Diagnosis: Ridiculous

Where do I begin?

About this time last night, my throat started hurting oh-so-badly. I tried everything I could think of (except for taking a shot of tequila because I didn't have any) to get it to stop hurting. Nothing worked. As usual when I'm hurting, I drugged myself before I went to bed. Pain = no sleep for Sarah. Pain killers = deep sleep for Sarah. Win! ;-)


Well, this morning it really wasn't any better. Sure, I could swallow, but it hurt. My chest was still tight from whatever asthma flare-up I'm having, so I decided to take my booty to the ACC (acute care clinic) as soon as I could muster up the energy to shower. I got there around 11 and the parking lot didn't look too crowded, so I was hopeful. Ha. There were quite a few more people than I expected. Maybe some of them live in walking distance? *shrug* 


Anyway, I took my number, filled out ridiculous paperwork (I mean, seriously, I'm already in their system...) and waited to be checked in. 30 minutes later, I handed Mr. Couldn't be More Quiet my paperwork, he checked me in, and I took my folder to the "triage" area. 30 more minutes, I get triaged. I give CPT RN my spill about how I've been having whatever this is for the past week. She swabs my throat twice and tells me it'll be about an hour before I can see the doctor. *sigh* Great.


1 hour and 15 minutes later, I get called back to a room. 15 minutes later, doctor comes in. The extent of his exam? Look in both ears, glance at my throat twice, listen to me take ONE breath and listen to my heart for 10 seconds. "Nope, doesn't look like strep. Looks like a virus that's "going around" and is hard to get rid of. We'll do a breathing treatment and then you can go to the pharmacy for your meds. " 


As soon as the door closed behind him, I groaned. A breathing treatment?! I've had a nebulizer since I was a teenager. I have the meds for it. I can freakin' do that at home! I was really hoping for some decent meds at the pharmacy. Meanwhile, the PA comes in and tells me what a breathing treatment is. Hello?! I'm 24 and have asthma. Chances are I've had it for a while and know what a breathing treatment is. I sit there and not-so-patiently wait while inhaling the medicine. I texted a friend here because just last week, she and her son were diagnosed with this "virus." I told her I wasn't sure I was buying the "virus" diagnosis.


I walked to the pharmacy where I waited another 30 minutes to get my medicine. The pharmacy technician walks back, with a bottle in her hand. You gotta be kidding me. It's freakin' lidocaine!!! I'm supposed to gargle with it. That's it. That's all he gave me. Here I've been struggling to breathe the last 5-6 days, and my throat is sore enough that I don't really want to talk and he gives me lidocaine?! Seriously, I could pick up some throat spray at the PX that would probably be just as helpful. Nevermind that my bronchial tubes are inflamed and swollen. Nah, I can handle that. If they call me tomorrow and tell me that my 2nd throat swab came back positive for strep, I am so going to be pissed.


I honestly felt like he diagnosed me with "a virus" because he wanted to get me the heck out of there since they were so busy. You know, I know that it's free for me to go there and I do appreciate that it doesn't cost me a dime. However, I don't appreciate being examined for 2 whole minutes and being immediately diagnosed with a virus because it seems like that's what it could be. I'm extremely frustrated. I had something similar in December '09 and saw a civilian doctor. Wanna know what I got? Allergy meds, a steroid shot, steroids in pill form and an antibiotic. That is what I call treatment.

I almost hope that I have to go back in a few days so that I can prove their diagnosis was ridiculous. Almost. I just want to feel better.

Love/Hate Relationships

We all have them. We can have a love/hate relationship with just about anything, really. Cars, TVs, computers, the internet, any form of technology, doctors, working out, insurance companies, etc. Today, I got to fully experience my love/hate relationship with TriCare. What fun!

Yesterday, I received a bill in the mail from the doctor I saw about my knee in July. Before that, I got one of those lovely TriCare summary things. Both of them showed I owe about $70 for the visit. Now, I have two problems with this:

1. I'm on TriCare Prime. This should mean that I have ZERO copays/fees after a doctor visit.
2. Even if I were on TriCare Standard, the copay would have been about $20.

My reaction: What the h&$%?!?!?!


I attempted to contact them yesterday, but apparently they keep banker's hours. Whatever. So, I called them back first thing this morning. And, oh, you guys are going to just looooove this. 


I don't know if I mentioned this before, but the PCM that TriCare assigned me is a civilian. When I called to make the appointment with said PCM, the receptionist told me that he doesn't practice...that he's more like their office manager. Uhhh, ok.... So, I settled for seeing another physician in the same office. This is where the problem is. Now, when I talked to Ms. Sweet Lady with TriCare she said that I shouldn't have been charged because  - theoretically - they're in the same office and have the same tax ID number (used to bill TriCare/other insurances). But, the PCM they assigned me has TWO tax ID's. One he uses to bill insurance companies and then another one... The other one is the number that the doctor I actually saw used to bill TriCare.

So, the claims department argued with Ms. Sweet Lady and then she told me I'd have to file an appeal. She even asked me if I wanted to file an appeal!! Hahahaha! Are you kidding me?! Of course I want to file an appeal! I'm on TriCare freakin' Prime! The whole point of being on Prime is so that you don't have to pay anything out of pocket!!!! Once I got all the info I needed, I sat down and typed out an letter to the claims department. I copied all the info that they need and put that sucker in the mail. I said all the polite, "to whom it may concern" type crap, but what I really wanted to say was:

Dear TriCare Idiots,


Why can't you just be SMART and realize that the PCM you assigned me doesn't practice in that office? Why can't you notice that my PCM and the doctor I saw have the SAME ADDRESS? Why couldn't you just freakin' assign me a PCM that was ON POST, since that's kind of the whole point of having Prime. Why do you insist on causing me stress? Why can't you people just get your freaking act together?!

Oh, and I also changed my PCM to a doctor on post so that I don't have to deal with this BS every time I go to the doctor. Why they couldn't have just assigned me one on post in the first place, I have no idea. As a bonus, TriCare completely covered my almost $200 eye doctor bill. 'Cause it makes sense for that to happen after they say I owe $70 for a doctor visit. Yeah. I don't get it.

Thanks for listening to {er, reading} my rant. I feel much better now. =)