It's been a crazy couple days....

Yes, it really has! Work has been really busy - must have been a full moon recently for we have received so many expedited requests - which I don't really mind them anymore, but they are so much more time consuming than our regular standard requests. I've gotten to where, when I fax the request back to the provider, I tell them that according to medicare guidelines, an expedited request is only when it is life-threatening or will cause loss of life or limb if they do not get the authorization within 72 hours. Yeah, that is the reason most offices will use the expedite box. They will check it because, 1) they want to get the request off their desk and although the appointment may not be until next months, they will mark it expedited. Or, 2) "they mark all their requests expedited" - even for CONTINUED home health visits, etc. or any more reason you want to come up with. With expedited requests we have to review and respond to the provider AND the member within 72 hours. That means I have to call the member and verbally give them, or their power of attorney, the approval or denial (after our nurse and/or medical director have reviewed the clinicals that are SUPPOSED to be attached to the request) within that 72 hours. The entire thing has to be completed AND notification made. AND if I can not get ahold of the member or the power of attorney, I have to then send the letter out Federal Express Overnight Priority delivery. However, if they send the request in as a standard request, then we have 14 days in which to respond - and currently we are running 5-9 days in getting these completed. Occasionally there may be a 10 day or even a 12 day - but at day 10 I can still send regular US Postal Service. But - oh well, it's all in a day's work!

Today was crazy as well. Well, yesterday started it when my youngest went to the hospital with chest pains. We went up to see him last night and he was seemingly doing better. This morning I called him on my way to work - was almost to work 21 miles away - and he tells me that he is having a procedure done this morning at 9AM. So - when my director got to the office I requested time off - and I headed back to Phoenix and met up with hubby and we headed to the hospital. The procedure went well and the doctor was pleased with the results. And all that is for another day.

I finished up the day working from home. I'm so used to having two large screens at work - and trying to do my work off of one small laptop screen left a lot to be desired. However, I did get it all completed, although I am short some hours. That's ok - I was where I needed to be.

We cancelled our classes last night so that we could go to the hospital - and cancelled tonight because we weren't sure when he would be discharged and if he was still there we would go back up. However, he did get out a little bit ago so it worked out well.

So hubby and I went out to dinner. Tried Macayo's again - hadn't eaten there in years - and really enjoyed it. Getting there early evening helped with crowd noise that is always there. Food was absolutely wonderful - I had the Sonoran sampler and hubby had the Baja quesadilla. Both were good.

I think back on the goodness of God and how He answers our prayers. I didn't know hubby had put the son on the prayer chain at church. I know I had other people praying for him in some of the classes at church. The doctors didn't know what to think (with them not thinking how God answers prayer) as they could not find anything wrong with our son. Well, duh. Don't they know that God answered and removed anything that could cause a problem for him? I truly believe that God heard all the prayers on our son's behalf and answered. I praise God for answering and removing any problems.

I've sat and stared at this computer enough today my hubby says so guess I will get off and go watch another screen with him. It's time to start unwinding tonight. Back to the drive tomorrow and down to the office.

Hope that your week is going well and you are leaning into our Father for all your needs.

Blessings!