Sent home to suffer

On the 2nd of May 2022 I visited the Netcare Pinehaven emergency department with debilitating pain in my neck that shot down my right arm and caused numbness in two of my fingers, The ED doctor immediately ordered an MRI, the results revealed that I have severe damage qt C4-C5 , C6-7 and C8 due to an osteophyte. I was told by the Neurosurgeon then said that my case is not so severe and I will be admitted for pain management.

On Wednesday the 4th the Neurosurgeon came back and said there was a scan that the radiologist left out of the prints that was essential to his diagnosis and had he seen it prior he would've taken me up to theater immediately.

Saturday the the 7th of May I had gotten no feedback from my doctor we then called him and demanded a way forward. On Monday the 9th of May Doctor Poati submitted a request to fedhealth for my surgery which falls within the prescribed minimum benefit code 941A "Spinal cord compression, Ischaemia or degenerative disease NOS" fedhealth provided no feedback.

We were told by the Neurosurgeon Dr Poati that my surgery is scheduled for wednesday the 11th of May at 6pm and that we would need the authorization number by Wednesday 2pm to proceed. My husband then spent all of Tuesday the 10th and Wednesday the 11th trying to get an answer from Fedhealth , each time he called he was told to give them 2 hours to give us an answer as that is their turn around time. He called relentlessly trying to get an answer because he knows the immense pain I suffer daily.

Fedhealth gave their feedback on Wednesday the 11th of May at 16:25 pm. My surgery has been denied. This news was absolutely devastating as it means my medical aid which I have been apart of for 3 years contributing R5500 per month for will go against the prescribed minimum benefit and rather have me sent home in this pain. How heartbreaking?

On the 12th of May my husband spends all day on the phone to appeal the outcome , he finally gets intouch with a manager Debroah Miller at 15:00 who advised that the medical advisor will call my Doctor with feedback, this only happened at 17:10 , my doctor was advised that they agree this is a PMB surgery but they still will not approve it.

I am a wife and a mother to two beautiful children a 9 month old and a 12 year old, I have been in hospital with no way forward for 10 days now, I am maxed out on pain meds in hospital and Fedhealth expects me to deal with this pain on my own once discharged.