Has anyone had this problem???

[hep62pj]

My health insurance just got changed to Horizon BCBS HMO... BS is right... THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO HEPATOLOGISTS IN NETWORK...

what a joke...

[meki]

Ahem....
==============================================================
"there are plenty of GI docs... but i want a hepatology specialist... why would they not list it that way???
==============================================================

ALL Hepatologists are GIs.

Just thought I'd share that.

GIs who specialize in the Liver.

At least - whenever I went to find a Hepatologist --- I had to go through all the GIs to find one for me. LOL!

Meki

[Proactive]

Actually, you may find not having a hep doc in your network could be an advantage..Talk to your PCP for an outside network refferal..
I pulled this from a google search on Horizon HMO...it is from a horizon handbook. Of course I have no Idea what policy you have..

"You may also obtain special approval
from Horizon NJ Health for an out-of-network
provider, if your medical condition requires. If
you use an out-of-network provider without
approval from Horizon NJ Health, you will be
responsible to pay for those services."

[Proactive]

When I said, "Actually, you may find not having a hep doc in your network could be an advantage.."
what I meant was, you might be able to shop around for a very good one/experienced and let bcbs pick up the tab and your co pays stays the same.

[hep62pj]

there are plenty of GI docs... but i want a hepatology specialist... why would they not list it that way???

just to make it harder for us i guess...

im sorry, i just very dissallusioned with the health care industry in the USA ... it just complete SUCKS

[FlGuy]

I looked up a few  doc names; ones that are mentioned here from time to time or that are generally well known. It seems that they may be listed under their certifications (like Internal Medicine or Gastroenterology) and not necessaril under Hepatology.  In fact my insurancee has no lising for hepatologists either.  What you may need to do is ID some doc in other specialities (like Internal or Gastro) and then do some homework and make some call about their expereince in treating large numbers of hcv (or hepatitis, in general) cases.  May take some legwork or sourcing some referrals from other docs.