Another Reader
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2013
- Messages
- 3,413
Unlike the "lucky" folks I read about here that had COVID and suffered no after effects, I'm a "long haul" patient. I have a number of neurological sequlae that make it impossible to function normally.
I'm also on Medicare and I'm finding that unless you are hospitalized and a stroke is suspected, it's almost impossible to get a neurologist or any other doctor to order any meaningful tests. A brief look at Medicare billing and coding looks like there are few if any relevant diagnoses that support ordering MRI's/CT's or EEG's.
The annoying aspect of this is that the doctors (neurologists) are evasive and say the tests are not really necessary. That's garbage. Younger people with employer or ACA policies and neurological problems are getting these tests. Damage is being detected and treatment offered. So far, I have been offered a sleep study by both Stanford and Sutter/PAMF. Apparently, Medicare pays well for these studies, so there is motivation to offer them.
Can MSBC or someone else familiar with Medicare explain how this works and how to get these tests approved? Are there patient advocates that for a fee will negotiate with the medical bureaucracy to get these tests done?
I'm also on Medicare and I'm finding that unless you are hospitalized and a stroke is suspected, it's almost impossible to get a neurologist or any other doctor to order any meaningful tests. A brief look at Medicare billing and coding looks like there are few if any relevant diagnoses that support ordering MRI's/CT's or EEG's.
The annoying aspect of this is that the doctors (neurologists) are evasive and say the tests are not really necessary. That's garbage. Younger people with employer or ACA policies and neurological problems are getting these tests. Damage is being detected and treatment offered. So far, I have been offered a sleep study by both Stanford and Sutter/PAMF. Apparently, Medicare pays well for these studies, so there is motivation to offer them.
Can MSBC or someone else familiar with Medicare explain how this works and how to get these tests approved? Are there patient advocates that for a fee will negotiate with the medical bureaucracy to get these tests done?