Blue Shield of California – Denying Access to Doctor Requested CT/MRI Scans

Blue Shield of California

I don’t normally take to social media to complain or point out injustice. There are many examples of this without me adding my voice. However, Blue Shield Of California seems to be actively trying to harm my wife (through denial of access to care) and I really have no other outlet.

She needs a CT scan (ordered by a cardiologist she was referred to) and an MRI (ordered by an orthopedic surgeon she was also referred to). These are just images. They happen all day, every day. No one is asking for experimental treatment or anything that isn’t generally covered. She needs these so we can know what therapies and/or surgeries she might need to improve the quality of her life in the future.

Blue Shield Of California is just not allowing it. After weeks of asking more information from the doctors, they just state, “Not medically necessary”. She has tried the suggested physical therapies and, following that, her doctors have both decided further images are necessary. Not Blue Shield Of California though.

I haven’t seen my wife this downtrodden in the last 28 years. Blue Shield of California is causing her mental strife while also denying her access to care for her physical well being. That is a pretty vicious circle and seems entirely contrary to the idea of “health care”.

We’ve been on the phone multiple times since October, filed a grievance (still waiting for that to be squashed), and we’ve heard different stories as to why her access to care was denied each time we call in. An Independent Medical Review is the next, and last?, thing we can do.

I’m sure I’m shouting into the void and that Blue Shield of California really doesn’t care, but no one should have to deal with this. Especially when their health and, possibly, their life’s on the line.