Watchman

Got a call from Texas Cardiac & Arrhythmia to schedule a watchman procedure for February. May not be able to do February but will definitely be making arrangements.

This is completely out of left field for me as last Dr. Natale and I spoke I was not eligible. I phoned and left a message with the scheduler as well as an email to Trent requesting information as to what has changed.

Hmm…I’m scheduled too. I wonder if I’m eligible? What are the eligibility requirements? I don’t want a surprise bill.

You're both good. They wouldn't schedule a Watchman if they didn't already have insurance approval.

I got the call for 2/15 yesterday but asked A.D. this morning to verify the insurance approval. I live by President Reagan's "Trust but verify."

{Got a call from Texas Cardiac & Arrhythmia to schedule a watchman procedure for February. May not be able to do February but will definitely be making arrangements.

This is completely out of left field for me as [b]last Dr. Natale and I spoke I was not eligible[/b]. I phoned and left a message with the scheduler as well as an email to Trent requesting information as to what has changed.}

When I say eligible I meant that when Dr Natale and I last spoke that my insurance would not cover,



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2022 02:00PM by rocketritch.

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rocketritch
When I say eligible I meant that when Dr Natale and I last spoke that my insurance would not cover,

I understood that. What often happens when an insurance company declines to cover a procedure is the doctor arranges a conference with a doctor at the insurance company. They discuss the procedure and its pros and cons and arrive at a decision. It sounds like that's what happened and Natale won the argument.

Also, Watchman coverage is a rapidly evolving issue. When I got mine in 2018 there's no way my insurance company would have covered it. I got it only because I was in a clinical trial and they wouldn't be paying for anything. But today it would be a different story. If your LAA has been isolated and you didn't meet the criteria for stopping anticoagulants then it's likely they will cover it.