hi char,

i don't have any idea? but i'm sure someone on here will...

welcome to daily strength! we're happy you found us!

dear char u're haven't rough.whats u're status.enzymes,biopsy,geno and viral load when u started tx.take care.also thats great ins.mine was better but the union and co.renegotiated it.it went down hill from there.its still blue cross blue shield.but we have to pay the $300 ded,1st before the ins will pay anything.then we pay 10% of medical.prescriptions co-pays went way up.sucks.

I don't think the current Federal law prevents it because it is happening to me right now. I think that is supposed to go into effect when and if the current administration's health plan coverage becomes law. Blue Cross Blue Shield refused to pay $410 for the blood work required to determine my genotype; and when I asked my doctor for the additional paperwork BCBS requested (and found incorrect information on my medical records) the doctor dropped me. I'm not sure if he was worried about being sued because I found incorrect info on his [my] records or if he dropped me because of thinking there may be future problems in being paid if there is a question of pre-existing condition, which I did mention to his office staff when I was requesting my records.

I'm so worried now about finding a new physician in the county I live in that is not affiliated with the large medical group that my previous doctor is with that I don't even know who to turn to or talk to without learned after the fact I should not have said something to anyone about anything - totally confused. THIS alone, if nothing else is cause for suing the doctor and the insurance company for my stress levels over this.

Here are my basics, but I'm trying not to get too detailed. I have Hep-C, genotype 1.

My liver scaring is at a 4, but I don't have any damage to my colon, stomach, esophagaus, or those veins in my throat. I have a small growth on my liver that they are watching.

I hadn't felt all that great for the past 10 years, but nothing specific. Faint pains that moved around, faint nausea, mild acid reflux. some trouble sleeping, but still felt tired even after I got a full nights sleep.

I have high cholesterol, but they couldn't seem to get it under control without it doing something to my liver enzymes. . I have a feeling those enzymes were being affected by the Hep-C they didn't know I had.

No one bothered to check for any type of Hepatitis until last summer. After having all the various tests I started my treatment this past Feb 23. My hemoglobin count dropped almost immediately and a couple weeks ago they said my viral load had dropped 4 logs. My doctor says there are lots of way to measure the load, but basically she said if I started at a measurement of 5 logs then dropping to 1 so quickly is a wonderful thing.

I also have a mild case of Osteoporosis, for which I was taking Boniva. I went off it two years ago so I could have some invasive dental surgery, which led to a few more procedures. I never went back on the Boniva. My doctor thinks it would be good if I went back on, based on my last Dexa Scan, but I don't want to add anything to the mix of Peg-Interferon/Ribaviron/Procrit

My hubby and I have been watching with dread all that so many of states are trying to do to municipal and state retirees to cut back on their hard fought for benefits.

Many of those city and county agencies failed to keep up their end of the bargain to put the money into PERS as they promised. Instead many of them kept the money, earned the interest on it, and said they would send the money to PERS along with the interest when the employee retired. But many of them mismanaged the money, so it wasn't there when the time came.

My hubby's retirement package included access to a decent insurance policy. While we do pay for it ourselves the price would probably be much higher if it wasn't part of a group coverage policy. If we were to have dropped the policy we could not get back on it.

When we first retired my hubby looked into getting another policy and he was denied coverage. They suggested he look at the high risk high cost policies. Funny thing is they didn't deny me coverage, but fortunately we just kept our policy.

I am glad I found this site. I had wandered around looking for one with recent posts and no patients trying to diagnose and treat someone elses illness. Just offer suggestions and support.

Char

Swid, it is so heartbreaking to hear that your treatment is being impeded by your doctors and insurance co. It's hard enough to just get the tests done and make the final decision to start treatment. I was afraid that might happen to us and although there have been a couple minor glitches for the most part it has progressed smoothly.

I know what you mean about wondering if problems with medical records can affect how you are treated. A few years after I retired I got a job at a hospital as a switchboard operator. After 10 days they suddenly said I wasn't a "good fit". I now wonder if by any chance they found that Hep-C in those blood work-ups they do for care-givers and instead of telling me what was in the results they just let me go. It could explain why they paid me a months pay for 10 days. Just wondering.

Our insurance co has been helpful in confirming for me which doctors and facilities in the area are PPOs and also said they would help with referrals if I needed it.

I was actually amazed when the facility I was going to have my Colonoscopy and Endoscopy at called to tell me they were not PPOs and did I want to check somewhere else so I wouldn't have to pay my 50% share upfront. I had forgotten to check on them before making the appointment. I was able to have it done at 100% coverage at the local hospital.

I may have been wrong about the restriction about pre-exisitng conditions having already gone into effect. I really should double that. I do know that the annual and lifetime limits restrictions have been removed from at least our policy. It sure is nice to see "N/A" under those headings.

I wonder if some doctors are pre-disposed to make assumptions about their patients and how they got the disease. It shouldn't make a difference so long as you are a good candidate for treatment, but sadly I think some do. It's like the dentist who refused to continue to treat my husband because he is a smoker. (not me, no way, yuck)

BTW, I have been married almost 42 years (it amazes even me) and so of course as soon as I was diagnosed my hubby was checked. No, he doesn't have it.

Considering I was unknowingly carrying this virus long before we even met it's sure a relief to know he won't have to go through this treatment too.

I have not looked into any local support groups in my area, but I wonder if there might be some in your area who might have access to information about treatment facilities that can help you.

One day at a time is not as easy as it sounds,

Char

I have Blue Cross Blue Shield. I did tx in 2008. It paid for everything but my co-pay of 30 dollars for office calls and 60 dollars a month or the peg and 60 for the riba.

Barb, it's good to hear that not everyone has insurance problems, as difficult as it might be for others. Hopefully the more the big insurance companies learn to deal with these issues the more likely others will too.

FYI, as I don't keep one of those journals online. The other day I noted here that my liver scaring was at a 4. Duh, I was thinking of some other scale. On a scale of 0-4, with 4 being the worst, my liver scaring is at a 3. No evidence of cirrosis or cancer.

Char