Spoke Too Soon
Posted on August 22, 2008
Filed Under Juvenile Diabetes, Personal, Random Rant | 5 Comments
I guess I spoke too soon in my post on my health insurance coverage on the Omnipod Insulin Pump that I wrote last night. And I guess United Healthcare (UHC) are ‘Pod Haters afterall.
I was all excited about getting approved as “in-network coverage” on the Omnipod until I called them to confirm it today. Leah, from CCS Medical, has been wonderful to work with and she has been EXTREMELY helpful in getting my case before United Healthcare and trying her best to get it done. Afterall we had already been denied twice for this pump.
I gave her a call this morning to tell her about the notification I got from United Healthcare and she said “oh Jessica, I’m sorry but UHC has been known to make these mistakes in sending those types of letters and I don’t want you to get your hopes up, because they most likely aren’t going to cover the Omnipod.” She continues to tell me that UHC does this quite often. What?! So does that make it okay? I started to get a little frustrated with Leah, and asked her to call UHC to prove this. And she calls one better, and says “sure thing, hold tight and I will get them on the line”. So she conference calls them in on the line and 15 minutes later I get a stuffy-nosed woman from UHC telling me that “they made an error” in sending the letter to me and that they will NOT cover the Omnipod. So this error-letter-writing campaign by UHC must be a constant practice for them, because Leah had already called it as it was.
I had to hold my composure, afterall, I was with my friend Will Worsham and I didn’t want him to see me lose my cool (trust me, it’s not pretty). So I expressed my disappointment with UHC, thanked Leah for working so hard on it and then I let it go. For now.
So now I’m back to which is the lesser of two evils…my disappointing Medtronic Minimed pump or 4+ daily insulin shots? Medtronic may be a frustrating company to deal with, but I’m willing to put aside my grudge with them and shift it to United Healthcare for now. At least my Medtronic pump is purple (trying to focus on the positive here) and my sugars will be better (if the pump holds out).
Grrr….United Healthcare.
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I just ran across your blog while doing a WordPress search about United Healthcare … what a misnomer. I’ve been watching this company since it came on the market in the early 1990’s. If my memory doesn’t fail me, these people claim they insure 133 million Americans … or over one third of the population. I’ll probably be starting a blog before long dealing specifically with healthcare issues and would like to get back in touch with you then. You should get your Omnipod. I suspect the only reason you haven’t is because of some backroom deal between Medtronics and UHC. Medtronics sells its junk and UHC makes more money. I’m not implying all of Medtronic’s devices are junk but it sure sounds like a square wheel solution for your diabetes.
PS: UHC doesn’t hate ‘pods. They’re simply a bunch of suits who only care about the bottom line on the financial sheet at the end of the year.
They don’t care about their patients … only their money. Your problems are simply the victim of providing “cost effective” medical care … in its most deviant form.
Thanks Earl for your comments. Keep me posted on your blog, e-mail it to jessica [at] usipp [dot] net when it is ready, as I will be interested in reading it. Take care!
I’m doing a search today on OmniPod & Anthem insurance & this post came up. I had an OmniPod for a year. In that time Anthem only paid for the inital unit & three months worth of supplies. Then the fun started – not. I am now back on shots after having been on a pump for six years. I’m trying to find others going through the same thing. Basically because Anthem took so long & played so many games, OmniPod changed their company policy & now require me to pay UP FRONT for my supplies & get the money back from Anthem. To the tune of $345 A MONTH. ugh.
Lisa B- I’m so sorry that you are having to go thru this. Makes me want to scream for you!