This and That and Talk - My Transplant

Posted by Rosemary, Volunteer Mentor @rosemarya, Apr 9, 2017

As our Mayo Connect community grows, I am constantly meeting organ transplant members on a wide variety of forums with a wide range of issues that are not directly transplant specific. However, because we are all transplant recipients, we have a special connection: a unique journey and best of all - a new life! We don't always need help or advice. Many times we just want to chat with someone like us! That is my purpose in starting This and That and Talk.

Drop in and say 'Hi'. You are welcome anytime.

What do you want t to talk about? What words can you offer to someone who is on the journey? Do you have any questions for another recipient?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Transplants Support Group.

Hi @rosemarya 😊
I hope all is well! I have a curiosity question. If your PCP in Kentucky rewrites the lab work order, then the results are sent to your PCP instead of Mayo. Is that right? Does your PCP forward the results each month to Mayo for you or do you fax or portal the results each month to Mayo?

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@rosemarya

@caretakermom,
I live in Kentucky, and transplanted at Mayo Rochester. I am covered by a Commercial Medicare Advantage plan and I have always requested my PCP to re-write my lab prescriptions to my local hospital lab. Since my routine lab order is updated annually during my annual checkup, I just drop it by his office and he calls me when it is ready for pick-up. It is also good for one year and remains on file at the lab.

Are you having a problem getting your PCP to authorize the lab order?

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No, we've been using the lab orders from the ordering provider which is in Az and we live in Ca. May have to have a local provider(I'm thinking any provider can rewrite the lab as long as they're local, husband sees endocronologist regularly) to rewrite lab if our insurance does not cover the Quest lab work we are doing now. The insurance rep they can also get an exception but she is trying to find out if our plan covers blood work done at Quest in Calif, which is different of the ordering provider at Az. Quest is in-network state wide in Calif under our plan, but our insurance rep is looking into whether it's also in-network in Az, because the claim is probably billing from the Az location where the ordering physician is. Anyways, I'm waiting to hear back from our insurance about this matter and was wondering and anyone else ran into same issue!

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@amandajro

@caretakermom hello! You will notice that I have moved your post into a discussion in the transplant group that will allow you to better connect with other transplant patients. You can find your post here:
- This and That and Talk - My Transplant: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/this-and-that-and-talk-my-transpant/

Members like @hello1234 and @rosemarya may have some helpful information they can share. Have you called your insurance company to find out their specific requirements and what will be covered?

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Oh I'm so sorry. I had thought I started this discussion in the Transplant support group. Thanks for bringing it to my attention !! I've reposted in the appropriate group. Yes I have corresponded with @rosemarya and @hello1234 numerous times!!

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@caretakermom

Hi,
Those of you who got your transplant done out of state, are you required by your commercial(not Medicare) insurance company to do blood work in the same state as the ordering provider? Another words, if you get a lab order from out of state provider, do you have to have a local provider rewrite it so that it would be covered by insurance??? Just curious if this is a standard policy. Looking forward to your response.

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@caretakermom,
I live in Kentucky, and transplanted at Mayo Rochester. I am covered by a Commercial Medicare Advantage plan and I have always requested my PCP to re-write my lab prescriptions to my local hospital lab. Since my routine lab order is updated annually during my annual checkup, I just drop it by his office and he calls me when it is ready for pick-up. It is also good for one year and remains on file at the lab.

Are you having a problem getting your PCP to authorize the lab order?

REPLY
@amandajro

@caretakermom hello! You will notice that I have moved your post into a discussion in the transplant group that will allow you to better connect with other transplant patients. You can find your post here:
- This and That and Talk - My Transplant: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/this-and-that-and-talk-my-transpant/

Members like @hello1234 and @rosemarya may have some helpful information they can share. Have you called your insurance company to find out their specific requirements and what will be covered?

Jump to this post

Yes, I've asked my insurance company and they're looking into this matter. Usually our insurance requires lab work done in same state as ordering physician. But since we use Quest which is nationwide, it depends on which location Quest is billing from, ie. Arizona vs California. If it's California(where I live) Quest is in-network statewide but just not sure if it's also in-network in Az which is something our insurance has to find out. I was just wondering if anyone else here in this forum has run into same issue and if it's standard policy for insurance to require blood draw in same state as ordering provider.

REPLY
@jackiez

I live in Illinois and had my transplant at Mayo in Rochester, MN. I do my lab work in Illinois. I have United Health.

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May I ask if United Health is your primary? If it's Medicare then there is no restriction on where you can get blood work done, and there is no cross over billing for blood work!

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I live in Illinois and had my transplant at Mayo in Rochester, MN. I do my lab work in Illinois. I have United Health.

REPLY
@caretakermom

Hi,
Those of you who got your transplant done out of state, are you required by your commercial(not Medicare) insurance company to do blood work in the same state as the ordering provider? Another words, if you get a lab order from out of state provider, do you have to have a local provider rewrite it so that it would be covered by insurance??? Just curious if this is a standard policy. Looking forward to your response.

Jump to this post

@caretakermom hello! You will notice that I have moved your post into a discussion in the transplant group that will allow you to better connect with other transplant patients. You can find your post here:
- This and That and Talk - My Transplant: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/this-and-that-and-talk-my-transpant/

Members like @hello1234 and @rosemarya may have some helpful information they can share. Have you called your insurance company to find out their specific requirements and what will be covered?

REPLY

Hi,
Those of you who got your transplant done out of state, are you required by your commercial(not Medicare) insurance company to do blood work in the same state as the ordering provider? Another words, if you get a lab order from out of state provider, do you have to have a local provider rewrite it so that it would be covered by insurance??? Just curious if this is a standard policy. Looking forward to your response.

REPLY
@ckm

My husband had a liver transplant on November 15. He came back quite quickly. He’s 71.
After leaving the hospital we stayed at the Gift of Life house.
When home I ordered some fruit and veggie spray. I kept wiping tables, counter, phones, or ant surfaces. Extra careful everyday cleaning the bathrooms etc
On New Year’s Day my husband couldn’t breathe. We went to the ED in Mankato and they wanted him airlifted to Rochester. He’s still in ICU with a bacterial infection. Histoplasmosis. They are sure he had in his body before the transplant. We all do but being immune compromised started it up. His chest X-rays are still almost all white, on strong antibiotics and high flow cannula oxygen. Anyone have any experience with that? It’s still a high dose. I am wondering how long if someone reads this who is familiar and what the future may look like???

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@ckm, I have no experience with histoplasmosis. I hope that your husband is improving. I can imaging that this has been a frightening experience, especially to be transported back to Mayo so soon after transplant surgery.
How is he doing now? Is his recovery back on track?

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