flying my freak flag

Do you have things that just drive you crazy for no other reason than it's just a quirk of your personality? I'm not sure what it is with me but this week I'm flying my freak flag and it's flying high and waving all over the darn place.

photo attribution

It could very well be I have problems with authority figures or want my way or it could just be I'm getting bitchy in my old age.

Anyway I did all this research to find a Dermatologist that takes my insurance plan, it's not all that easy and sometimes when choosing a specialist I might have to drive as many as 60-100 miles to stay {in network}. So I find this doctor 42 miles from my house at this point I'm doing a happy dance. I looked up his credentials and so on and call his office to confirm he's on my plan and make an appointment.

I still have that rash under my arm {7weeks or more} and I want him to take a look at the area around my healed MRSA wound; the skin surrounding the scar tissue is hyper-pigmented and I wanted an opinion on if it needed treatment or if the discoloration will fade with time. Let me just say that these two issues were treated previously by two different doctors, rash by my internist, wound by my wound doctor.

I dial the phone and the receptionist answers the phone the conversation goes something like this...

"Him my name is Jen, is Dr. Blah Blah Blah taking on new patients?"

"Are you insured, what kind of insurance do you have?"
Now I'm thinking to myself I guess that means he's taking new patients but a hello would have been nice so I play along....


So mentioned the company.
She clarified a few more questions about my insurance then went on.....


"So what's the problem you'll be seeing the doctor for?"
I told her about my arm pit rash and my skin surrounding the scar, then she says to me....


"We require your doctor(s) send over a referral and we get you an appointment."

OK hold the phone.....my insurance doesn't require referrals to see a specialist.What if i have a reason that I don't want to share the fact that I'm seeing a dermatologist with either of these two doctors, that's certainly my prerogative? Then my next thought was, doctors don't do anything for free anymore or over the phone! Will i have to pay- make an appointment in order to get this referral that isn't even required?


Or what if I was a person who didn't have a regular doctor?


I spent a lot of money with my wound treatment last year....I'm still getting bills eight months later.  In addition, my former wound doctor is a hospitalist he doesn't even have an office- the hospital is his office and we all know their rates! 


Ridiculous, this whole that's what this whole thing is is becoming. All I want is a freakin appointment, I'm not a circus clown jumping thru hoops...so we continue to converse. I go on to tell her, "I've had this insurance for 30+ years and have never been required to do this before, may I ask why?"

"It's the doctor's preference and it's his personal rule" the receptionist tells me.

So I say, "I'm a 52 year old woman I believe I am capable of making the decision as to whether I need to see a dermatologist without another doctors evaluation, permission, knowledge or referral, rolling my eyes."
I'm glad she couldn't see me because I was being a tad disrespectful with my facial expressions!

She then says to me, "if you want to see Dr Blah Blah Blah the referral  is required"

Then I told her with a sigh, "With all due respect I think this rule is unnecessary and may even cause me to incur an unnecessary expense  I believe I'd rather find another doctor, thanks but no thanks."

Now I'm annoyed! This type of crap bothers me to no end.

I then hang up my phone so I can  hoist my freak flag a bit higher and started looking for another doctor!

Do you have quirky things that just really annoy you more than they should?

When was the last time you flew your freak flag?

Linking up with Shell today.
Thanks Shell....