Monday, January 11, 2010

Can Medicare Make ME Crazy?


I've moved. You know that. The new office is terrific, shabby chic walls and all.
So I'm working on the whole change-of-address thing. I've notified the post office, the bank, sent a zillion notices out. I've notified my malpractice insurance agent so many times that he called to tell me he changed my address weeks ago and I keep notifying him. I called the Controlled Dangerous Substance folks in my state. It costs $50 to notify them of a change of address. What gives with that. And the DEA...no forms, I tried emailing, I guess I'll send a real letter. The hospital gave me a local number, but it's out of service.
And Medicare: have I mentioned the 221 downloadable forms and how to change your address you have to fill out the 27 page enrollment form? I did? I guess I did.
Did I mention that I'm a non-participating Medicare provider? I don't want to 'enroll.' I finally tackled the form, figuring it would have a box at the end where I could check off that I'm not a participating provider....since I have not 'opted out' ...I'm actually participating by not participating. Try explaining this all to a distressed patient.

I surrender. Tomorrow, I'll try calling. I will no longer be blogging. I anticipate the next year of my life will be on hold.

If you have any answers, by all means....

6 comments:

Midwife with a Knife said...

The DEA has a website you can submit the change of address to. The URL is: https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/webforms/jsp/regapps/common/updateLogin.jsp

Oh, I don't think that's going to be cut 'n pasteable. I should email it to you at the my three shrinks address

Midwife with a Knife said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Catherine said...

What is the difference between being a participating medicare provider and a non-participating one? I thought that those terms would be exclusive of one another.

Dinah said...

Thanks MWAK!
The DEA site wants my tracking or control number. It says it's required but doesn't say how to get one.

Midwife with a Knife said...

dinah: the number is your DEA number. :)

Scream said...

Oh but the good new is that Medicare will pay 55% towards psychiatrist visits in 2010 and 2011. Funny how medicare and get away with breaking the new mental health parity laws by taking years to phase it in.

Not that it matters. Most shrinks are too greedy to take Medicare.