Appealing Insurance Claims with Kindness and Education
/here's the deal: humana doesn't like to recognize my previously existing condition of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and has not fufilled their end of the bargain in my insurance contract. Because of this, I am having to appeal and appeal and appeal every claim that they refuse to pay. Instead of getting upset and heated, I am trying a different approach: kindness and education.
This is step one in what I know will be a LONG and tedious process. I guess I'm sharing in hopes that YOU may find solace that your not alone in the appeals, that insurance companies may actually treat the insured like humans, and that you can take my letter and write your own from it.
To Whom It May Concern at Humana Healthcare,
My name is Meghan Hill, and I am a 30 year old female who has been diagnosed with a condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes. hEDS is a collection of hereditary syndromes affecting connective tissue. In EDS, a basic building block of the body- collagen- is improperly formed, causing problems throughout the body. Despite this fundamental defect in structure, people with EDS usually appear to be normal and healthy. Each Type of EDS has a large collection of symptoms which vary widely from mild to severely disabling, and is sometimes fatal. I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes Type 3 at The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN three and a half years ago. Since then, I have been trying to get adequate care for my symptoms without any help.
EDS is multi systemic. The faulty collagen structure leads to fragile tissue and body-wide dysfunction. Possible symptoms include but are not limited to:
*Musculoskeletal System: Unstable joints, full and partial dislocations can cause sprains, tendionpathies, muscle tears, trapped and stretched nerves, and acute and chronic pain.
Cardiac/Autonomic Nervous System (ANS): Problems regulating heart rate , rhythm, or blood pressure; lightheadedness, fainting upon standing. Symptoms may resemble anxiety.
Digestive System: GERD, gastroparesis, IBS.
Central Nervous System: Headache, dysautonomia. Can be affected by instability in neck, skull/spine juncture.
Other: fatigue, pain, sleep dysfunction, pelvic organ prolapse, hernias, fragile skin, slow healing, easy brushing, poor local anesthetic effect. sometimes blood vellsel or hollow organ rupture.