My life isnt terribly interesting and my pregnancy has been kinda ho-hum, so I dont have as much to write as I thought I would. Today, I am going to rant. I am pissed. I havent been very happy with my OB office, it's a very large practice, and having come from a practice where there was just one gynecologist, I kinda feel like a cow being herded along. My pregnancy has been fairly easy, no complications and overall relatively comfortable considering there are two other people living in my body. But it's still a high-risk pregnancy and should be treated as such, and it hasnt.
I had been hoping that into my 3rd trimester that they would ramp up the level of care I received, but I'll never know because the day before yesterday they called to drop me as their patient. I am the card-holder for the insurance, but because I am part-time and have been working at this job for less than a year, I was worried that if I had to go on bed-rest or deliver early, that I would lose my benefits. So I applied for state assistance as a back up plan. My primary insurance covers everything at the moment, but I gave them the Medicaid card at my last visit just so they'd have it.
Well, they dont take Medicaid. Okay, thats fine...just bill my regular insurance and be done with it. No...they refuse to take Medicaid patients. I went 'round and round with the lady on the phone. I worked at a pharmacy for 6 years, I have a very strong understanding of different insurances and how they work, so its not like I wasnt talking out of my ass, here. Well, she said either I had to drop the Medicaid or they could no longer see me. Do what? Really, lady?
At this point I was done, if they were so ready to drop me this late in the game (with twins, goddammit!!) over a trivial ass insurance issue, then it was very obvious to me that my care was not a concern and they could go get fucked. I'm not going to drop my back up plan because they dont know how to dual-bill insurance. So, I asked her where I was supposed to find an OB at 27 weeks? She gave me a number and when I called, it was a listing for free clinics. Um, I'm sorry, but no.
So I spent all of yesterday morning calling different doctors offices. Some of them I could tell didnt quite believe my story (because it makes no fucking sense) and thought I was dropped for other reasons, or couldnt take me because I was over their 26 week cutoff. I was seriously about to lose my shit.
So I called my old gynecologist office and asked to speak with Gail the nurse, who sadly knows me on a first name basis (I had bleeding issues a couple years back and was seriously going to the office like every month). She was like, "Okay, heres what I want you to do...take down this number and ask for Karen, tell her I told you to call her and explain to her what's going on". So I called right after I got off the phone with Gail and was able to patch right through to Karen. She asked a couple questions to clarify and I could tell by her tone that she didnt think it made any sense either. But she got me an appointment for next week, the same day I was supposed to have one with the old office. Whew! What a load off my shoulders. I called Gail and thanked her profusely for her help. I may try to bring her something when I go to my appointment.
The only downside is that this office and the hospital is about an hour away. I like the hospital a lot (it has a jacuzzi), but the distance is the reason why I didnt chose an office associated with in the first place. But really, it's my first pregnanacy, it's not like I'm going to just pop em out in the car ride there or anything. I'm a little concerned, my new OB has been doing this for like, over 40 years, and I've heard he's a little old-fashioned, so I'm worried he'll push me into having a c-section, which I dont want unless the babies or my life is in danger. I have an appointment next week, we'll see how it goes.
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