The role of insurers in direct healthcare services may be debatable but I have at least one positive personal story worth sharing. It involves a claims review, a proactive call from my insurance company to schedule a needed test, and the test done in my home at my convenience a few weeks later.

Blog readers may remember my recent reference to a bad fall and injury. I have a fractured pelvic bone. When I was discharged from the ED, they ordered follow-up visits with my PCP and an ortho physician. I did a virtual visit with my PCP the next week and scheduled the in-person ortho appointment for the week after that. At the ortho appointment the physician said I should get another bone density test. I hadn’t had one for several years. I assumed she would put in an order, and I would get a call about scheduling the test.

The day after the ortho visit, I did get a call. But is from my insurance company. They said that based on claims info, I had fallen in the past year so I should get a bone density test. I asked if that was per my ortho and they said no, it was based on the claims info. Can I vouch for the interconnection between these two conversations? No. But I knew I needed the test so continued with the call.

They then said that a tech would be in my area on September 15^th and asked if that date would work me to get a portable bone density test in my home. Well, that was a new one for me. I’ve had two of these scans in the past and they were both at outpatient facilities. You lay down on a table and the scanner goes head to toe. They said they now have a portable device that just needs to scan the bone in your forearm. I asked if this scan was as accurate, and the response was yes. So, we booked it.

The tech showed up at my house over an hour early due to a cancellation he had. I asked how long it would take since I had a work call starting in 10 minutes. He said, no problem, we’ll be done by then. He asked where he could plug in his laptop and equipment, and he got setup. While he did that we chatted, and I sent a text that I might be a little late to my call.

Once he was set up, he put a little bit of gel on a patch of my forearm about 1.5 by 3 inches (if that even). He then ran the handheld scanner over it until the device said 100% complete. He said the results would be available to my PCP in about 2 weeks and packed up. I got on my call 2 minutes late.

Proactive test scheduling from my insurer for a medically necessary test with a portable device in my home at my convenience. Doesn’t get much easier than that!