Dr. Elisabeth Potter, a plastic surgeon specializing in breast cancer reconstruction, was forced to stop a surgery to answer a call from the patient's insurance company, UnitedHealthcare. The call, which requested information regarding the patient's diagnosis and the need for inpatient surgery, highlighted the frustrating realities of healthcare costs and insurance complexities.
A surgeon in Austin, Texas, Dr. Elisabeth Potter, found herself in an unprecedented situation during a recent surgery. While performing two bilateral DIEP flap surgeries and two bilateral tissue expander surgeries, Dr. Potter, a board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in breast cancer reconstruction, was interrupted by a nurse supervisor. A call had come in from United Health care, the patient's insurance provider. The nurse informed Dr.
Potter that the insurance company needed to speak with her urgently regarding the patient. While Dr. Potter was in the midst of surgery, the nurse who took the call wrote a note detailing the contact information for UnitedHealthcare and passed it to Dr. Potter in the operating room. Dr. Potter, deeply concerned that the insurance company might deny the patient's service, made the difficult decision to temporarily halt the surgery to return the call. She explained that she was 'scared' the patient would wake up to learn that their surgery had been deemed ineligible for coverage, potentially leaving them with overwhelming medical bills. Dr. Potter had previously encountered patients facing exorbitant bills due to insurance denials. She stated to Fox News Digital, 'Dealing with insurance is a really important part of taking care of patients affected by breast cancer, because the diagnosis is financially devastating.' \On the phone with UnitedHealthcare, Dr. Potter learned that they required the patient's diagnosis and justification for the inpatient stay, information that she had already provided. She expressed her frustration at the fact that the insurance company representative seemed to lack access to the patient's full medical information, despite the procedure already being pre-approved. Dr. Potter believes that the representative was solely focused on financial aspects and failed to grasp the direct impact their actions had on the patients under her care. She emphasized, 'I’m not sure that person even understood that they had an impact on those patients I was operating on. They were just thinking about money and numbers and were not understanding at all.' \Dr. Potter concluded, stating, 'It’s beyond frustrating and, frankly, unacceptable.' She reiterated that while she would not have interrupted a critical moment in the surgery, she felt it was essential to address the insurance company's concerns and protect her patient's best interests. She emphasized her commitment to her patients' well-being and her dedication to navigating the complex world of healthcare insurance
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