Put your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry and that will stop most of the annoying phone calls. Your registration is good for 5 years. We get random calls when a company calls with Random Digit Dialing. Those can't be helped and they are few and far between. See the link below and it will answer your questions about this service and provide you with registration if you so wish. Good luck!

https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx

There is nothing wrong with trying to save yourself money,and find equivalent service elsewhere that is covered. I went through the same thing recently with my CT coronary angiogram. It is not covered by medicare,and my healthfund does not cover it either. My GP referal was to a very elite private hospital that does the procedure. They wanted almost $1000 to do it. That's totally payable by me, no help from insurance or medicare. Who has an extra $1000 laying around for an CT?

I started calling around other imaging places and I got another place offering to do it for $570. So then i thought if I continue placing calls, I may get it for even less. Finally the imaging centre I found said we do your lungs and bill medicare,and since we do your lungs we will do the Coronary angiogram for free.

I got the procedure done for free. When I told my GP, I sensed that he had a bit of an attitude with me not using the centre that charges $1000.

Go figure-

You get put on that registry it will keep you from going nuts,also if any
body know isn't there one for computer's as well,if there is would let me
know. thanks I was always told your best bet is to go to a teaching
hospital,because if they want to get paided,they have a bunch of social
worker's to make sure they do. But sounds like your headed in the
direction,i wish you and Alan all the luck in the world. I have to seat with
my leg up all the time,it's a pain,but beleive me loosng it would be worst.
I got a ways to go,but whatever they say i'll do it.

My brother was a Attorney,and it's so funny his wife makes all the phone
calls. Maybe it's because he had a secretary for years. But my Sister-in-law
really knows what she doing,and it works for both of them... Sue

I did the "Do not Call Registry", when it first came out. Did it twice by the way. Made no difference whatsoever.

Oh, and you will find this interesting. I get a phone call from "John, with the Mortgage Lending Company". then I get a call from "Curtis, with the Lending Network", then I get a call from Bryce Morgan from the Lending Mortgage Network". I get so many of these, (and yes, I asked to speak to a supervisor who tells you "we have removed your name from our list". Never happens.

What did I learn?? that there's an actor, who plays all these roles, and they use his name. He is John, Curtis, Bryce, etc. Same actor, same speech, different mortgage companies. How do I know. I got three in a row and it was the same voice. I had it on my answering machine, and Alan said "that's the same guy, oh my god".

One time, I asked to speak to a supervisor and she began her speech "How may I lower your interest rate today?" and I believe I threatened her with bodily harm if they ever called me again. She quickly said "Oh, we're sorry, we'll put you on our "do not call" list. I said "Lady, you guys have been telling me this nonsense for 6 months now, I get 10 calls a day from you, enough already". She promised it would stop. Yesterday, I got two calls in 5 minutes from "John, with the Lending Network".

Now if anyone out there can find a way to actually stop these calls, well, you'd have my eternal gratitude. So far, all I've been able to do is, when the robotic voice calls, and they prompt you to press 1 to speak to a live operator, and then I demand they remove my name, all they do is promise to remove my name, I then ask to speak to supervisors, and they think it's a joke.

This has to stop. I mean, 10 to 15 times a day, someone wants to refinance my mortgage. I don't have a mortgage. I barely get by as it is. I wish they would just stop already.

Melody

Dear Melody:

Not only am I on the Do Not Call registry, I also have a phone anwering machine and can hear who is calling - if it is someone I want to talk to, I pick up. If not, THEY hang up if it is a live person because they want to talk to someone with a wallet.

I don't have Caller ID - don't want the expense when my phone answering machine does the screening very well!

Yes, it would be more satisfactory to be able to answer the phone, but each time the phone rings, I can stand and listen and if I wish, pick up. This way I don't have to keep saying "no, I"m not interested". I pay the phone bill and I chose whether to answer the phone or not! My friends and family always leave a message, as do clinics, etc. Anyone who really wants to reach me personally doesn't have a problem with my method.

Shirley H.

I figure, he gets a figure- (say$$) .....for every referral to them. Or at least some brownie-points in being able to hook then up with his practice in other ways. BTW Mel, the Nat'l Do Not Call list..is a failure & a joke. Republicans will connive what's best for big business any way they can. We've been on a "let's start a war" trip ever since Ronnie R..and we got it!! Good for big business, wars are.

Bob:

I could kiss you. As a matter of fact, I am.

I never agreed with anyone so much in my life.

You are 1000% correct about insurance companies, the government, etc.

And you are dead on about physicians referring other physicians. Before Alan found his beloved Dr. Fred, he had changed his insurance from HealthNet (bad bad bad), to Empire Blue Cross Mediblue - so far, good, no problems, he's had everything covered that has to be covered so we have no complaints). But, when he first got the Empire Blue Cross, we went around the corner to the Medical Building, and we said to ourselves. Wow, right around the corner, and the guy takes Empire (actually the place took all insurances). So Alan got the initial consult with his new primary care guy, the guy was as cold as ice, and then Alan tells him about his neuropathy and Alan told him "well, I've used my podiatrists for over 10 years, and I have faith in him and both my wife and myself use him, and I want to continue to use him". And the doctor says "No, if you come to me, you have to use the podiatrist that I'm affiliated with". Now I knew this was a bunch of baloney so I calmly said "Excuse me, but you are incorrect, we don't have to switch podiatrists, all we have to do is use a podiatrist that accepts our insurance and Alan's podiatrist does indeed do this". The doctor responds "Well, I have my own way of doing things, and I prefer to deal with the podiatrist that I know, so if you use me, you have to use him".

We thanked him for his time, went home, called up Empire and immediately switched to Dr. Fred. See, you have to choose a primary care guy when you switch Medicare HMO's. So we figured, the guy is around the corner from us, how bad can he be?. So when we got home, (after feeling so uncomfortable in his office), we knew we had to find another guy. So we found Dr. Fred. Thank god for that.

And Bob, I saw a program last night on the Science Channel. It was about Pluto. It was discovered 70 or so years ago and now (because we have better technology), we think IT MIGHT NOT BE A PLANET after all). So what are we doing?? We are spending one BILLION dollars to send a spaceship to Pluto, (just to see what's beyond). Now that is just fine, if we took care of the people on earth first (like health insurance, starving kids, housing for the elderly, orphan drugs that keep people alive, IVIG!!!!!). You understand my meaning here.

Last night I started to yell at the tv when the guy was saying "we have to go to Pluto, we are the Plutonians, we are dedicated to finding out the truth about Pluto, and the asteroid belt".

Now if someone could tell me one good reason why learning about Pluto, and the asteroid belt, would benefit the homeless, the hungry, and the un-insured, then I'm all for it.

So until that happens, we have to live with people not being insured, not being covered for certain procedures, well, to me, it just plain stinks. BUT WE'RE GOING TO PLUTO!!!!

I just don't want to vote anymore because no one does anything. They just send more young kids to Iraq and they don't come back.

Shame.

Melody

Forgot to mention that I also have an unlisted phone number. I am assuming this also helps. I do not have caller ID, but do have an answering machine.

Shirley:

I do have an answering machine. I've always had one because I don't want to miss if a friend or doctor calls. But I like to pick up the phone once in a while and not be offered a New way to buy electricity, a new way to buy gasoline, a new credit card, a new mortgage, a brand new cell phone, a donation to the policemen's benevolent association, blah blah.

Want to hear another way to get them to leave you alone?? When Alan is not asking them if they are still alive, Alan tells these callers: "I never give any personal information out over the phone, send me this in writing". You never saw telemarketers hang up so fast.

lol Melody

Hi Melody:

Alan has a good idea there. However, I don't even want to bother to speak to these sales callers. I am tired of saying "No, I'm not interested." I am good at saying "no" but tired of doing it. I have to admit I am curious about who might have called, but anyone who really wants to reach me will leave a message. Time was when many of us didn't like leaving messages on machines but I think most of us are very comfortable with that now.

Shirley H.