The pharmacy called to say my meds were ready three days after I picked them up

Had my QME exam last month and the doctor's office promised records in 10 business days. It took 38. By the time I got copies, my adjuster had already closed my claim based on a "missing information" loophole. Anyone else waiting a month just for paperwork?

2 comments

2 Comments

wadecooper21h ago

Well, is it possible the system actually worked as intended? Doctors' offices are swamped, and if they promised a 10-day turnaround, that was probably just a rough estimate. In my experience, most medical records take 30 to 45 days, so 38 days is actually on the fast end of normal. Your adjuster likely has deadlines too, and if they didn't get the paperwork on time, closing the claim might have been the only legal option they had. I've been through this a few times, and I've learned to always call and verify deadlines with both the doctor and the insurance company upfront, not just assume everything will be smooth.

samwalker18h ago

Yeah, but doesn't that kind of assume the system is broken from the start? I mean, I get that doctors are swamped, but if they can't hit a 10 day estimate, they probably shouldn't be giving it out. I actually read a piece in Consumer Reports a few months back that talked about how most medical records requests are way behind, like you said, so it's a known problem. The thing that gets me is, both sides the insurance and the doctor's office are pointing fingers, and the patient is stuck in the middle. @wadecooper, you're right that people need to call and check on timelines, but I think the burden shouldn't always fall on the person who's already dealing with an injury or loss. It's tough to be chasing down records and deadlines when you're already stressed out.