Skip to main content

Insurance

We got a call at 4:59 p.m. on Friday saying that our insurance has denied the surgery.  The reason: it's experimental.  Dumb.  It's not experimental.  The MOMS trial has been over for a year and has proven to result in significant increase for mobility and decrease of shunts.   If I was on Medicaid, then it would be completely covered.  So, I check into the hospital on Monday not knowing if this is going to be covered.  The hospital is doing all they can to prove that it is medically necessary, or so they say.  Why is it always a battle?

So what is this worth?  Can we put a price tag on it?  Can Matt and I say, "We aren't doing this because we don't want to be in debt the rest of our lives?"

I slept restlessly last night as I went over and over these questions and many more.  How does Matt sleep so soundly?  Again, he's the steady one that repeats, "Move forward with faith."

Comments

  1. I think such horrible things about insurance companies. Thoughts and words that my bishop shouldn't know go through my head- so I will keep my thoughts to myself.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Omg, Mil. Bad words for those loo-sers. Maybe you should play it up on your Tv interview, and to avoid bad press they will have to cover you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh, Millie, that is a worry you certainly don't need right now. I am so sorry that you have to deal with that on top of everything else. Please know that we are praying and fasting for you guys. Love you!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Totally lame. I'm so sorry. But Matt is right and that's why he is there with you..."move forward with faith". Love your blog. Thank you for doing it so we can feel a little closer to you on this journey. Love you, Mil.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes. Don't worry! It will all work out. You know in your heart it will. I love you and your sweet family.

    ReplyDelete
  6. What?! Oh Millie I am so sorry you guys are having to deal with this on top of everything else. How awful. I am certain that all will work out and am amazed by you and Matt's unwavering faith. Sending lots of hugs and prayers your way.

    xo.
    Hil

    ReplyDelete
  7. Positive thoughts and sending faith your way! All will be well! Praying for you and baby girl for tomorrow's surgery! Focus on: 20% and 37 weeks!!!! I LOOOOOOOVE YOU! xoxoxoxoxoxo Sarah

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shunt Happens

On Thursday night, I couldn't get rid of a nagging concern.  Maggie's eyes were sunsetting.  This is where the  eyes turn downward with the white showing above.  It wasn't constant, and she wasn't showing the typical signs associated with brain swelling.  But the Spirit just kept working at me, and I decided to call the neurosurgeon at Primary Childrens.  He wasn't too concerned and told me to come on Friday for spina bifida clinic.  Once there, the doctor thought it was nothing because Maggie's fontanelle (soft spot) was still soft and of course Maggie wasn't sunsetting for him.  But I didn't want to go to Houston next week until I knew for sure she was okay.  So he ordered a head ultrasound.  Sure enough, the ultrasound showed significant swelling in the ventricles of  her brain.  A shunt is needed. Poor Maggie. I hate to see her go through another surgery.  When I'm at the docs office and get bad news,  I try to act brave and wait until the car r

Curve Ball

Maggie is out of surgery. Things did not go as planned. As the doctor put it, "she threw us for several curve balls." We could not do the ETV. Once in her brain, he discovered that it would be too risky to proceed because of her anatomy. From what we remember, her pituitary was too close to an artery. As they were pulling out, a blood vessel burst. They had to get that bleeding under control before sewing up that side of her head and cutting open the opposite side for a shunt. That's when the neurosurgeon called us to tell us the disappointing news that the ETV wouldn't work. He said he'd come back to visit us in 45 minutes once the shunt was placed. We always knew this was a possibility, but were told her anatomy was "perfect" for the ETV. Guess you can't judge a book by its cover, even with an MRI. Shunt surgeries are common, and it is rare to have serious complications. But two agonizing hours later, we were told what happened. Duri

She's Here!

The c-section went beautifully, Maggie was delivered at 10:17. She's 6 lbs 13 oz and has a smattering of Davey's hair, my chin, Millie's voice, Kate's ears, and Josie's temperament. Her lungs seem pretty immature so she's in the Newborn ICU for now. Millie is back in her pre-op room and has not yet been able to really see Maggie. Immediately after delivering her the doctors whisked Maggie into the NICU in the adjoining room. I've been able to see her in there and have shown Millie the pictures. The lesion on her back looks good--it looks like a patch of skin covering what used to be the hole that was there. Her feet don't have any noticeable clubbing and she definitely has more sensation there than Davey did. We are so grateful that she is here.     Posted with Blogsy