I have severe CTS and been trying to make an appointment with a Dr. Auerbach who is listed on the RSI-LA website and is in my area.

http://www.geocities.com/la_rsi/treatmnt.html

I called his office several days ago and tried to make an appointment but was told that since I was on Workers Comp they need an authorization first.

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So it took me two days (with persistence) to contact the WC case manager and he said that first I needed an authorization from my own doctor who is handling the case.  It took me two days to get hold of her and she said I needed to make an appointment with her so that puts us at 1/2/07.  

I have an appointment on 1/2/07 at 8:30 AM for her to complete the paperwork to authorize WC to authorize Dr. Auerbach’s office to make the appointment.  

So now that this is in progress and to avoid further delay, I called Dr. Auerbach’s office to set up the appointment and they ABSOLUTELY refused to schedule me until they had the paperwork from WC first.  Absolutely, given all my reassurances that this would be in place before I appeared in front of the doctor.

This is discrimination.  

I have my own insurance, which is now no longer accessible to me since (as Dr. Auerbach’s office informed me) it’s against the law for them to bill my insurance for a work-related injury. Apparently being injured at work now presents new and special barriers to receiving desperately-needed medical care.

I begged and begged and begged them to make the appointment, assuring them that now that the process in place I would cancel at the first sign that WC wouldn’t authorize.  Dr. Auerbach was totally available as of 1/4 and the day was wide open so it’s not as if he’s swamped with patients and I would be bumping someone else.

So now apparently work-related injuries put people in a special class of suffering human beings who can’t make doctor’s appointment without the authorization of a bureaucracy festooned with red tape strategically placed to delay and hinder the medical care that they so desperately need.

Excellent, Governator!  Well done!  Your corporate sponsors must be showering you with campaign contributions for dismantling what little was left of worker’s rights and protections in California.

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