4 months, Well Almost

I see the ortho next wednesday, I am kinda excited for that...wierd but progress is progress. In terms of the insurance/paying for the surgery...I enlisted my employer into the process too. After getting the standard "your insurance contract provided from your employer doesn't include coverage blah, blah, blah" I ran the issues I was having with my boss. She is super cool, and I know will help me in some kind of way! Needless to say though, I also need to hunker down for "Plan B" which is selling off assets, my beloved garden tractor. I don't use it too much, and it seems that this would be more important to do then having it just sit around like large, expensive yard art!
On other fronts, OMG, because I am sooooo curious about the process of this surgery, I found myself watching a timelapsed video of a Lefort I procedure...SHIT THAT'S SOME CRAZY STUFF! That is really all I can say. Funny though, it did not bother me as much as maybe it should. But for now, that is all I am going to watch of the live surgery (I will stick to the animated videos thank you!) I really think that being in the "orthognathic blog" community helps my realize the anxiety I have around the surgery (all though it still worries me that everyone's first words in their day 1 Post Op blog is "I am alive"!!!!!!) It seems that being alive should just be a given, but it's not. But, just seeing that old and young all make it through this with pretty predictiable results is comforting. I really enjoy the company!

Have a wonderful week!
Brent

The Big FU

So, my week has been roughed up by the stupid insurance company. I called early on Monday, because I got yet another letter from them that did not contain any further clarity then the others. I got someone on the phone and she essentially said tuff, tuff coco puff. Saturday, I got the letter explaining in more detail why they exclude it from coverage, except for a whopping $1000.00. Well, that may pay for the anesthesiologist! All that being said, I know I am on an up hill fight with the odds stacked way against me, so I got my employer involved. The insurance company keeps saying that this is what your employer has provided and to go to them to modify the policy. Which, by the way, is nearly impossible for a mid-size company like ours. Needless to say, my boss said she will work on it and do the best she can. In the mean time, I need to keep planing for the next step of getting enough money together to take care of the surgery, ug and booo. It just seems wrong to spend so much money on something that will be so uncomfortable for so long. HMMMMM, I just got to keep saying to myself that this is the healthiest choice for my future.

GOODnews is that in the Pacific Northwest it is really hot and we have air conditioning! And, even though I have been without my truck and having to ride my motorcycle for two weeks (because my truck is in the shop having the engine replace) my extended warranty will pay the entire bill for the engine replacement and car rental for 4 days! Sweet!

Okay, that is it for this week. I see the orthodontics in 2 weeks and will begin to work on further surgery quotes, without insurance.

Brent

Insurance Update

Shortly after I wrote this letter I got a call from my surgeon's staff saying that the insurance commissioner needed more information; they forwarded on to me additional forms to complete and mail off - so I did. Then shortly after that, I got a call from the insurance company (only because they had to contact me by law) saying they received my letter and that I would receive a letter from them soon. Today, I check the mail box and got a letter from the them saying that they will approve the surgery subject to the limitations of the contract...which good news, but still does not tell me much. The difference between this letter and the last letter is that it includes approval for the hospital, but again does not tell me how much they will cover. I will follow up with them on Monday to get more clarification. I don't think this is a response to my complaint to the commish because it makes no mention about that. In the mean time, I have been working on the hospital coordination for my surgery. I know that I can go to a surgeon that has a "surgery package" but I am working with the surgeon that my ortho suggested (which by the way did the same procedure on his wife this year) and he does not have that kind of arrangement. So, I find myself in the midst of booking the hospital and anesthesiologist and thinking to myself that this is wierd. Although it does allow me to interview each of the people that will be working on me, but I wish at times that someone would just do it all for me. I know this option is available to me, and I may pull the trigger on that if I get too far in the weeds of confusion.
On other fronts, I am very grateful to the encouragement from my wonderful wife, she is the BEST! I think my bite has actually gotten worse with the braces on, only because the repositioning of the teeth. When I first started, I measured the distance between my bite and it was about 3mm and it probably is 4mm now. Flossing is just annoying because of the threading of floss between the braces. I go for my next adjustment on Aug 25, I can't belive how fast time goes by!