SPINAL FUSION SURGERY BUT REFUSE TO PAY FOR BRACE

My neurosurgeon motivated for my lumbar fusion surgery which was approved and I was operated on the 28th January. From previous experience I was told that a panel of doctors at Bonitas review our files before authorisation and it makes sense. When they gave authorisation did none of those doctors realize that I would require a hard brace to restrict movement/bending for 6 weeks? The orthotist fitted the brace which I'm wearing and Bonitas rejected payment because there's no authorisation as it's an appliance. I was sent an account because my medical aid doesn't think I need a brace after the 3 hour long surgery I had on my spine. Called medical aid and they are so useless, I must ask my neurosurgeon to now motivate for the brace and send them a quote. I'm wearing the brace and the orthotist sent me an account after YOU rejected payment! My staples are coming off today, I'm in a world of pain and stress because of this and Bonitas thinks it's ok to let patients suffer???? Why didn't the person giving hospital authorisation then have a set of standard follow up questions or advise and say you will need a brace and that's a different procedure? But no, Bonitas hates to make our lives easy. All they do is make us pay and then jump through hoops when we need help in hospital.

Last year, I had cervical fusion and there was none of this. I went into hospital, orthotist provided a brace and medical aid paid.

Now a whole new story about getting authorisation for appliance???? What do you expect spinal fusion patients to do after surgery, cement themselves like a statue because you refuse to pay for the brace or make them run around after all the trauma when they should be focusing on recovery? No, now I must sit calling between doctor and orthotist doing admin to email bonitas ***

I hate how poorly Bonitas patients are treated in their time of need! Sad, disappointed and very angry!