Deaf Oppression– Medicine in Philadelphia

Today, I called Keystone 65 and talked with Jim in customer service. When I first told him I needed to talk with someone about interpreting services, he asked me what I meant by interpreting services. To be expected– most people wouldn’t know if someone called them out of the blue. Jim spent a lot of time researching this, I was on hold for about 20 minutes while he found someone, Yvonne, to answer my questions. The result of this is:

• Yes, Keystone 65 pays for the interpreter
• The patient makes the request themselves at least two weeks in advance after they make the appointment with a doctor
• And I have a phone number to call member services and request the interpreter: 1-800-645-3965.

I’ve never seen a situation where the patient calls the insurance company to request the interpreter, but so it goes. I haven’t decided if I like it or think it’s a good idea or not. Have to give that some consideration. It does seem to be complicated, though. Here’s part of the transcript (through a IP-Relay service):

Me: I’d assume the doctor’s office must make the request ga   

Yvonne (Keystone 65):  no…thats something that member servies request for her, it goes to our outlets department to verify and then it goes through a process and then it get re authorized from there, if it gets reauthorized then it means it got approved

Me: this seems really strange to me I’ve always had the doctors office make the request. ok, so I just pick a doctor and make the request then, they don’t have any say so? ga

Yvonne (Keystone 65): as long as you’re going to a praticipationg provider, then that shouldnt be a problem, member services wouldnt mind apprioving your request.

So I guess my next step is to pick a doctor and just make an appointment for Betty, call to get the interpreter and show up and see how it goes.

For me, I’ve got plain Medicare, and don’t know if I can get Medicare to pay for an interpreter for me, or if the doctor has to do it. For me, I would have to get the doctor to make the request– I can’t get an interpreter then show up and expect the doctor to pay. Whoever is paying (or being reimbursed as I expect it is with Medicare) needs to arrange for the interpreter.

Sigh, more phone calls. I did ask if I could arrange for an interpreter online and was told no, had to call member services.

My next dilemma– do I make an appointment for Betty with one of the doctors who have ignored my faxes? Or do I just make an appointment with someone I haven’t contacted and hope for the best? If I choose to bypass those that have ignored me, then I’ll give them the impression that if they ignore the problem of deaf people, we will go away. I don’t want to reinforce that idea. But I really don’t want to go to a doctor who doesn’t want me.

I get “Life Extension” magazine (I am a member and buy products from them). In the Dec 2007 issue is a review of a book called Sick Girl by Amy Silverstein. In the interview she stated, “Doctors are only human and can make mistakes; they can like you or dislike you , and this can affect your treatment and care.” I agree and that’s why I don’t want to go to a doctor who ignores me. But I sure don’t want them to think they can get away with it. What to do?