A Long Day's Journey into Insurance Aggrevation!

Today was Joe's follow up appointments with his surgeon and oncologist.  We arrived at Duke at 7:15am, with ice and snow pelting us as we waited for the valet to come park the car.  Yes, given the hour, the ice and my lack of ability to walk long distances with this boot on my foot, we chose to use the valet parking.  We checked in a few minutes early, within 10 minutes or so Joe was called for blood to be taken, 15 minutes after that they called him for vitals and 15 minutes after that we went back to an exam room to wait for his surgeon, Dr. Tyler.  But before Dr. Tyler came in, Dr. Richardson (surgical chief resident) came and took off the wound vac to get a look at the incision.  She was highly impressed and stated that she felt there would no longer be any need for the wound vac, just gauze dressing, but of course the final decision would be made by Dr. Tyler.  She said he would be in shortly and left us for awhile.   While sitting there waiting, Joe heard his name being called from out in the hall.  I was daydreaming in my own head and heard nothing.  Then lo and behold, we hear Joe's name being called in the hall again.  I go to the door and flag down the person calling him and tell her that he's already in an exam room.  Apparently, the oncologist was ready for him since it was now 9am and time for that appointment.  So the onconology NP, Leigh Howard, came in and talked with us about Joe's chemo options and the schedule for beginning.  Of course right in the middle of that, Dr. Tyler comes in, see's Leigh in with us and backs back out of the room.  I guess they don't want to overlap.  When Leigh was done, back came Dr. Tyler and Dr. Richardson, they looked over the incision, Dr. Tyler agreed that the vac was no longer needed.  Dr. Richardson then popped out the rest of his staples.  We discussed with them that Joe continues to have fevers off and on every few days even though he is still on his antibiotics.  They sent him for a chest x-ray, at the clinic building, and for a CT scan over at the hospital.  That is where my fun and frustration began (please note, the word "fun" is being used in a sarcastic fashion).  We retrieved the car from the valet at the clinic and headed over to the hospital.  Our intention was to use the valet at the hospital as well, but when we pulled in front, there was a large sign "VALET LOT FULL", so off to the parking deck we went.  Then the long walk through the underground tunnel, up the elevator  to the 1st floor and around to radiology where Joe checked in.  About 10 minutes later, Joe's name was called and we went to the financial office.  Apparently the CT scan had not yet been approved by Joe's insurance and in order for them to do the scan at that time, we would need to sign a waiver that we would agree to pay for the scan should the insurance company come back with a denial.  Did I mention that the cost was $4000?  Can you guess what our response was?  So off we went back to the elevator, through the tunnel and up to the parking deck and back home, with no CT scan.

Joe has a tentative appointment tomorrow night at 7:30pm for the scan but has to be there at 6:30pm to drink the contrast (YUK!)....I say tentative because we have not heard from BCBS yet.  Joe will need to call the financial office at Duke tomorrow late afternoon to verify that he has the approval. Otherwise, no scan, no resolution as to why the fevers.

And so tonight, I'm Big Foot again but Joe is pump free!!!!!