Case Manager

[madlarjack]

I received a letter from my insurance company. They "offered" to assign me a case manager. Since the case manager works for the insurance company I am worried about using them and confiding anything to them. Has anyone had any experience using a case manager and was it helpful?

[pb909]

I would ask for further clarification - my experience:

I had one assigned to me by my employer without asking so I was confused as to why at first. I was really skeptical about providing any info thinking this was not going to be in my best interest.

I asked about it and was told it was standard and was triggered by an MRI billing. It was also stated it was to assist me as needed for any insurance related questions or issues...ie to help find the best pricing for MRI's in my area. Of course this helps them reduce expenses going forward and nothing was denied if I did not use the service.

This past calendar year I have applied for and approved for STD, applied for and now I am on LTD (my SSDI case is still pending.) So my experience was ok and it didn't "hurt" me going forward.

[22cyclist]

Mine, unfortunately didn't do much and I ended up cancelling it. Through BCBS it was all they could to do to call me and let me ask me how things were. Or, when to call the doctor. Some plans may have better ones, but mine did not. My home care,the ones rdered after rehab is excellent but separate.

Good luck!
Take care
Lisa

[msgijo]

Like Lisa, mine have been worthless. More of an aggravation than anything. They were always telling me what I should do (tell the dr every little sx when I feel that my time with them is too valuable to send them on tangents, or that this modification HAD to be made to my home to make it safer and call this or that agency for help or go to specialist if I had a hangnail ) and I was forever wondering where the money was going to come from to pay for all this. Some things you just have to learn to live with, and having lived in this body for over 50 years I think that I can decide, all by myself, what is important enough to act on.

Maybe yours will be different. It wouldn't hurt to give them a try, but I wouldn't expect much.

[madlarjack]

Thank you

Thanks for the responses. I didn't think they would offer a lot. I have BCBS and they have been great to work with so far. I think I am just going to say "thanks, but no thanks" to this offer.

[Cat Mom]

I had the exact opposite of everyone. i returned to work on modified duties and hours after my 1st flare, my insurance sent a lady to my desk to modify my work space and showed me a multitude of gadgets that would greatly have assisted my very limited vision in the only eye I can see out of.

Unfortunately my next flare (2007) happened soon after that visit and I haven't worked since so never got to use them.

10 years later I still have her. She walks me through paperwork, plus the paperwork that doesn't have anything to do with insurance (like CPP, the Canadian version of SSDI),

Having said all that I am fully aware that the main role of the insurance co. is to get me off insurance, but she knows the severity of my ms so she walks me through this.

I'm so sorry that you are having these issues but I thought I'd add a positive experience. Good luck and hope things go smoothly.
Jen