Who's worse: Insurance companies or doctors?

Try calling a specialist to tell him/her that your knee pain has rendered you just about completely disabled and that you're in pain and would like the precious Synvisc injections. You get put into a voicemail loop of pressing every number from 1 to the "star" key - and end up with - the voice mail of the medical assistant! No return phone call. So after 2 business days, I call back and get - HER VOICE MAIL! She calls back and says that she sent the paperwork to the insurance company so they could authorize the Synvisc injections. That paperwork then gets sent to the bio-tech company for "processing," and the vials are sent to me. Only when I get the medicine in my hands may I dare make an appointment.

So, I get on the phone with Blue Shield of PA - the money-grubbers about whom I've written before. JOE FRICK, THIS MEANS YOU, MR. CEO.

I called Blue Shield on Monday, who told me that the request had been approved and that the paperwork had been faxed, and I should receive my medicine in 10 days. 10 DAYS?????

I called the bio-tech company yesterday, who had received NOTHING from Blue Shield, but the gentleman (Marco) gave me his direct phone number and fax number and said HE would contact Blue Shield so I could get my medicine.

I then called Blue Shield again yesterday, who proceeded to give me not only serious attitude, but yet another date that the paperwork was allegedly faxed. How about NOT! After at least an hour on the phone yesterday (twice with Blue Shield, who obviously lied about having sent the authorization to the bio-tech firm to ship the Synvisc), I finally got the precious stuff shipped Fed Ex overnight, which is standard procedure.

This morning the doctor's medical assistant (who mispronounces everyone's name and everything) called to tell me to make an appointment for the injections. I get a scheduler on the phone, who asks me whether or not I have the medicine in my hands. "No - it's on the Fed Ex truck, and Tanya told me to call for my appointment." Tanya gets on the phone, stating that I misunderstood her message and that she told me to call when I get the medication. Uh..."Tanya, you called my cell phone and left the message. Would you like me to play it for you?" "Well, if you're going to be adamant about it, come in next Wednesday at 8:00 AM."

I'm losing confidence in this doctor - based solely upon his support staff and the fact that when they got this stuff authorized, they specified "right" knee instead of left.

Do I want them sticking me - or worse, ultimately operating??????? I mean, if they can't tell left from right.......

I talked to Fed Ex, and the box is on the truck out for delivery, meaning I'll have it in an hour or so (if it's my usual driver - cute red-head that he is). I could go back to my former physiatrist and get the injections and tell him that I'm not happy with the ortho practice where he referred me.

Meanwhile, I actually walked up the stairs today like a big girl. I've been doing isometrics taught to me years ago by a PT and switched over to ibuprofen, which is actually stronger than what I'd been using. The Synvisc shots will do more good now, but I found it interesting that when I called and left the message last week that I was in trouble - no one called me back to find out what was going on. Hm.............

And yesterday, my sister had to fly from SC to GA to get her pain pump refilled because SC has NO pain centers who can properly care for a pain pump. She's still recovering that little field trip.

Up till now, I've been really good about not naming names (except for JOE FRICK AT PA BLUE SHIELD). But my good behavior is going out the window, and I will start naming names of every doctor who screws up and every insurance clerk who lies.

The medical system is so broken that my friend Eddie (my beloved cynic) may be right when he says the whole thing is going to have to crash in on itself and then start over again.

RON PAUL - WHERE ARE YOU??????????