Posted by John Behle on July 10, 2001 at 17:36:35:
In Reply to: Insurance Glitch posted by Angie on July 10, 2001 at 16:37:12:
I'm not sure how bad your AF is, but another option can be Medicare.
Severe AF can be considered for disability. I'm not sure what the code is, but "Near Syncope" or nearly fainting can qualify.
Fainting of course can quailfy, but nearly fainting can also. Then, once you have the disability and qualify for medicare, they can cover most of the surgery bills. I think there are supplemental policies that can pick up the rest.
The best route may be just finding a brighter cardiologist (ok, the politically correct term might be "more enlightened") - that can see the benefits of the MAZE.
I'd probably go in reverse and see if any of the MAZE surgeons have any cardiologists they know that are aware of the life saving benefits of the MAZE. Even that can be a challenge as the cardiologist my MAZE surgeon referred me to for an echo-cardiogram tried to belittle me and talk me out of the MAZE. Once he listened to my heart and heard the Congestive Heart Failure, he lightened up a bit.
The hospital asked what cardiologist I wanted my latest extremely improved and NSR Echo-cardiogram to be sent to to read. I made sure it was him. :) My surgeon (Dr. Millar) went down to his office to read it and I hope he took the time to say "I told you so".
I'd first see if there is a possible referral from a MAZE surgeon to a cardiologist, but if not - then I would quiz the doctor's, nurses, etc. over the phone before I went in. Then I would go in with a report of the symptoms, daily log of activity (and inactivity because of AF) and information, studies, etc. about the MAZE.
It's coming out more and more the long term degenerative health effects chronic AF can have. Most doctor's have had an attitude of "It's only AF", but if they can see the long term results and risks, they may start changing their attitudes.
In addition, they seem to think the risks of the MAZE are many times greater than they are. Reality is the risks of not getting the MAZE, side effects of meds and long term degeneration of a potentially healthy heart and body are the far greater risks.
How near death does a cardiologist feel a patient has to be to consider surgery that can cure them?
Especially - when it could have happened years earlier and led to a happier, more fullfilling and productive life.
Do we have to wait for more severe and threatening surgical items before operating and curing what may have caused some of them to begin with?
- Re: quality of life and my glitch Rob Hamill 11:08:17 7/16/2001 (0)