Emergency authorisation rejected due to the word stenosis and not compression which mean exactly the same thing

I was diagnosed by a neurosurgeon with spinal stenosis which means narrowing of the spinal canal and spinal compression.

I went for an MRI and then was referred to a neurosurgeon who indicated that I have multiple herniated discs in my cervical spine which need an urgent spinal fusion as in short if I fall I will be paralyzed from the neck down.

I submit the documents to Fedhealth authorisations for surgery today. They ignore my request at first. Tell me the request is being reviewed. Then tell me they don't have the doctors documents which I send through again.

The day before the scheduled surgery which is supposed to be today it gets declined.

Declined because the report says 'spinal stenosis' and not 'spinal compression' which means the exact same thing. They tell me a doctor reviewed the documents and said because it says spinal stenosis it is not an emergency. One fall and me being paralyzed from the neck down is most certainly an emergency.

I speak to call centre agents all day yesterday, the doctor sends documents explaining that spinal stenosis is spinal compression.

The call centre agent then tried to upsell me on my policy saying if it was an emergency which it is, ny current plan will cover it, however if it is not an emergency then I can upgrade and then they will authorise it. Our broker informed us this is highly ******* to do this which we will be seeking legal advice for. The broker informed that if the neurosurgeon supp**** the PMB code it I an emergency.

That aside, I am currently on nerve numbing medication, constant excruciating pain, numbness on the right side of my body and dealing with call centre agents who will not escalate this to someone other than a nurse who rejected this based on the word 'stenosis' versus 'compression'.

The neurosurgeon has emailed them to say spinal stenosis is spinal compression and an emergency. The radiologist have told us to mail fedhealth with the definition of spinal stenosis and yet we can't get further than call centre agents who refuse to take this seriously.

I have contacted the fedhealth ombudsman, the medical scheme ombudsman, fedhealth authorisations and fedhealth enquiry and no one will give the documents to a proper doctor.

If I end up paralyzed this will become a lawsuit. I am at war over a word. I cannot have a surgery to fix an emergency over a word and your call centre agents say stop sending us the definition of spinal stenosis.

Please can a qualified doctor on your 'team of doctors review these reports urgently.

My medical number is *** ***