I just want to vent a bit, I am in a major flare right now that has taken me out of work and put me on my employers short term disability. Apparently this disibability company only approves people for a week or 2 at a time. They set dates that you can be covered up until and then they want forms from your doctors that state that you are still unable to work.......

Well, back on August 13th they faxed a form for my neuro to fill out stating that they need info to keep my claim going past August 19th, I then talked to my doc and she said that they would take care of it, it happens all the time.

I did get a check last Wednesday and also talked to my doc that day, she said no prob on faxing the new form..............

WELL, today is the 18th and I emailed the insurance company and they told me that nothing was received from my doctor yet so I called the office and sure enough they told me that they have a girl that comes in and does the forms once a week and that she had NOT done mine.........

I am furious at this, I had the form there on the 13th to avoid this happening, NOW I will not get paid until they fax the form in, BUT it takes 5 to 6 working days to process the form PLUS it will take 3 days in the mail to get to me............Basically i haver approx 2 weeks until I get paid again.........Don't these people realize we need MONEY to live, I have bills to pay...I am SO mad, I was on the phone all day today with no results and now I have to be on the phone all day tomrrow too?

I also have a form there so the insurance,(different company) can pay my mortage, I guess I will have to be on the phone every day to get THAT one sent also?

I am in a major flare that some of my symproms have been subsiding and almost going away, but NOW since all this stress hit me I am getting the symptoms back again.............I thought doctors were supposed to HELP us.........NOT to mention I will be on this insurance longer because of all the undue stress.........

Well, thanks for letting me vent, I have no one to talk to about this all the doctors offices are closed for the day...........

es any one have any suesstions on how to handle it better?

I have tried it all, even enclosed an stamped addressed envelope......

I am sick of bein a nice guy, it is getting me NOWHERE.....

Joe

sorry to hear this, what is the neuro's answer as to why it isnt getting done.

if neuro says he sent it out I would ask him to fill the papers in again and you will pick them up and send it priority mail and with delivery confirmation....

I think I would let doc know how this is effecting you and how the stress is not helping this flare,

with the delivery confirmation number you can see what day and time it was delivered

I hope this gets resolved

am calling tomorrow and speaking to the PA, neuro is out this week, I'll see if the PA can do it, but boy is she going to get an earfull from me!

Thanks weegot5kiz for the reply

Joe

i'm really sorry about this.
her office needs a better manager.

with the dr out lets hope you can actually talk to the PA.
short of being there in person in the middle of a flare i don't know what you can do. maybe send a friend or family member to make sure it gets done.

maybe the insurance comp can overnite you the check and take the amt off the check.

please try to stay calm. i know it's so hard but you don't need anymore stress.

i hope it gets resolved as quickly as possible.
please keep up in the loop.

I also hope this gets sorted out soon. You've gotten some good advice.

What a stupid system . . . they have to complete new forms every two weeks?? Here we are on STD UNTIL our doc authorizes us to go back to work . . . otherwise everything is status quo.

With the much longer-term forms here (every year or two), all I ever had to do was get them re-signed and re-dated whenever they asked . . . the doc didn't have to fill out the whole form again though. Would your insurance company accept that arrangement, if your health status has not changed?

I think Frank has offered some good advice. It sounds like the only way to be sure this is getting done is to mail it yourself.

It's hard not to be stressed when there are financial worries. Too many of us have had to face those at one time or another, it seems. If there is nothing you can do to change things (when they go wrong), try not to let it upset you too much. Save your energy for things where you can affect a change.

Cherie

BTW, are you finding stress affects you much worse now? That happened to me, especially after those TM attacks, and I used to THRIVE on stress.

That's been one thing making me hedge on filing for disability. My neuro's office is VERY lax on things like that, and I can just see them not getting the paperwork in on time. I'm afraid it would count against me if my application were to be cancelled because of missing the deadline and I tried again.

Another example of the system making it harder for the people for whom it's already hard enough.

Well, another example of some stressfull things, I am up ealy to get a jump on it, I will take a nap later....

Thanks for all the advice........Cherie, I will try not to stress over this.

Joe

I would sit and talk to the office manager if I were you. go on and on, about how you know there office is busy and you think she does an amazing job at keeping things on track, but when things fall through the crack like YOUR paperwork, it means you DONT EAT for two weeks, and DONT have meds for 2 weeks, and so on. Ask her if there is anything you can do to help speed things along, or make it easier in the future. try to meet the girl who does your papers. if you become personal to them, they are less likely to forget you, or shove your papers to the back. Send her flowers or candy or a thank you card for remembering you.

I KNOW you want to drive to her office to haul off and smack her, but that wont prompt her in the future. being someone she thinks highly of will.

I hope you can call the insurance company and plead your case, or ask the office manager to plead for you, since they are the ones that dropped the ball.

AAARRRRRRGGGGG!!!

Good luck Joe, on getting this straightened out...SOON!!