three weeks later I would get the UNITED HEALTHCARE statement that would say one shot was in network and one shot was out of network (always the more expensive). So I would call and 40 minutes later get someone on the phone (I timed it) and be told that they would submit the complaint. Then I would get the second notice and it would say that my complaint had been denied. So I'd call back and tell them that this was a scam and that my father (a lawyer) would be happy to issue a lawsuit. I would Tell them that they had one more shot to re-submit but if this was denied that I would call the attorney general and then sue. Magically it always got approved.

What drives me crazy is that the statement is that we have wonderful health care. Well, I do. My husband, children and I all have wonderful doctors and we have access to wonderful hospitals (two of my children are patients at Boston Children's, my Dad at Mass General). This debate is not about my doctors- it's about WHO PAYS THEM... I think that the government should. I see no reason why I have to pay Blue Cross to pay my doctors (who somehow I still end up paying). And if the powers that be have decided that Blue Cross needs to be in the mix then I SHOULD GET TO BUY MY OWN INSURANCE. Have my employer pay some, give me a voucher for some and I'll pay the rest but LET ME CHOOSE. Because ChoppinBroccoli and I should have the ability to FIRE UNITED HEALTHCARE!!!!!

Thanks for letting me rant- I still get mad thinking about it (6 years later!!!!~)