Special Needs and Medical Insurance Bureaucracy. Ain't Nobody got time for that?!

It goes without saying that being a parent of children that have special needs, comes with a little bit of chaos, a whole lot of love and quite a bit of patience. And for the most part we try to simplify things as we know that just trying to get out the front door is a bit of circus. But when it comes to the services and medical support our children need, there is no skipping on the necessity of having things done that is helpful for us and our children. Most of us don't ask a lot. Just that places are respectful to our children's needs.

It has gotten lately that our children are not seen as persons, but numbers. Whether it be clinical numbers or insurance numbers. Our children's livelihood are now at the hands of big time medical groups and insurance. It makes me wonder, just how much is my child's life and it's complications are worth? Again, I am nothing more than a lowly military special needs blogger who puts out personal stories of my life and my children's. But nothing hits home more when you know your child is being discussed as number, instead of their person. I get that these places need to make their revenue. But at what cost?

Ever since my daughter was diagnosed with Autism, some six years ago, it has been quite clear to me, that no matter how hard I have to fight in the medical insurance arena, she is still just a number. That point was driven home like a stake to my heart, when my son was diagnosed with a genetic disorder. Being told that certain aspects of his care are not covered. Now I get that with Tricare, there is red tape everywhere on things, especially with genetics and behavioral services for some reason. But I would love to know who at any of these insurance companies just sits back to figure out what is covered and what is not. But all this BS does not make things simpler for us who already have a somewhat chaotic life.

Most of these people who work for these companies have never once had to face the harsh realities that most of us, families have had to. And I am willing to bet that if even one thing they need in order to survive is denied, there will be hell to pay. Never will they have to go through a day making phone calls after phone calls trying to get a damn authorization code on a referral for an appointment their child has in less than 24 hours. Or even have to argue with staff who treat you like the number you are given over co pays or even worse, be told that since your insurance didn't get back to us, this appointment for this specialist, that you have been waiting for, for months, is now going to be out of pocket. And you MIGHT, might be reimbursed for the cost. So despite being the care-taker for a person who has special needs, who has time for that? The answer is no one. Because by the time you have gotten to your appointment with your child, you are so damn exhausted you have reached your limit of being nice. Being calm. The sad part is, is that most of these big time medical centres have a department for just insurance. That is all they do.. claims. And the insurance companies have a department that just deals with referrals. Now if you, yourself can pick up the phone and call someone about a referral, what can't the people who are paid to do just that, do the same? Simple right?

I, for one, am tired of the medical bureaucracy. I am tired of the amount of bullshit to get something very simple done in regards to my children. Something has got to give. I am very thankful that once I get past all of this bureaucratic bullshit, medically my children are supported. But to get through to the other side of this wall? Well Ain't Nobody got time for that. We just want to see our children get the medical services they need in order to survive.