Hey Toby Keith, I ALSO want to put my boot in an ass.
A group of people from my insurance company sent me a letter overturning my podiatrist's request to send me to a surgeon for a consultation, determining that it was "unnecessary." Their denial letter included an explanation that never once mentioned the fusion of multiple bones in my left foot and the severe inflexibility of both of my achilles tendons, but rather focused on the "fact" that my left knee and ankle pain can be managed through an orthotics treatment. I really feel like they looked at the "reason for visit" section on my chart regarding the first day I met with my podiatrist and just went from there. YES, I made the appointment because I have left knee and ankle pain, but I wasn't going to share a huge list of joint pains just to answer a question as simple as "reason for visit." Did this group of insurance people (I bet it's one person and they do a hundred of these approvals and denials a day) talk to my doctor? No. They just looked at some notes. Did they look at my CT-scan? No, because they aren't doctors. Did they realize that walking in the condition I'm in is deteriorating my knees and hips, a problem that will greatly affect my mobility as I age? No. Can they bend their knees when they stand? Probably.
I will call today and see what I can do. Regardless of what differing opinions people have about health care coverage, hopefully we can all agree that medical DECISIONS should be left in the hands of trained medical professionals.