Meds and travel: a nightmare story

[HorizonSeeker]

Since reading Judy's story about storing meds I thought I would entertain you all with the horror story I have been going through about meds, insurance, and just doctors in general for the past 6 months. When I decided to retire from the school system at 55 I was informed that I wouldn't be able to retire with my insurance unless I had been enrolled for the last 3 consecutive years in the group plan. since I had only been back from my stint of teaching in Thailand for 2 years I had to postpone my retirement till 56 in order to get that 3rd year in and be sure I had insurance. Boy was that year painful. But I survived and sure enough retired with the insurance. I know this because they take that big chunk out of my retirement check every month to pay the premium.

Fast forward to the first week of January this year when I couldn't shake a constant cough and sore throat so finally gave up and went to a local doctor in the little town where I was working near the Okefenokee. The doctor had all the compassion of slice of stale bread. But he did prescribe amoxicilian and sent me over to the hospital to get chest xrays. I returned a week later still feeling no better and sat for nearly an hour in the exam room waiting to be seen. when he came in he listened briefly to my chest and point blank told me I had COPD and should be taking my medicine. He then just got up and left the room. COPD? That's a pretty scary thing, I thought. And expensive (yes, sad that we think of cost when we look at illness in this country but it's a fact). I decided that since this doctor was no real joy to be seen by anyway I would cut my losses and go to the closest VA which was a 60 mile drive.

This was not my first visit to a VA hospital. I had enrolled in their system years ago when I was in grad school and didn't have insurance. Still it took a little while to get the paperwork up to date but I will say that the folks at Lake City VA were very kind to me. Or perhaps since I sounded like I might be spreading whooping cough or TB they just rushed to get me out of their office and into the ER. Another round of chest xrays and this time a more concerned doctor and I was diagnosed with a bad case of bronchitis. I went home with steroids and cough syrup and a follow up appointment for tests on my heart and lungs to be sure all was well in those areas since I'd had this for a while. Oh, and they did test me for TB and whooping cough neither of which I had.

A week later I was feeling sooooo much better and after I had the follow up appointments to learn that my heart was A OK but my lung function tests show that I have mild asthma I was thinking this was going to be OK. The VA will bill my insurance but doesn't ask for a co-pay. Great news, or so I thought. By the end of February I was getting bills from the doctor in town, the hospital, the guy at the hospital who read my xray and the VA. All of them said that my claim was denied because I was not an active member of this insurance group. Imagine my surprise. I called Cigna customer service who told me that I was in fact an active member and that the claims had been filed incorrectly. Huh?? by all those places different billing clerks? It has taken me until last week to get all this straightened out. The hospital in Folkston has been very patient and finally rec'd their money last week. The guy who read my xray threatened to turn me over to collection so I went on and paid that bill ($42) and wrote him a nasty note. The doctor's office hounded me till I finally paid them as well. The VA was the only place that didn't hound me but even they were eventually paid. All because one key wasn't entered right in the Cigna computers (on Sept. 1 of last year my eligibility code changed but "someone" forgot to change it on my file). So happy ending right?

Sure, I thought when I got to Newnan in the opposite corner of the state I would just go to the local VA clinic here to get my meds refilled (I'm now on 2 meds daily for the asthma which really makes a difference plus cholesterol drug of course). Wrong answer. Seems I was supposed to file a change of address with the VA in Lake City (300 miles from where I am now) before I can go to the clinc here for anything. I guess I just missed that in my instructions so I take all the blame there, but hey, I don't want to run out of my meds. The local clinic couldn't or wouldn't help me at all. They said I had to go back to my primary clinic period. Luckily I had a nice long chat with the pharmacist in the clinic at St. Marry's where I was being seen after leaving the VA hospital in Lake City. Seems she has a 5er and thinks my lifestyle is cool. I told her to please change my permanent GA address to my brother's address in Winder, GA which is about 2 hours from here. She was soooo nice. I figure if my brother gets my meds he'll get them to me. sure enough, my refills are at his house now and he and my SIL will be coming to visit me next week and bringing the drugs along with the table he has built me for my office/dining room.

so where do I keep my drugs? After all this I think I should keep them in a safe with my passport and emergency money!

[sharon]

I just went thru something similar last year...isn't it amazing the hoops the insurance companies put us thru just to get the care we're paying thru the nose for???? As long as I stay in Ca and go to the docs on the list there's not a problem, but let me get sick 2 feet over the border and I have to jump thru hoops just to see a doc. Guess the alternative is worse tho. And I have a feeling it's only gonna get worse with this new health care thing. At least you have the VA to fall back on. I've heard nothing but good about them.

[avalen]

dang those hoops, and they keep getting smaller and smaller getting very hard to get through. My insurance made me do the hoops just to get my
claim processed for my lost wages in June. It was MY money, and I wanted it! All is well now, check arrived and bills are paid for July. Although now
the bills are showing up from the hospital etc for the portions the ins. didn't pay. They certainly aren't going to get any big lump payment from me,
it will have to come in budget-able payments.

[Travelinana]

I agree it is a nightmare. I have had two back surgeries, cancer surgery and treatment, had pneumonia and given birth to 2 babies. I was battling over those bills coming in and doing a bit of complaining to my husband. He reminded me of something that has stuck with me. He said our great grandparents, even grandparents were paying the dr with chickens and dying of pneumonia. The life span was about 50. He continued that in our country we expect the very best care. We take a pill for everything, expect surgery at the slightest twinge when left alone many times our body will heal itself. We simply have no patience. When I say 'we' I mean 'me' too. A couple of years ago I limped around on a bad swollen knee for a couple of months. I went to the dr for something else and I mentioned my knee to the nurse. She said in Europe they do very few knee surgeries, they let them heal. I know they won't always heal and surgery is then necessary. The ER is badly abused as we all know. I took a friend to the ER with severe pain in his torso on a Sat night a couple of years ago. They weren't doing anything back there, I could see. They ignored us, we finally knocked on the door and they came to the door. I said he needs help right now. They finally took him back and put him in bed. I did his paperwork and I ask the girl if they thought he was a case of just wanting pain meds especially since it was Sat night. They were very surprised to learn from me and his sister that he hardly ever takes an aspirin and takes no prescription meds at all. They started an IV with morphine and he was instantly out. He was passing a kidney stone. I learned that was something I didn't want. Those of us paying for insurance and then paying what the ins doesn't pay are paying for the deadbeats who are abusing the system.

[JudyJB]

Now you have me worried. I have some very nasty bites that I have had for a couple of weeks that won't go away and are getting bigger. I was planning on going to an urgent care clinic tomorrow morning to get them looked at. Maybe I should wait.

I did have some problems with moving right after I signed up with Medicare, but had been warned to call the Plan D people right away, so I did. Luckily I got all these meds (11 of them since I have blood pressure, asthma, and other problems) just before the move. The newer, new plan is based on my living in Ohio, not Michigan, and was actually $2 a month cheaper, but I have not used it yet.

It did take several hours on the phone to sign up for Medicare C and D, however. I don't ever want to have to repeat that.

[sharon]

Urgent care is not the same as er and if I were you I would go get those bites looked at. Could just be that you're allergic to mosquito bites and they'll go away, but could also be something more serious like a spider bite or something. Best to be safe than sorry!

[HorizonSeeker]

Yes Judy, the key is keeping the providers informed I guess. I will be back in southeast Georgia this fall for a follow up on my breast biopsy because I can and because I really liked the care I got there. Then I will notify them of where I am going next and file an address for the campground I'm heading to next. My Cigna insurance, now that the eligibility code is straightened out, works whereever I go. I'm only 57 so have a few years before I have to worry with the Medicare nightmare.

And about those bites, do go get them looked at right away. I had a bad reaction to some insect bites when I was in Laos and didn't go to the hospital until I got back to Thailand. I was so thankful for the great care I got at the hospital in Bangkok (my doctor was a fellow from Johns Hopkins) and especially glad to get some medicine that calmed the reaction as I was about to shred the skin on my arms scratching. Don't wait and suffer. Go on now (oh and my total bill for the Thai hospital visit was $32. another reason I hate US insurance companies.

[Carolinagal]

Sure hope the comment about Medicare being a problem away from home is wrong. I bought my supplement on the fact that traveling and visiting as I do that they would work anywhere and Medicare did also. We shall see, 5 days in ICU and 2 on reg floor will be a nice total, after reading here glad I'm on my way home to get the bills and see if it's going to be ok for my pocket.

Have never had a problem with the "D" for meds, even refilled in Alaska in 2009 .

I realize some are talking ins. For under 65 , you've just started Judy on Medicare and so far I have never had a problem, go to that walkin clinic , I had no problem last winter in Fl. For an earache at a walkin clinic.

What a real nightmare , Horizon, Sorry for your problems but guess its a blessing I'm an old booger, cause I don't like stress.

CArol

[Acadianmom]

We have several walk-in clinics we have used here and I would sure go to them over an ER. Most of the ER's have contract doctors and I'm not sure they can even admit you to the hospital. You will spend 6 hours there and all they will tell you is to see your doctor. For $1,500 I can tell myself to see my doctor.

Martha

[snowball]

haven't started getting bills yet for what is left after the supplement paid so will see..so far I've not used medicare as I've just not had the time one day will need to try it out
go to the dr you don't want to mess with bites brown recluse is one that get bigger as time goes by not a nice spider
sheila

[JudyJB]

For those of you starting on Medicare, if you get a Medicare Advantage plan, it is usually limited to one place. In addition, it usually replaces Medicare so you cannot use that part of it outside the area without penalties.

For that reason I stuck with the regular A and B, and got a Medigap plan good anywhere. Ditto for a prescription plan.

Haven't used it yet, since those bites on my legs calmed down, but it sould be good anyhwere.

[carold]

I've had no problems using my Medicare and supplement when traveling. When I need a prescription refilled, I either get one from my dr before I leave or call and arrange for them to fax it to the drugstore. carold