Overview
The financial impact of having a child with a chronic illness, such as a rheumatic disease, can be large. The direct medical costs for professional services, e.g., doctor fees, occupational and physical therapy fees, lab tests, medications and hospitalizations, can be quite high. Usually, these may be well covered by a family's health insurance plan.
Before your first visit to the Division of Rheumatology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, the social worker checked with your insurance company about your benefits.
Sometimes referrals are needed from your primary care doctor to see one of our rheumatologists. Referrals may also be necessary to see other specialists or providers (OT, PT, psychologist, etc.). It will be important to keep referrals up-to-date. You may it helpful to keep track of referrals and the time period that they cover.
In order to decrease problems with your reimbursement (pay-back), it is always helpful to check on coverage before services occur. The social worker can help with this. It is often necessary to get prior authorization (permission) from the insurance company for things like OT, PT, equipment, special tests or certain drugs. Again, check with the social worker. They can help with this.
For more information about the William S. Rowe Division of Rheumatology at Cincinnati Children's, please contact 513-636-4676.
