Today began with Celidah and Zach getting records completed with the new orthodontist Dr P. Because both kids needed casts made for both upper and lower teeth, pictures, and everything when just starting this appt took a long time.
In addition to records, Zach had his upper space maintainer removed, all upper brackets removed and replaced. His brackets were replaced with torque brackets. These brackets will allow for his teeth to moved in a different position and manner than the stage 1 treatment plan offered.
Stage 1 was to move the teeth from behind the teeth. Remove his extra teeth and create room for those yet to come. This stage took nearly 2 years and he's moved to a full mouth of braces. Stage 2 will take at least 2 more years and at this point we're going to use the ortho benefits. Up to this point, all his ortho work has been paid for out of pocket. Thank you Nana and Poppy for help here.
So during the 2 1/2 hour ortho appt today, I spent that time on the phone calling to make other appts. I was able to start the dental appts. Tomorrow hopefully the office will have the rest of the of insurance verification needed to schedule those.
I was able to schedule Corbyn's hematology, my pulmonary, and Bug's ENT appts. I tried to schedule her GI appt (most important) and was told that the clinic has no referral for her. I hung up called Pulmonary and was told the same thing. Frustrated, I hung up, called the insurance and was assured that as of Jan 20th, her referrals were good, had been faxed. I called the Children's Hosp back again and this time would not take no referral, just wait for an answer.
Extremely frustrated by this point I was transferred to someone in the GI dept. Again I was informed that there was nothing that could be done without a referral. UGH!!!! At this point I got a name of a direct fax number and called TriCare back.
Somewhere along my calls I was informed that I needed to call the peds office because her GI referral was listed as "do not schedule." This call was also made today. Apparently, somewhere somehow it was confused and forgotten to be mentioned that her second referral was not duplicate but needed. Also confusing is how and why it went to the Shriner's Hosp not Oakland Children's Hosp. (no clue...)
Quick easy explanation. This child is to complex for all the local doctors, ALL specialists must be transfered to Oakland. Yes, even for the in network Dr's in Sacramento... again... must go to Oakland.
The referral is being reactivated... Note sent to the peds Dr for clarification...
Annoyed at the situation, the referral was faxed again and directly to the number given. Knowing the fax would take time to be processed I called to make SSI appts, help run a couple errands and waited.
Several hours later, I called back hoping to get her GI appt scheduled. Once again I was informed that the clinic didn't have a referral and after talking to the peds office the referral would not be available for 5-7 days.
Yes, I'll admit that I lost it again at this point. I asked who am I supposed to believe? The peds office or my insurance with whom I've been on the phone with 4 times now. I also let them know that since my daughter was born, we've been in 4 now, and that this is the 3rd Children's Hosp, and I've never had trouble like this getting her in to a clinic, and I pray she actually see's a Dr in the clinic not via emergency admission.
At this point, I've never missed nor appreciated the Dr's we had prior so much. I knew they were amazing and wonderful Dr's. I hope I let them know that, and that we really did appreciate all they did. They truly went above and beyond.
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