In my last blog post I promised to, “highlight some of the difficulties I am facing to shine a light onto what we, at Exorbital, are trying to streamline”.
A few weeks ago, I took a pretty hard fall that sent a shocking pain up my leg. After a strenuous walk back to my car, my ankle was already swollen like a grapefruit. It was clear that I would need some medical attention. I went to the hospital where I received an X-ray. After the doctor reviewed the results, he recommended an MRI. The doctor needed a better look at the damage done. The doctors’ office worked closely with an imaging studio, so I received the MRI that same day. This brings me to my first issue: my insurance company. The insurance company would only provide coverage for the MRI if I did two things. First, I had to notify them that I am receiving the MRI at least 48 hours prior to my appointment. Second, I had to visit a location they are partnered with. This presented me with the following debacle:
‘I am in severe pain and need an MRI to figure out what treatment I will need. I can either go ahead with the MRI today, where I would have to pay four thousand dollars out of pocket but receive the help I need. Or I endure the pain, wait the 48 hours, and hope that my insurance company provides coverage for the location of their choosing.’
Since I do not have four thousand dollars laying around, I chose the second option. This option will mean a 48-hour delay before the MRI scan, meanwhile I was unaware if the new location was even supported by my insurance company. I checked their website hoping for a list of locations that would be covered. Unsurprisingly, their website was confusing by design; they hope for you to make a mistake, so that it costs more money out of your pocket. Like Nationwide, but not on your side. All in all, this process was a tedious four days of back and forth, all because I couldn’t go to my first choice. So, after days of walking around on an undiagnosed ankle, I finally got an MRI and the results. Apparently, I would need to be fitted with a boot that same day and shouldn’t have been walking around on it. Due to this I will also need surgery to repair my ankle. Now, here’s the kicker, I had to pay for the boot, out of pocket, because the doctors’ office couldn’t get verification from my insurance company, that they would pay instead. If they paid, it would take days to verify, so I would have to walk around, further damaging my ankle.
With Exorbital, these issues wouldn’t be a problem. It is completely ridiculous that neither my doctor, nor I, knew if my insurance will cover an MRI, or the boot. Healthcare should not be a shot in the dark. Exorbital will provide users with a list of insured locations, as well as initial costs before insurance, so you know what you are paying for and how much it costs, even if not insured. We plan to make the research necessary to save money in the healthcare system, easily understandable, accessible, and free.