Yesterday, I received a call from the cardiology clinic. Anesthesiology had contacted them to obtain a clearance for that upcoming, not yet scheduled, surgery.
They were reaching out to schedule an in-clinic evaluation with an actual MD. My only prior visit was with a Physician Assistant. That resulted in the referral to the electrophysiologist, and scheduling of a visit out next January with one of the doctors. Since I am trying to get a surgery scheduled, they called to see about getting me in earlier with a different, somewhat more available, doctor.
Long story short, I have an appointment on 30-October to be evaluated for that clearance. I’m fairly certain this will be a perfunctory exam, resulting in the necessary clearance being issued. My cardiac conditions are well managed. My AFib “burden” is very low, and I take a daily blood thinner to reduce stroke risk. The presence of that internal monitor provides clear data on the elements of my arrhythmia. My cholesterol is well controlled via a statin, and the aortic enlargement is minimal.
Earlier today I received a followup call from the case manager assigned to me by my insurance company. Her function is to help me navigate any issues getting the care I need. We talked for a few minutes, and I mentioned that I hadn’t heard anything about the pre-approval for the surgery. She took a moment, and confirmed that the request had been received and was being processed.
She couldn’t see more than that, but told me that as soon as a determination was made, I would receive a paper letter, and my surgeon’s office would also be notified. She said I should hear something within a few weeks on that front.
The journey continues.
An Aging Trans Woman 
Well, it is moving forward, anyway!
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👍🫂
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It completely annoys me that we are so bound by insurance……….They constantly look at cost vs benefit and our doctors see what we actually NEED. I hope all goes well for you.
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I completely agree.
And, were I a cis man needing this surgery, I wouldn’t need letters from mental health professionals, plural, to justify that. No one would be asking me about fertility preservation either. But I do what I must, because we live in the real world. 🤷♀️
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And thank you for the well wishes. Got so caught up in ranting about gate-keeping, I forgot to say that. 🫂
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