I was diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis out of state and upon returning to the Gainesville area I was refered to Dr. McMillan thru my physician. Dr. McMillan agreed with the diagnosis and told me when I am ready that he would perform ACDF ON multiple levels. Until then he suggested cervical epidural and Pt to manage the pain. I had good success with the epidural prior to seeing him.
So he put in an order to have the epidural series with my insurances..(note I have BCBS platnium plan, I have great insurance, ) my insurance requested proof of pt, and a peer to peer with the Dr. with also information that I had relief with prior epidurals. My insurance company called Dr. McMillan on 5 occasions and either got an answer machine, or left a message for the Dr. to call. When I contacted the Dr. office, I was treated rudely, I was scolded for calling. I was passed around the office, and no one seemed able to help. I was hung up on. One girl said " this ain't my job, I don't know who you have to talk to". This went on for over 35 days. Mind you I was in pain. I finally got another appointment to see Dr. McMillan, surely he would be concerned with the way I was being treated by his staff. He wasn't. I told him my insurance co needed to speak to him to approve epidural, he said " um, yeah, I am not doing that"...."you need to change insurance companies"....."but we will put in another order for a cervical epidural, maybe they will get tired of asking".....One week later my insurance co contacted my, they denied Dr McMillan's request for a LUMBAR EPIDURAL... Said there's no documentation supporting any LUMBAR issues.
I have never been treated so poorly or so rudely by a Dr. office. The staff will cut you off mid sentence, talk over you and be-little you. They had no concern for my health at all. They flat out lied to me several times. 8 out of 10 times when you call you get an answer machine, and NO One will call you back. Requesting the wrong procedure was the last straw, what if he performed the wrong surgury?
Anyway I got a referral to another Neurosurgeon, and with in 2 weeks had ACDF on multiple levels and had no issues with my insurance. read more