Colorado Babe, thank you for your thoughts on how to tackle the insurance company. Three months is a long time to wait in pain but, better than waiting a year. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there next week after seeing the surgeon. I've seen a lot of the data you mentioned on the web. Obviously, the insurance companies have seen it too by now! The corpocracy in this country just makes our country look bad in this world and Americans suffer because of it. Perhaps being active duty and having Tri-Care (assuming that here) was the key to your successful appeal. I'm just surprised they turned you down in the first place! I'm sorry our government made you work for what you needed surgically but, so glad you had a positive outcome!
This is very good advice: "It only took me 3 months to do three appeals but the key is responding back within a week of the denial. If you take the 30-45 days to do the appeal, it will take longer."
Thanks for sharing your experience!
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2006: epidural shots did nothing; 2 surgeons recommended 2 level fusion, I declined.
2007 - 2010 4 foraminotomy and cord decompression cervical surgeries and 2 endoscopic discectomy T7-T8 surgeries; total 6 with Dr. Jho (Pittsburgh,PA) My C6/C7 autofused around 2009.
2013 - 2015: epidurals 3 times (again did nothing) and 4 Radiofrequency ablation (or RFA) procedures.
2016 more RFAs, hit the 10 year mark of this insanity and pain, 3 level M6-C ADR with Dr. Clavel May 19, 2016 
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