I just don't get it doc?
A part of my back was crushed in a military incident back in my 20's. Considering my age and physical fitness i healed up quickly and marched on with that bone pain as just a part of daily life. 20 years later that damage developed arthritis and in turn nerve and muscle spasms ensued forcing me to begin taking heavy Rx narcotics in hopes to regain some mobility. My medical history is well documented with multiple MRIs showing it's progression. I no longer use Rx narcotics and that is also a documented part of my current medical history.
So if I have this legitimate medically documented need, how can the government hold me criminally responsible for the behavior of some doctor I am forced to pay as part of LARA's many MMMA mandates. Is there even any due diligence a patient can take to protect them from such miscarriages of justice?
You shouldn't have much of a problem proving your case if questioned. If you went to a mill it might be questioned. If there is a problem, have your attorney contact me and I'll see what I can do to help (I get a surprising number of calls from attorneys that realize they have a problem based on the certification).
I've put this information out before but since you asked, I'll do it again. Check your clinic first. Do they name the doctor or will they tell you who the doctor is? Easy enough to look up their license. One internet clinic operating in Gaylord recently had a doctor whose licensed lapsed signing certs for another 4 MONTHS- all of which were rejected. The patients were told they had 21 days to see the doctor in Southfield in person (a 5-6 hour drive) or they were on their own. We recertified them for a massively reduced price in Gaylord to help those patients out. Second, look at the clinic itself. Does it require records, do you meet with the doctor, is it an office visit or the DMV run them through type marketing operation? Do they have a real office? Do they offer and EXPECT you to follow up?
Recently we had an operation come to TC offering $69 certs (600 patients took them up because it was so cheap). Once you got there, records were optional, and there was an additional, unannounced, charge of $39 to pre pay for an appointment in Flint (also 5 hours away) in 6 months if you wanted your certification to be 'bona fide'. Not only was this hidden cost bad marketing, to expect a patient to make a 10 hour round trip to Flint was designed not to protect the patient, but to allow the clinic to claim 'well they had an appointment but didn't show' to protect THEM if they were investigated. The patient got no protection.
Above all, use some common sense. If it looks shady, or like they are just out for your money and don't care about your documents, especially if it takes place in a hotel or convention with no LOCAL fixed office, buyer beware. We do outreach clinics such as this one in Petoskey, but they are based out of our regular offices in Gaylord and Traverse City, where free follow up is offered and encouraged. We require records, I see the patient (sometimes a nurse will help with the renewals but I am participating as well) and I stand behind each and every patient with a free section 8 expert witness if one is needed.
And I have NEVER had one overturned. Including cases in a number of areas throughout the state where it came up in a trial.
Quite frankly if you go to a BS clinic, it is pretty obvious and you know that you are taking a risk. So expect if you are in trouble, and word gets out you are a patient of one of the mills, you will be challenged. And if your clinic falls short, as it did in Berrien with the marketer and the bad doc, that is the cost of a cheap certification, rather than one that costs a few dollars more but does it right.
Dr. Bob
You do know your going to hell I hope. God knows who you are repent now before its to late.
