Appalling service.

My plan with BankMed requires that should I need to see a specialist, I should be referred by a doctor under their network. I was admitted to a hospital which is under their network in an emergency and the doctor that saw me referred me to a specialist. Now BankMed is refusing to authorize my visit to the specialist because there is a special referral form that GPs under their network sign for patients. Spoke to one of the consultants who told me that my referral letter is useless because it's not the BankMed letterhead one. My question is, should I have refused help from the doctor who saw me in the ER and requested a BankMed network doctor? I don't even know whether he's not on their network. The hospital confirmed when I called to enquire about the letter that they only issue the same letter to every patient regardless of what medical aid scheme they are under. The alternative I was given by BankMed was to see the specialist and request them to contact BankMed on that day and request for authorisation for my visit which they may or may not grant.

My question is why are they unable to grant authorisation with the letter provided by the doctor from their network hospital if they can also do it via being phoned by the specialist practice? I did not walk in to the hospital as in a GP's office, I was admitted in an emergency. But Im being told my referral letter is useless. Imagine. I don't know about helping others making an informed decision because anyone with this scheme did not take it out of their own free will.