Insurer OK'd surgery coverage, then wouldn't pay

Humana says 1 of 2 authorization codes was entered incorrectly, leading to initial denial of coverage

Jon Yates
What's Your Problem?
February 9, 2010


Before Margaret Giroux was wheeled in for foot surgery last year, her doctor's office contacted her insurance provider, Humana, to receive a pre-approval number.

In fact, the folks at Northwest Orthopedic Surgery did it — twice.

That didn't stop Humana from denying claims from the Jan. 22, 2009, operation.

Despite two appeals by the doctor's office and one by Giroux, the insurance company refused to pay for the procedure. That left Giroux on the hook for the $10,846 bill.

more:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0209-problem-giroux-20100208,0,2475460.column

They finally fixed it, but ONLY after the media got involved......

I'm sure Palin has that written on her hand.

...like this.

The insurance companies feel invincible now. They know that they've got the politicians
and the U.S. government on their side. Through the healthcare-legislative process, they saw
how powerful they are and what insignificant little pests that "We The People" are.

A few hundred henchmen from the health-insurance industry just derailed healthcare reform for
hundreds of millions of United States citizens. They're on top of the world. They own our
government and us.

Expect more abuses like this. Expect a lot of it.

While they won't be allowed to deny coverage, there is nothing in the Senate bill that would prevent them from denying claims for whatever reason they can think of.

$9000 for a colonoscopy.

This was back in 2000.

--d!