In the mail I got a package from the Shriners Hospital for Children in Galveston Tx. the package had a letter in it from a care coordinator and an appointment sheet, there was a 7 page health information for me to fill out and a booklet on getting ready for surgery, it is geared to kids, but Haleigh is too young to understand it, It did give information though on how the hospital kind of works.
Her appointment is September 20th. Just over a month and right at 2 months from the time I sent off the application. This letter gave me the numbers to call for trasportation and housing along with Appointments and the care coordination numbers.
The appointment page just said we will be seening plastics, that our appointment will be on 09/20/2010 at 11am. To call if we can not make it and to bring any x-rays or mri's she has had (there are none) I got to get a copy of her blue card to take with us and any health records we think they might need. I can not see them needing any papers from any where we have been. They also want a copy of her insurance cards and that kind of scares me.
I am excited to go see what they have to say, I am scared they may not want to help Haleigh, although I can not understand why anyone would not want to help a child.
I am not sure how long we will be gone and I have to figure out how we will get there. I need to call trasportation in the morning. I do not want to drive by myself, I am not sure if Jason will be able to go with me or not. I do not know anyone who can take the time off of work to go with me.
It will take about 8 hours to get there and that is no stops added in and with Haleigh not even 2 years old I am not sure I will be able to do it alone anyway. The trip down to florida was bad enough.
The Shriners pay for everything so if I do not drive myself they will either, send a van to pick me up and drive us, buy us bus tickets, or fly us out. I have heard that what the choose to do is based of how many miles your are from where you are going. Well its over 400 miles so Frome what I have to choose from I would rather fly. I guess I will just have to ask when I call. Riding on a bus though will take 2 days to get there for sure.
You might be wondering why it would scare me them asking for insurance cards. Well, I think I have said it before, but Haleigh has Alabama Medicaid. That is the only insurance she has. Medicaid in Alabam is rough but really good all at the same time. You pick a doctor for you kids. We do not have to go to clinics and wait for hours and hours. We are not treated any diffrent at the doctors office, except that they know they can run extra test if needed cause they know the state will pay them for it and don't have to worry about me not paying my bill! I think that is a great thing.
Anyway, back to the worrie. With Medicaid you can not go see another doctor except your personal doctor with out a referral to see one. I understand why, they do not want to pay for a bunch of doctor visits to a doctor that your child does not need to be seen by.
BUT that stops us from being able to find our own plastic team for Haleigh. We have to go to who ever her doctor sends us to.
He has sent us to USA plastics, the doctor we saw was not comfortable working on a childs face... ummm.. No Thank-You.
And then to the dermo in B'ham who wants to leave it be until its cancer, again No Thank-You. BUT her insurance will pay for the surgeries. IF we could find someone to do them, that will take her medicaid, that our doctor will refer her to. If... If.... If.... I do not like that game.
This Scared me today!!
The Fresh Start Surgical Gifts called me today!! Yes they called, When I answered the phone I had to go into the other room and sit down, I could have never imagined they would be calling for this reason though. The lady on the phone said they have her application, and they approved her for surgery all they need is a letter from Alabama Medacaid saying they will not pay for her surgery and why! I told them that it was not a problem getting it covered by medicaid it was a problem getting a doctor to do the surgery who does all be above ifs. She said "So your insurance will pay if you found a doctor who would do the surgery?" Me- "yes" Her "well I do not think we will be able to help then" "you don't really need it" Me- Yes we do I can not pay for this and we can not find a doctor to do it in alabama and take the Medicaid" Her- "well I will file this in appeal and see what comes up, but I do not think it will be approved unless we get that letter" Me- I do not think I can get a letter like that, cause like I said they would pay if..." Her- Maybe you should look harder for a doctor that takes your insurance" Me- Click (I hang up).
Why did she have to say that, why would anyone any where, say up at all hours of the night and search through 100's of pages to find a foundation to do their daughter's surgery, if they could go down the road somewhere and have it done??
I do not get it, If I could have it done here but a doctor here I would, I am not choosing to travel all over the world to get thins done. This is what has been put infront of me and this is what I am dealing with. I do not understand why she had to be so rude!!
I am scared the shiners may tell me the same thing. I feel like they think I am lying.
Oh Course Dr. Connors and Emergence Surgical Gifts has not asked for any insurance information and my mom said she thinks Haleigh will be going there for her surgeries. I guess we will fine out soon!
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