Question about the QME process after my doctor got dropped from the panel

Last month I finally got my QME scheduled after waiting 6 months for my primary doctor to get approved. Then out of nowhere, the insurance company says my doctor got removed from the panel because of some paperwork mix-up. Now I'm stuck with a new QME who's 60 miles away in Bakersfield and I don't have a car that can make that drive. My adjuster told me last week I have to pick from a list of 3 doctors, but none of them are anywhere near where I live in Fresno. Has anyone else had their QME doctor dropped mid-process like this? How did you get the insurance to cover travel costs or find a closer doctor?

2 comments

2 Comments

jennifer96516d agoTop Commenter

60 miles is nothing, rent a car or take a bus like everyone else.

torres.sage16d ago

Has anyone here actually had to rely on public transit in a rural area though? I mean, 60 miles on a bus that comes twice a day and takes 3 hours because it stops in every tiny town along the way? That's not "nothing" if you don't have a car or if your job starts at 7am. Plus, renting a car costs like $80 minimum these days, plus gas and insurance. For someone working minimum wage or trying to save money, that's a whole day's pay just to get there. I'm not saying it's impossible for everyone, but calling it "nothing" kind of ignores how different people's lives actually are.