Would you like some cheese with that whine...

Sorry, bear with me... I need to whine for a bit.

For those reading that actually follow this blog on a regular basis, you know two things. One, I have started Tuesdays as the Jack quote of the week. Two, I am actively looking for a new job/profession. In honor of those two things, I am going to do a quote today but not one involving Jack. One involving the absolute idiocy of my job lately.

Phone message: Please call Dr X at insurance company

So I call, get placed on hold for 7 minutes as they have to find Dr X since he has stepped away from his desk.

Dr X: Patient Y is under your care in the hospital?
Me: Yes
Dr X: Why are they still in the hospital?
Me: Well, she was admitted for emphysema worsening and isn't getting better. There's no air moving through her lungs and her oxygen levels are dangerously low off oxygen.
Dr X: Well, are you giving her antibiotics by IV or her steroid by IV?
Me: No, I switched them to by mouth since the studies recently have shown that it's the same efficacy by mouth and I thought I would save the insurance company money since the oral medicines are cheaper.
Dr X: Well, since there are no IV antibiotics or IV steroids, she no longer meets qualifications for inpatient stay. Don't get me wrong (and the following is a direct quote), I wouldn't discharge her either but we can't pay for her stay since she doesn't meet criteria. You can always go appeal our denial.
Me: Honestly, I have appealed a few denials and the decision has never been reversed.
Dr X: Yeah, we don't commonly reverse our decisions.
Me: Well, have a good day.

In an ideal world, this conversation wouldn't happen. I could just say that a patient needs to be admitted to the hospital and isn't ready for discharge and then can paid to help make them better. But this isn't an ideal world. So what I'm asking for is a realistic world. Just save me the 15 minute conversation, don't call me and just deny the admission, and don't even offer an appeal process.