Insurance Shortfalls Create Havoc and Debt for Middle Class Family
Insurance Shortfalls and CoPays Create Havoc and over 20 Thousand Dollars in Debt for Middle Class Family. What happened to catastrophic protection?
(PRWEB) February 12, 2005 -- I am not a doctor, but I am willing to give
public testimony based on my experience below, in print and media ads
or Public Service Announcement's for difficult to diagnose cases
or risk assessed research in exchange for any charitable
assistance that can be donated that actually furthers my recovery. This has
been a profoundly difficult and personal struggle. Following is my story and a
plea for help.
I am a I'm 37 year old middle class stay at home
Mom whose been battling facial pain, ear pain, and sinus pain, and
throat pain my entire life. I quit my job when I got married almost 5
years ago because I was and am sick all the time. Because of the chronic pain,
I've also been battling depression. The antibiotics for the sinus
infections and suspected sinus infections have left the bacteria in my body
resistant to alot of common antibiotics and I generally have to resort to the
moxi-floxins or other strong anti-antibiotics which leave me battling colitis
and c. diff. at any given time. The steroids prescribed have not helped with the
depression but are really the only avenue besides straight out pain killers that
give me relief from the pain and cut the cycle of swelling that leads to the
infections. I've had at least 4 sinus surgeries and my Ear Nose and Throat
Doctor says there is really nothing more she can do and has turned her attention
to my teeth.
This is a mixed blessing because we are discovering that
there really are major issues with my teeth. The problem is that I am looking at
probably 20 thousand dollars in total dental work in root canals an implant and
the restorations needed. And this is a major hardship, since our insurance plan
Federal Blue Cross Blue Shield does not offer coverage on the services I need. I
did purchase a discount plan GE Wellness (which is a great help), but this still
represents about 10 thousand in my share of the cost. This does no include
my medical out of pocket with generally ranges from 8-10 thousand dollars per
year because I am sick all the time. Again, this is a great hardship for a
young family. If you are interested and think you may be able to help, here is
my story to date.
On January 19, 2005 I had another sinus surgery.
I've been pretty much sick with sinus pain and facial horrendous pain on my left
side of my face and ear pain on both sides since September/August 2005
which was partly a sinus infection...and partly due to problems with my
teeth.
After mega mega doses of anti-biotics and steroids (yep - moody
and fat, bouts with colitis and c. diff.), my Internal Medicine Doctor said no
more antibiotics until I see the Eat Nose and Throat again. Steroids were
really the only thing to reduce the pain anyway. So the ENT did
basically exploratory surgery and didn't see any infection... Until she was
about to finish up. She actually had to puncture through the sinus wall and into
the tooth area and found an abscess on one of my front teeth very close to where
all the nerves come into your face which actually was not showing up on any
x-rays. So she said I needed root canals because all my roots were so far up
into the sinus... Not unusual, but if they are causing pain... What are you to
do...At this point I am so miserable I can barely take care of Olivia, my two
year old. So I head up to my Mom's.
I went to two dentists including
supposedly nationally renowned endodontist in Annapolis who refused to do
anything and basically said I was crazy as he escorted me from his office. So, I
cried all the way home. I was ready to pull all my teeth and start
getting implants or dentures they hurt so bad. So a week later I finally got in
with my old endodontist and he does the root canal on one tooth and says that
will probably fix it. I said I think he needs to do more root canals on my back
teeth because I can't feel my entire palette on that side of my mouth
(and yet still have incredible pain which seems like an an oxymoron), but he
can't see anything on the xray indicating a problem. At that point, he says no
he doesn't thing he should treat the teeth..The next day I call him back at
9am and say, there is no change in the pressure, and I still
have extreme pain and think I need more treatment. The
receptionist basically doesn't know if they can get me in until like
the next week. I hung up the phone and just start crying because I don't
know how much longer I can bear the pain. Because she couldn't stand to see
me in so much pain, my mom starts calling them until she can get an
them to take me in that day. I drove the hour there and
I remain until 8pm that night waiting and doing root canals. I
cried the entire way to my mom's and then right up until I fell asleep with two
vicodins.
When I got there he didn't want to do them because it was s
still not showing up on the xrays. I began to get very upset because I am
in pain all the time and I don't know how I can bear it much longer.
I actually began crying and begging. The endodontist saw that
I was really in a bad way and agrees to do the root
canals. He opened up four teeth and they were all bad. He says in 25
years he's never seen this but once and he only did it then because the guy was
also a dentist. Both of us are actually relieved that there is something we
can treat. We can only guess that it wasn't showing up on the xray because
of all the antibiotics I took. And remember, now, because of the surgery and all
the swelling I also had/have a really nasty sinus infection which I am just
getting over now. So, basically I had surgery then a week later I had 5 root
canals all the while with a nasty sinus infection.
So 3500 dollars later,
I still need another 3-4 root canals (three molars and an upper Bicuspid -
another 3500 dollars probably) and then will need all 8-9 teeth filled or
crowned - at least another 4-5 thousand dollars, plus I have an implant that I
need to finish up. So that's my sad story, luckily I feel a somewhat better
now - I am anxious to get the rest of the dental work done so I wont' have any
more pain but at least it's bearable for now. It's overwhelming to think of all
the time in the dental chair and all the babysitting and money I'll need to
get it done.
I've been pretty sickly (almost constantly since 1998)....
And been battling depression because of being sick and the steroid
use. It has affected my life so profoundly that have started to debate
whether I should actually admit to people that I've been so sick and
that if I seem ever seem grumpy, out of sorts or standoffish that's
more than likely why. I've had three or four sinus surgeries since then, now it
turns out that it may have been my teeth the whole time? I don't know what came
first the sinuses or the teeth? (the chicken or the egg) At least, the sinus
surgery was covered by insurance.
This is my story and plea for help. I
am sorry if it seems like one big whine, but I am at a loss as to what to do. If
you think you can anyway to help, please contact me.
Very gratefully
Ann
Graves
http://www.geocities.com/gravesab/
# # #
Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/2/prweb207837.htm