[Pillows]

I am so frustrated with my medical clinic right now. My surgeon sent me a script in the mail for my upper endoscopy to get done, and when I took it in to the medical clinic on base the Friday before last Friday, I was told that they had to treat it like a referral process and that in 7-10 days I would receive it in the mail. I told them that this was an urgent matter since I am set to have surgery on the 4th of next month and my surgeon needs the results back by the 31st at the latest. They assured me that they would put in the request that day and told me to call Tricare by Friday if I had not received the referral in the mail yet. I called them Friday at Tricare, and they told me that they never received the referral at all. Then I immediately went to the medical clinic again and talked to the same lady that was supposedly getting it taken care of last week, and she said that the nurse for my doctor on base was in and out last week, so that must be why. She then assured me that she would personally deliver it to the nurse that is taking over for that doctor and that the nurse would contact me at home later. When the nurse called me she told me that she wouldn't be able to classify it as urgent or as soon as possible since the surgeon hadn't written those words on the script I gave them. After much pleading and begging, I finally got out of her that she would TRY to push it through at the top of the non-urgent list due to the fact that they had fudged it in the first place. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! BY THE TIME I GET THIS TEST DONE, IF I DIDN'T HAVE AN ULCER BEFORE, I WILL BY THEN! I MAY HAVE FREE HEALTHCARE, BUT IT IS A DEFINATE PAIN IN THE BUTT GETTING THEM TO DO ANYTHING. I COULD UNDERSTAND IF THIS WAS THE FIRST SNAG I HAD RUN INTO WITH THEM, BUT IT ISN'T. I HAVE RUN INTO SNAGS AND OBSTACLES THE WHOLE TIME. I JUST WORKED SO HARD TO GET MY SURGERY DATE THAT I DON'T WANNA LOOSE IT AND PUSH IT BACK. THE FARTHER BACK IT GETS PUSHED, THE LEAST LIKELY IT IS THAT MY HUBBY WILL BE ABLE TO GET TIME OFF TO HELP ME. WELL I BETTER GO FOR NOW. THANKS FOR LETTING ME GET THAT ALL OUT.
JANAE

[RobinZ]

Oh, Janae! Sorry to hear about this snag - well, it's more than a snag, but I don't have the brain power tonight to think of the right word! I just wanted to say HANG IN THERE BABY! I will keep my fingers crossed for you and hope you get the appointment ASAP!

[Pillows]

Thanks Robin, I am sure that everything will eventually work itself out, I just wish sometimes that SOMETHING could be easy. LOL.. you know?
Janae

[RobinZ]

Yes, it would be great if it were easy, or at least easier, BUT, don't they say than anything worth having is worth fighting for, worth a little extra work and frustration? So I KNOW this is worth whatever hoops you have to jump through to get it!

[Pillows]

yeah, like I have said before, anyone that says this is the easy way out, never had to go through insurance and the paperwork. There is more forms and paperwork to have this surgery than there is in buying a house. I have learned that when I go to any appointment and they hand me new paperwork to just smile and tell them thank you. They act a little shocked when you look happy to see it and grateful. I think it is worth it just to see their surprise.
Janae