[steve55]

Well, it looks like I'm finally going to be on my way! Mark jumped in and re-kick started things with dr Regan's insurance precert person. I had waited 2 weeks with no satisfactory updates and I begged mark to intervene to see why they are taking so long and not providing any ETA either. After mark called her, lo and behold suddenly things started happening again. The precert lady said that humana had lost her precert request as it got hung up for a week in some fax basket over at humana. ( yea, whatever), I'm thinking, even if this is completely true, if she was following up properly, we could have corrected this a long time ago. If I wasn't in so much discomfort and experiencing numbing hands, I wouldn't be so impatient. Mark thinks he didn't do anything special except ask her what was taking so long, but still, he got this thing moving again. Since mark's call a few days ago, I've made tremendous progress. I've pretty much pinned down all the costs within each division, and by golly, unless I'm being misled, it looks like dr Regan is going to truly deliver his estimate!! Possibly come in under near $9,000. If this ends up true, it will show that dr Regan has a good handle on his estimates as compared to dr bitan. Bitan's quote of $15k was only his fees. And kudos to dr Regan for not upping his estimate even after they found out that humana won't cover ADR removal costs. Personally, I think his biller was going to increase the cost cause she did mention it would cost more if insurance did not cover it, but I did tell her dr Regan personally quoted 10k Sunday night, and I bet she consulted with him about it and he probably told her to waive it. She seemed certain it was going to cost more but it never did in regards to his fees, but in is supposed to slightly increase the hospital fees. The hospital was willing to take just the 70% insurance payout but now that is expected to change a little to where I'll have a little out of pocket on that.

I'm going out on June 23rd and surgery is June 25. One problem though. I have a feeling I'm going to need c4/5 removed and fused also. I mean it's clear as day that it is also well tilted with the bottom plate sinking. Mark now is thinking the same thing after getting a closer look at my x rays I mailed him. I meet dr b Saturday night at dfw airport and I'll let him look at my x rays and take his opinion along with dr Regan's and do what needs to be done. I hope the c4/5 subsidence is within tolerable limits so I can keep that disc. I don't like the idea of fusion at such a mobile upper level. If I need 2 levels done, I've been told I'll have to fly back home and wait again for new precertifications (ughhh). Anyways, I'm still working full time and just dealing with the pain. It's really draining the life out of me same as preop, super hard to get out of bed. Weekends I just lay in bed all day mostly. Hands usually 30% numb too. I'm not in good shape at all, but at least I'm able to work still. I need the $$$.