I'm in desperate need of a Charite disc replacment & I've been waiting since May of 2004. I go to the Southeastern Spine Institute in Charleston, SC & they are very proactive in this proceedure. My surgeon, Donald Johnson decided I was a prime canditate for this proceedure last May & gave me the option of fussion or waiting untill around the end of the year when it becomes FDA approved which is what I chose to do. I have been taking about 200mg of morphine daily for a year now & really want this surgery. I emailed the FDA & stayed in touch with them all of last year getting updates as to when it would be on the market. Now after all of this time my insurance CO is refusing to cover it. They say it is investigational & not an approved alternative proceedure. I've talked till I'm blue & I'm getting nowhere. If anyone has any littature that I could use to prove that this is an approved alternative proceedure to spinal fussion please help. My email address is
thoroughbredsinc@aol.com . My insurance Co is Thomas Cooper. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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TIRED OF WAITING....