[melodyl]

My surgeon and I had to appeal my case twice before getting approval. I had 3 level (Prodisc C). Insurance agreed to pay for hospital, surgeon and one implant. We are still negotiating who is going to pay for 2 of the implants. Dr. Jens Chapman from University of Washington Medical Center was amazingly helpful. He wrote letters of appeal on my behalf and encouraged me to not give up. I came close to going to Germany and/or paying for the surgery myself here in the U.S. Either of those choices would have meant cashing in our retirement or refinancing our home. It took a lot of time and energy to get the insurance company to agree to pay for anything. I felt like I had a second job! I talked to and emailed my H.R. department, staff attorneys with the attorney general's office, and anyone else I thought might be able to help me. In the end it paid off, but there were many months that it seemed like my efforts were futile.