Mackey Mouse
Me read the Navigator? I don't
- Joined
- May 21, 2000
Yesterday was not a great day.. I did battle with the MGH billing department, why do they have to be so mean. They send bills, just the amount with no explanation. I have insurance, good insurance, so I asked for a breakdown as to what this over $300 bill was for. Never got it, they sent another bill, I called again. They claimed they sent it, I never received it.. I requested it again....they sent it. I looked it over, we both looked it over, and then I immediately paid it. I got another bill, this time threatening a collection agency. Do you believe this? I call again, spoke to someone who was so snippy and said, well we never received the check. I said I sent it on such and such day...well you have to send a copy of it, front and back, to prove you sent it. So then I call my bank, it has not been cashed, I stopped payment... I call back the hospital and got someone nice, she said, it takes over two weeks for the check to process....it had not been two weeks.. I said I would resend the check, but I had stopped payment on the other one as no one told me it took the two weeks and I asked to speak to a supervisor...she was not available. I then just made payment with my credit card... dear God, the harrassment is just not worth it..
The supervisor calls me back.. nasty...and says there was no fault on the part of the hospital and if I choose to pay my bills the old fashioned way with a paper check then I should know it takes almost two weeks.. I am at a loss here.. In the meantime, I tell me daughter and we had still not heard anything from the oncologist who was suppose to talk to the surgeon about removing the lymph node on my DH....over 2 weeks.. sometimes you just get so worn down.. Anyway my daughter wrote an email to the oncologist and said she was doing this for her Mother who had had just about enough today with MGH and had been treated badly by the billing department ....
Anyway, his secretary called and we have a consult with the surgeon on Monday, to discuss whether we can get the lymph node that has the cancer removed. Sorry about the epistle, but what a day...how about a little compassion by these hospitals to the loved ones of seriously ill patients who are trying to do the very best they can...I might say with not much help from them..
I am annoyed today just thinking about yesterday, but will try to put it out of my head and have a great weekend..
Sorry about the epistle...but it is cathartic to write it..
UPDATE: Tom's surgeon was quite helpful.. he is willing to take it out, but the darn thing is not easy to get to and behind the clavicle. He asked us to think about this as he can do a lot of damage in there, there are clavicle veins that if damaged can cause a lot of problems. He said if it is going to change the course of his treatment, i.e. no more chemo, then he would consider it if he was Tom. But here's the thing, they do not know. Since Tom is not casebook, they are in unchartered territory here.. even the oncologist does not know what is going on here. So.. we as a family, the 5 of us talked over dinner and have decided to wait until the next scan to see what is going on. If after the next scan, it is still just there, then we need to think about this surgery. According to the surgeon, it can be as difficult as the whipple in recovery and quite painful, cutting through the muscles and getting behind the clavicle.. Why couldn't it just be easy? The good thing is that he and our oncologist both think aggressively and I am pleased with that. He thought Tom looked great and believe it or not.. he is 2 years out on a cancer that kills in the 98% range.. so we are blessed....
The supervisor calls me back.. nasty...and says there was no fault on the part of the hospital and if I choose to pay my bills the old fashioned way with a paper check then I should know it takes almost two weeks.. I am at a loss here.. In the meantime, I tell me daughter and we had still not heard anything from the oncologist who was suppose to talk to the surgeon about removing the lymph node on my DH....over 2 weeks.. sometimes you just get so worn down.. Anyway my daughter wrote an email to the oncologist and said she was doing this for her Mother who had had just about enough today with MGH and had been treated badly by the billing department ....
Anyway, his secretary called and we have a consult with the surgeon on Monday, to discuss whether we can get the lymph node that has the cancer removed. Sorry about the epistle, but what a day...how about a little compassion by these hospitals to the loved ones of seriously ill patients who are trying to do the very best they can...I might say with not much help from them..
I am annoyed today just thinking about yesterday, but will try to put it out of my head and have a great weekend..
Sorry about the epistle...but it is cathartic to write it..
UPDATE: Tom's surgeon was quite helpful.. he is willing to take it out, but the darn thing is not easy to get to and behind the clavicle. He asked us to think about this as he can do a lot of damage in there, there are clavicle veins that if damaged can cause a lot of problems. He said if it is going to change the course of his treatment, i.e. no more chemo, then he would consider it if he was Tom. But here's the thing, they do not know. Since Tom is not casebook, they are in unchartered territory here.. even the oncologist does not know what is going on here. So.. we as a family, the 5 of us talked over dinner and have decided to wait until the next scan to see what is going on. If after the next scan, it is still just there, then we need to think about this surgery. According to the surgeon, it can be as difficult as the whipple in recovery and quite painful, cutting through the muscles and getting behind the clavicle.. Why couldn't it just be easy? The good thing is that he and our oncologist both think aggressively and I am pleased with that. He thought Tom looked great and believe it or not.. he is 2 years out on a cancer that kills in the 98% range.. so we are blessed....
Hoping you had a stress free week-end and good luck tomorrow
