At 12:52 AM 2/25/01 -0600, you wrote:
>At Sat, 24 Feb 2001, Helen Dynda wrote:
>>
>>Jean ( creative@enter.net ) from Pennsylvania said: "I asked my MD to write
>>a referral paper for Dr. Redan cause even though I don't need referrals I
>>read on here that it may help prevent insurance problems. He refused, since
>>he never heard of them.
>>
>>~ ~ ~ ~
>>
>>Dear Jean, I am so sorry to hear that your doctor refused to give you a
>>referral to Dr. Redan.
>>
>>You might ask your doctor if he has ever heard of Dr. Harry Reich. Dr.
>>Reich is "the most talented laparoscopic surgeon in the world!!" Dr. Reich
>>performs surgery at both Community Memorial Hospital ( CMC ) in Scranton, PA
>>and at St. Vincents' Hospital in New York City. Since you are from
>>Pennsylvania, surely your doctor has heard of Dr. Reich.
>>
>>In April 1999, Dr. Reich performed a successful adhesiolysis procedure for
>>Deb. I saw Deb's video -- her abdominal and pelvic organs were completely
>>covered with adhesions!!. It took Dr. Reich 10 hours to complete Deb's
>>surgery!!! Deb is pain free today!!
>>
>>For a long time Dr. Reich realized that postsurgical adhesions have been
>>causing so many people problems with chronic pain, infertility, bowel
>>obstructions, etc. Since he had been experiencing success with his
>>adhesiolysis procedures, Dr. Reich made a decision to specialize in
>>performing adhesiolysis procedures. Since Dr. Reich's specialty is Ob/Gyn,
>>he needed to find a General Surgeon to be his surgical partner. It was then
>>that Dr. Reich personally chose Dr. Jay Redan to be his surgical partner.
>>Dr. Redan is a very skilled and experienced laparoscopic surgeon too.
>>
>>On May 1, 2000 these two surgeons opened the very first Adhesions Unit in
>>the United States at CMC. Since then Dr. Reich has been working very
>>closely with Dr. Redan -- at both CMC and St. Vincents Hospital --
>>specializing in adhesiolysis procedures.
>>
>>When adhesion involvement is very severe, such as in Deb's case, it is
>>extremely important that the surgeon is very meticulous as well as extremely
>>cautious as he lyses adhesions...for the safety of the patient and to give
>>the patient the very best chance to become pain free. The surgeon must be
>>sure that there is NO blood or other debris ( such as talc from the
>>surgeon's gloves, lint from sponges, etc.) left in the abdominal cavity. He
>>must also be very careful so that he does not traumatize internal organs.
>>All of this takes time...a lot of time, if the lysis of adhesions is going
>>to be a success!!
>>
>>When a surgeon tries to complete an adhesiolysis procedure in a maximum of
>>1-2 hours, the surgeon's decision -- to complete the adhesiolysis procedure
>>within this time frame -- does NOT show consideration for the safety and
>>well-being of the patient. Chances are the surgeon is "rushing" the
>>adhesiolysis procedure simply because he knows that an adhesiolysis
>>procedure is the "most underpaid" surgical procedure that Medicare and other
>>insurance companies reimburse the surgeon for.!!!!!!!
>
>Helen,
>Thanks for your response to my post.
>I think I also mentioned Dr. Reich to my MD, but not sure.
>I will ask the general surgeon when I go, if I am lucky maybe he will
>know one of them.
>
>I know exactly what you mean about the rushing etc.
>I do believe what you say about Dr. Reich.
>I definitely prefer someone who cares and is gentle!!
>
>I am just hoping since there aren't procedure codes (as I have heard
>from some people) for the operation that my insurance doesn't refuse to
>pay anything. I definitely can't afford to pay the entire doctor bill
>AND the hospital. I would go out of network and don't know if they
>would definitely be required to pay?!? When I asked for codes Sue
>couldn't give me any so I could check with my insurance. The insurance
>said I need diagnosis codes and procedure codes to see if it qualifies
>and for how much.
>
>I do already have a problem going on right now with the insurance
>refusing to pay for my nursing home care of 6 weeks (big time money).
>The nursing home has appealed it about 6 times now in 7 months time.
>The insurance company was the one who said they would only pay for my 4
>weeks of intravenous "if I was in a nursing home", but not as an
>out-patient with a visiting nurse coming in to start & stop it twice a
>day so I had no choice. The nursing home "is a participating facility"
>so it is in-network.
>These HMO's are something else!!! I know they definitely are not in
>business to do anyone any favors and will do whatever it takes to get
>out of paying if possible.
>
>I also never got my money back ($900) from that doctor who double-billed
>(me & the insurance) even after I got a lawyer.
>He couldn't believe it either....my kind of luck!
>
>Hope you are still feeling good.
>JEAN
>
>--
>Jean (from PA)
>