> My wife
> and I are still going to see Dr. Redan on 3/12, but I am also sending
> him an email to check out Regina's post as it seems to be very
> defamatory. I would like to get his thoughts on the serious doubts that
> Regina has painted on their practice.
>
> Am I being scammed?
I don't know about scammed. I do know that handling insurance claims is part of what every physician's office I have dealt with in my long and complex medical journey. It is not alway easy for them. My neurologist has just lost the computer service that handles his billing and is having trouble finding another one that will accept his "one person" practice.
The change will be expensive and difficult for his staff, but he considers it necessary to do it.
To require up front payment from the patient seems a bit out of the norm.
Two questions to ask -- do they accept medicare assignment and are they members of Blue Shield?
Frankly, I would not pay thousands of dollars up front for any medical procedure with the hope that my insurance would pay it. If the doctor's office is not willing or able to call the insurance company and get the procedures approved in advance, I'd just skip it.
However, Jim, don't let this leave you hopeless. I think we are discovering some non-surgical ways of dealing with adhesions through diet and pain management. They may be slower and perhaps less effective than surgery when it works, but they are there.
Kate
-- Kate Murphy katemm@mindspring.com