I'm trying to get this Medical Clearance done so that Mike's job can move us overseas. A month since my first doctor's visit and I'm still working on this.
There's one test that keeps coming back inconclusive. Today I went back to the doctor's office for the third time just for this test. Because of the bureaucracy, the powers that be cannot see that I've spent the last 31 years living a perfectly healthy life and waive this test until my next annual physical. There's a little box on a form somewhere that absolutely must be checked off.
And I'm stuck in a battle between the doctor's office and the lab that examines the samples. Apparently, the lab has recently stated that the doctor must use a certain device in the sample-taking procedure. Ever since the doctor has been forced to use this specific device, the lab has been saying that the samples are inconclusive and must be re-taken. It sounds like a racket between the lab and the device-maker if you ask me.
I'm not the only patient having this problem, apparently. The lab has been rejecting the majority of samples sent by all the doctors in this office. But I seem to be the only patient who absolutely has to keep coming back in for re-tests. Everyone else who's healthy is able to defer the test until their next physical but I don't have that option.
I guess my next option is to find another doctor that uses another lab, but I don't want to take the time to do that at this point. I am in a time crunch to get these medical forms finished up. I'll wait a few more days to see what the results are and hope for the best.
The doctor's staff gave me gift cards for Starbucks and Barnes & Noble today for being such a good sport.
After all this trouble, there's still a chance we could just end up in D.C. instead of overseas and I'll have to go through the medical clearance process again in two years.
At least all the retests are free!
And my blood pressure was much lower today. (I guess yoga and raspberry tea are working.)
2 comments:
Bureaucracy, especially bureaucracy in a medical situation, reallllly sucks. It sounds like that lab might be screwy..
I have a not-so-similar problem.. for some reason the HR dept where my husband works submitted my name to the PPO backwards, so now every time I go to any doctor or lab for anything, I have to make sure that they process my claim manually, otherwise the automated system will reject it, and I'll get a bill 6 months later for $500 for peeing in a cup. Then, I have to make calls to this person and that person to clear it up.
I have to go get that fixed with the HR dept actually... lol.. just haven't gotten around to it.
kristinaq, how frustrating! I'm torn between being so mad and being thankful that I have a health insurance in the first place. Out of hundreds of dollars worth of tests for this medical clearance, so far I only owe $30. My husband's company will pay for anything the insurance doesn't, but do I really want to go through all that paperwork for $30?
Post a Comment