One Step Closer

I got this email today from HR (I had asked them if they knew who I could contact directly a the insurance carrier to check on the status of the request, since it didn't really go through the normal channels):

(insurance company) told me that Cochlear Implants do not require prior authorizations. (insurance company) has kept your forms on file should anything change with the claim but you are ok to schedule and receive services at the in-network level.

I'm guessing that the clinic will want some kind of written confirmation that this is actually the case, since it strikes me as unusual that this wouldn't require prior authorization. I'm going to contact the surgeon's office to let them know about this, and to find out if they need anything else.

I would have thought that the insurance company could have told me this four weeks ago.

Update: 

Not really much to add tonight. I sent an email to the surgeon's office, letting them know about this. Tomorrow, I'm going to stop by HR to see if they have a copy of the new plan/benefits summary, because I'm still really surprised that they don't require prior authorization for this. (Maybe this is related to the fact that I already had an approval from our previous carrier)

I mentioned last week, they said the earliest openings for surgery are the last half of August. Aa anxious as I am to do this, at this point I wonder if it might be better to wait until after Labor Day. I'd hate to lose out that last summer weekend for sailing, water skiing, swimming, etc. because I've got a healing surgical incision. Of course, it might not really be my call.