When I returned from work yesterday, it was quite late. I had an armful of papers--two armfuls in fact, and the promise of more papers every class day through the end of the semester. Because I still had my hearing aids on, I heard the insistent beep of the answering machine in the bedroom calling me with its cricket chirp, and dropped everything by the door.
It seems that my parents' secondary insurance, Blue Cross, is no longer being accepted by UCI Medical Center, where the majority of their doctors are. I don't know what to do. I don't think any insurance company will give them a similar deal, given their age and health. We are almost out of money, but not quite. We cannot transition to MediCal, but we cannot move to a different insurance, I think. Changing all our doctors is not a good option. I don't know what to do or who to ask.
7 comments:
Seems unlikely they would reject Blue Cross, such a reputable provider.
It is a fact though, but only for people whose primary insurance is Blue Cross/Blue Shield. They failed to reach an agreement because UCI was demanding that the insurers take on 40% of the responsibility, and the companies weren't willing to do that. Earlier this year, apparently, they went through the same rigamarole with UCLA. A few months later, they worked out an agreement.
That is sad, really sad. I'm sorry to hear about this and think you don't have any great alternatives.
Changing your providers is the cheaper option. Perhaps you should move in that direction, meanwhile hoping that this is just brinksmanship and that somebody will back down.
The only other option is spending down the rest of the assets and getting on Medicaid, I believe.
Wow--with these seemingly arbitrary rejections, even with a reputable provider like Blue Cross, as Lou noted--it almost makes me wonder how reliable insurance is in the end. I hope you can work it out in the end. This is so unfair to you and your parents!
Do you really think that any insurer in its right mind will take on two ill 93 year olds? I wouldn't.
RE: spending down, I must be very careful about this because if I run out of money before they pass, they will be out on the street. I can't live with them, wouldn't be able to care for them, and have nowhere to put them.
I'm just praying that the person at the Senior Health Center today was correct, and that this policy won't apply to people on Medicare who are using Blue Cross/Blue Shield as a secondary insurance.
Robbi, I've forwarded to you a message from the college district that contains the straight scoop on UCI's decision.
Thanks Lou.
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