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Old 03-26-2007, 10:36 AM
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MelodyL MelodyL is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,292
15 yr Member
MelodyL MelodyL is offline
Wise Elder
MelodyL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,292
15 yr Member
Default Alan's Home Infusion - NOT HAPPENING YET!!!

Now I am completely confused. You guys know me, I'm very thorough about following up on stuff and finding out what comes next in his world of PN, right??

So the last thing we heard last week was from Zoya's office (his neuro's assistant), who does everything for the patient.

I spoke to her personally and she told me that Alan's neuro is working on getting him the home infusion and that we should come in on April 12 (to the neuro's office).

So we have an official follow-up appointment (his first since the first 5 rounds of IVIG).

So it's been over a week since we spoke to his neuro's office, so just now I phoned Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical Management department (all pre-certification has to go through them, ESPECIALLY IVIG, I found this out because they just told me.).

So the girl goes "no, we have not heard from the neurologist, and no one has started the proceedings to get your husband or his in-house home infusion". I said "are you serious?" She then said "did you hear her personally on the phone try to set this up". I said "of course not, but she knows all about IVIG and what she has to do (she knows because we discussed this at length when she told us about Alan being eligible for IVIG, and I asked her (Alan's neurologist, I mean), "you do know you have to set this up, right? I mean, I don't do anything or call anybody, right?" and she said "oh you don't do a thing, everything goes through me and my office". So I said "fine".

Well, fast forward to today, and I am told by medical management that no one has called up that department to get Alan set up for his in-home infusions. And Alan said he feels better after the IVIG than he ever did on Lyrica, Cymbalta, etc. etc. So he asked me this morning, "what's up, what haven't we heard anything about my in home infusions"? That's what prompted me to phone up Blue Cross Blue Shield and find out what is up with them!!!.

So after hearing that no one has done anything, I just called the neuro's office and of course I got Zoya's voice mail so I carefully and slowly explained that I just got off the phone with medical management and they have not heard anything from your offices about setting up Alan's in home infusions for IVIG".

I further made it plain that in-home infusions MUST BE PRE-AUTHORIZED through medical management. I had been under the impression that his neuro knew this. I aske medical management "but he got the pre-authorization for the hospital ivig" and she said "yeah, but home IVIG is different and everything to do with in home infusion of IVIG has to go through this department (medical management).

So I just left my name and number. I was clear in my speaking that Blue Cross Blue Shield has no records of the neuro's office requesting any certification for Alan's IVIG.

I mean, really, I know that IVIG is not your everyday thing and that steps have to be taken. But why haven't these steps been taken???

Do I have to do anything else (honestly, I don't think there is a darn thing I can do except to call the neuro's office, which I just did).

I guess I have to wait for a reply from Zoya, right?

Would you guys have done anything differently???

Thanks, Melody
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