Tag: healthcare

Anger · chronic illness · healthcare · HELL · Medical · mental health · Multiple Sclerosis · PAIN · Primary Progressive MS · Ramblings

Long time no see…

Tracy4 Comments

Life has been crazy. I wish I could say it was the kind of fun crazy, but sadly no. I’m still dealing with Independence Blue Cross regarding my hip surgery and the subsequent hip draining surgery. Now my husband is also dealing with Independence Blue Cross and their horrible service.

Independence Blue Cross actually approved some procedures for my husband and now they’re saying that we are responsible because the anesthesiologist was out of network. Excuse me Independence Blue Cross but are there monkeys working for your company? Although monkeys would probably be more intelligent. You approved it and if there was a problem with out of network doctors you should’ve said that. When you’re having procedures/surgeries you have no choice as to what doctors/Specialty doctors are used. So in essence Independence Blue Cross should pay for this. It has happened to me more than once and they went ahead and paid for it after my first appeal.

The amount of mental anguish and anxiety that Independence Blue Cross has caused us is unfathomable. Stress is not a friend of multiple sclerosis and I can feel myself getting worse. This past week I received yet another bill from the hip doctor stating I need to pay $4300. From what I’m finding out it’s because of the Precertification that the hospital is supposed to get before the surgeries. I was told by Accolade that this had been taken care of but obviously it has not. I was taken to the hospital via ambulance and they immediately admitted me due to the infection that was brewing in my leg. This was an emergency… An emergency… An emergency! How dare they say you should’ve gotten a precertification. I guess the doctors in the hospital should’ve just waited and see what happens. Hell Who cares if the infection takes over and you lose your leg, you’ve got two right! 🤦🏻‍♀️ BTW, Accolade is the go-between so Independence Blue Cross doesn’t have to talk to its members. My morning has been writing appeals through tears. The tears are not from sadness the tears are due to unmeasurable anger.

I believe what angers me the most is not the fact that Independence Blue Cross always tries to make me jump through hoops… It’s that now they’re doing this to my husband who has never had a problem before getting the neck and back injections that he so badly needs. What angers me as well is the fact that Comcast/NBC Universal does not make sure their employees have better healthcare! My husband has worked for that company for 23 years and this is the treatment he gets. Independence Blue Cross is based back east so most things become out-of-network. You also have to get up at the butt crack of dawn to be able to get a hold of anybody because we are three hours behind. It is absolutely disgusting that Comcast/NBC does not have insurance in our time zone to better help us get in touch with people. I guess we better hope that nothing bad happens to us at 2 PM or after because they are gone and out of the office at that time. I really believed when a certain person called me from Independence Blue Cross that I was going to finally get the help that I deserve since we pay good money to have their insurance. But, alas, nope! That person stopped taking my calls. A couple words come to mind… Spineless, unprofessional.

At some point something has gotta give. What I do know is if you have other options in getting your healthcare and Independence Blue Cross is one of your options, do not choose them, run as fast as you can, because unless you’re healthy and you don’t actually need insurance, they are the worst company in the United States of America. Medically, professionally, customer service wise, employee wise, you name it they are the worst! They treat you with nothing but disrespect. So please if you have other options choose those because I guarantee you will have better luck with anyone other than Independence Blue Cross.

I know I always sign off with have courage and be kind, and I do have courage but I can no longer be kind to those despicable people. I’m now off to look at legal options because I’ve been told by many through my Facebook channels that I have some. So we will see where that goes.

As per my health and regarding my hip and the hip contractures that are getting much worse, that’s not going very well. Because Independence Blue Cross does not allow me proper physical therapy I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get out of this bed. That’s not to say I won’t keep fighting and keep trying, but it’s looking more grim as the days go on. So if there’s any wealthy philanthropist that wants to help a girl out, hit me up. I’m a good listener because that’s about all you’re going to get. 😜

Tata for now… Have courage always! 🖤

healthcare · mental health

Happy Freaking Holidays!

Tracy6 Comments

Independence Blue Cross has decided that it wasn’t an emergency when I needed the ambulance for my attempt on my life as well as the ambulance ride from the hospital after my surgeries to the nursing home. I guess I should’ve hooked up my bed to my husbands car and he could’ve rolled me over. Then I got an explanation of benefits saying they’re not paying for anything from my two surgeries and my hospital stay. I may be billed for $168,000 +. It gets better, I got my first bill for my hip surgery. But wait… there’s more, the ambulance company is sending me to collections because I haven’t paid for those two ambulance rides. 😳 I know that all of these issues are because of pre-authorizations and pre-certifications that were not done properly. I’m trying not to stress over this too much as I know it will all be taken care of at some point. Thankfully my deductible’s have all been met so I have no worries there. It’s just not right that we have to jump through these hoops to get the care we need. As we know sometimes jumping through the hoops doesn’t work.  I mean, I jumped through 1 million hoops and they still denied me the life-saving care of acute rehab. That type of facility is the only way I will ever be able to get out of this bed. I am not giving up. In fact, I’m just getting started.

I’m sorry I have been absent for a bit. It’s just become so overwhelming dealing with Independence Blue Cross. 

I’m a little late, but… I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and I pray that 2021 is kinder to us all.🖤



Anger · Health · healthcare · Medical · mental health · Multiple Sclerosis · Primary Progressive MS · Strength

And here we go again… Part 2

Tracy3 Comments

You’re gonna love this one… I just received an explanation of benefits from Independence Blue Cross stating that they are not fully covering the ambulance ride from the hospital to the rehab center after my hip surgery. I guess I should’ve just hooked my bed up to a car and rolled over that way. Ummmm idiots, I have no choice as to who the case manager at the hospital decides to use for transport.

The best part, my husband told the caseworker not to use American medical response, and she did anyways. 😳

I also received a second explanation of benefits in regards to my hip surgery. Again, I should’ve pre-certified breaking my hip first before I got the surgery. Logically, I understand the concept of precertification, but not in this case. So, we should’ve waited a couple of days before doing the surgery as I was lying there with a broken hip? What exactly am I supposed to do about this? They need to take it up with the fucking hospital and not me.

Thank you to those sending me your horror stories dealing with Independence Blue Cross/Anthem Blue Cross, etc. I’m so sorry you have to deal with this as well. Trust me, we will be heard!

Yup, sharing this one again!
Anger · Fear · Health · healthcare · HELL · Medical · mental health · Multiple Sclerosis · Primary Progressive MS · Quotes · Strength

And here we go again…

Tracy1 Comment

Oh Independence Blue Cross… You’re just disgusting! Seriously how do the people that work there sleep at night knowing what they’re doing to people on the other end. They are now telling me that I may be billed $5670.09 for my hip surgery because it was not pre-certified. So I guess I should’ve called them a couple days before my hip was broken to let them know that my hip was going to break. 😳 I know it’s not as simple as that, but come the fuck on! I seriously feel like they have my name on a list and it says, fuck with her so she goes crazy and dies. 😈

And contrary to what HR at my husbands work said, they only offer Independence Blue Cross and Kaiser, NOT United healthcare. And Kaiser doesn’t have an MS specialist so I am stuck with Independence Blue Cross. I will be looking into Medicare part B. We can’t really afford it, but I’ve got to do some thing.

I’m still trying to figure out why Comcast benefits called me directly. I think I’m going to call them back again and find out why. 🤔

I also had to send in an appeal for the ambulance ride in May after my suicide attempt. 😪 It’s really disgusting all the hoops you have to jump through when you have a chronic illness. Money is more important than human life. It doesn’t pay to be sick.

Health · healthcare · Medical · mental health · Multiple Sclerosis · Primary Progressive MS · Quotes · Ramblings

The Physical Therapy blues…

TracyLeave a comment

I won’t get into any political things here… but the votes are L.E.G.A.L. and President Elect Biden and Vice President Elect Harris ARE our next presidential team! #DealWithIt

Now onto Physical Therapy… Finally after a bunch of fuck ups; getting the nurse here and getting the physical therapy people here, I got a total of three visits. One visit was the nurse signing me in. The next two visits were physical therapy and being signed out. So a whopping two physical therapy visits for a broken hip! I am truly at a loss with Independence Blue Cross. They are the most despicable and disgusting insurance company out there. The worst part is we’re stuck with them through my husband’s work. We can’t do Kaiser because they don’t have multiple sclerosis specialists where I am. You would think such a big company that my husband works for would offer better choices for health insurance. In the end, I think they all work together.

Disgustingly True

Like I always say, they know not who they’re dealing with.

My tide is turning!
Health · healthcare · Medical · mental health · Multiple Sclerosis · PAIN · Primary Progressive MS

Living the Crazy Train Life!

Tracy3 Comments

Hello… Life has been crazy since September 14. I was in the Antelope Valley Hospital from September 14 until September 25 when I was transferred to the Antelope Valley Care Center for recuperation. It was to be for some physical therapy and taking care of my surgery site from the broken hip. I had a total of 23 staples by my left hip and one of those staples by my left knee. I still haven’t really looked at the area as I’m still a bit freaked out about the whole broken hip thing. Insurance gave me a whopping 13 days for physical therapy and rehab. 🙄

Thankfully, on October 8, 2020, I was able to get back home. Both of my feet and ankles were very swollen. It was really cool as when I got home we literally watched my feet go back to their normal size. It’s possibly because the beds in those places are not comfortable whatsoever. The other issue is those beds are made for people under 5’9″. Being 6′ tall, it does not bode well for my circulation. Literally the minute I adjusted myself into my bed, the swelling just magically disappeared. There is still a tad bit of swelling on top of both feet, but very mild.

I am still having some pain in my left hip and I am very nervous to move too much at this point, as the doctor explained that my bones have severe osteoporosis. When they did the hip surgery they obviously moved my leg into a proper position. So now my left leg is much straighter and doesn’t flop to the side as much anymore. The problem is my hip is fighting to go and drop again. So we have put a pillow under that knee to keep it as straight as possible. I’m not sure why they don’t have some sort of braces for me. Although the way my doctors have let me down in the past, I guess I know why. I am going to be getting some physical therapy at home.

The best part about coming home was getting my bed bath and my hair shampooed in my bucket. Oh my gosh getting almost 4 weeks of hospital and nursing home nastiness off of me, was amazing!

This was me, above, in the nursing home. Look how green I look. Okay, okay, it actually is the baby Yoda filter on Instagram. Seriously though, I did feel green a lot of the time I was there. 😏

This picture, above, is after I got home and had my amazing bed bath and hair shampooed! It was Joyous!

I’m thankful to be home, and I’m feeling pretty good. I was a good girl today and got all of my follow up doctors appointment scheduled for the next couple of weeks. They will be done by video call, so that’s a plus. I am hoping to get on a bone medication and they also found a blood clot so I’m hoping to get the blood thinner prescribed to me as well. I am going to keep some hope alive that now that we know more but we’re dealing with, that I will finally start being able to get help. It could happen…

Health · PAIN · Primary Progressive MS · Quotes · Ramblings · Strength

Oh the pain… the pain!

Tracy8 Comments

I had my FaceTime neurologist appointment and PT yesterday. Both went well. But… I am paying for the PT today. 😳

I so hope this is true for me. We actually got my right leg into a 90° angle. That was crazy. My left side, not so much. Today Roger (hubby) rolled blankets to keep my knees and legs a little more normal. It hurts quite a bit, but no pain no gain! Thank the universe for cannabis. 😏

Stretching everything is going to be a painful process, but the outcome will be phenomenal! Now here is the shitty part… No more visits per Independence Blue Cross. 🙄 I have to call Monday and get the pain management doctor to call in more visits. WTF!!! My concern is all the work we have accomplished last week will fade away waiting for Insurance to allow me more visits. I really don’t understand how they have the right to run my healthcare. It’s mind boggling. The worst part is that it will start all over. What that means is, I will have to have an admission visit again, then an evaluation visit again, and then the PT visits start. What a fucking racket. All the while people like me are screwed. I just keep telling myself to keep breathing. This will work out, we will find a way. Sadly this just proves to me why people do give up. We have to jump through so many hoops, it weakens our soul.

^^^ I say this, I just wish I could truly believe it.

Have courage and be kind. 

Fear · Health · Medical · mental health · Multiple Sclerosis · Primary Progressive MS · Ramblings

You’ll get through this!

Tracy6 Comments

I have made it through a couple times where I didn’t think I was going to make it. I wish I could say that it’s going to be OK, but I don’t know. I’m trying really hard every day and hoping that something is going to give. I just can’t go another 6+ years in this bed. I’ve had to learn patience, which has never been one of my virtues. I really want to stay positive but I don’t see me getting the help that I need. I’ve been in this bed for over six years and my body has, well, died in a sense. It’s going to take a lot of time and a lot of hard work to make my legs go back to a normal position. Unfortunately, we don’t have the money or the good insurance to get the help I need. And in this moment in my life, unless you’re trapped the way I am trapped, I understand you’re not going to understand. I know, blah blah blah. I just needed to vent it out. I’m struggling, but I’ll get through this. I’ll get through this to wake up trapped again. But, I’ll do it because that’s what everyone wants. OK, that didn’t come out the way it was supposed to, but I think some of you understand.

My legs are jacked the fuck up. I can’t straighten my knees or bend my ankles properly. I’ve been stuck in this bed for so long as I sit up, in my adjustable bed, I get dizzy. My body has literally died being in this bed. Ten to twenty, and I’m being generous, physical therapy visits won’t do anything for me. I can’t sit up unless I have help or something is behind me. But like I’ve stated before, Independence Blue Cross took me out too soon from the rehab. I was sitting up on my own. But when you get kicked out of rehab and you get no good in-home physical therapy, it all goes away.

Yes I know it’s obvious I’m struggling. I just am not sure how to wrap my head around it all. I can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel anymore and that’s what scares me. But I’ll keep fighting and hopefully one day it will take me to where I need to be.

I’m sorry if it’s all over the place right now. But I can’t get my thoughts in order so, there it is.

Have courage and be kind.

Medical · mental health · Multiple Sclerosis · Primary Progressive MS · Quotes · Ramblings

We have to keep going!

Tracy5 Comments

We must keep going… I know that know. Although, it can be so hard to do. The home health nurse came over last week and now I’m waiting for the physical therapist to call for an appointment. We are not sure how many appointments I’m allowed through Independence Blue Cross. Sadly, it probably won’t be enough. Again, I’ve been in this bed for over six years. The damage done is much more intense than a few at home PT appointments. All about the money and giving their higher-ups bonuses at the end of the year. Meanwhile, I’m trapped in my bed thanks to, in part, Independence Blue Cross. they kicked me out of inpatient acute physical therapy in 2018 too soon, and now they won’t give me any proper care. According to Independence Blue Cross doctors, it’s not needed. My family does as much as they can, but without real help… I really feel like I’m going to be stuck in this bed for a long time. Unfortunately in the world we live in today, insurance companies run our healthcare. Profits over people. I’m still waiting for them to give me my money back for the transport services. With everything going on the world right now, we could really use that 900+ dollars back. Greed prevails… 😳

I’m trying really hard to keep going. I believe I will, but I just need help. My counseling appointment went really well last Thursday, and I will be talking to him again this Thursday. So that’s a plus.

I’m still feeling quite a bit lost but this time I am reaching out. It’s gonna be a long process but I have to keep going. 

Have courage and be kind.