6 months post op- still in pain, Please help

[ajspine]

Maria,
Thank you for responding. I can pay out of pocket and my Dr. is trying to get me a referral but I need it to cover my visits like insurance. Why? Because the pain clinics up here will only take you with a referral(which I am getting) but unless you have insurance the Drs. will not right Rx's. So, I asked, "you mean if I pay cash all he will do for me(Even with my records and MRI's) is provide me with expensive injections that I don't need and am allergic too?"
The response, "We might be able to do something for you with your records but we cannot guarantee that he will give you your meds".
Why???? Why, when I have a medical file 3 inches thick? Why does it matter if I pay you cash or have a voucher from the VA? With cash, no meds. With Insurance, sure we can write you a script. It seems to me that most of these clinics only want to provide expensive injections. I understand that these help some people, but not me. I was in a good therapy, and everything was fine(At least until surgery again) and now this. This doesn't make any sense to me. Now I am sick and in pain waiting for my doctor to get back to me(he was out today).
I live in WI, so closer to Canada and if I could I would go over there. But I signed a Pain contract and I have held up my end of the deal. I expect the VA to hold up theirs or I WILL be contacting my congressman/woman. This is ridiculous. Thank you so much for your response.

AJ

[Maria]

Well that's the stupidest logic ever with regard to actually treating a patient for pain management. Not that I haven't been exposed to it myself as I have which is why I make a 2 hr. trip to San Diego to see a PM there that I've been seeing now since 2004. I like this guy and he will just give my scripts since WC will no longer pay for any injections (I had ESIs for near 10 years and they did help me greatly).

I can't see how someone is held to a contract when the providers aren't filling their end of the contract or the insurance isn't providing for what they should or ... whatever reason one cannot access the care even with insurance or cash that would pay~ ridiculous!

Ok anyway I do hope things will work out for you sooner than ASAP. I think you should write your congressperson anyway! Please keep us posted if you are so inclined.

Maria