Go Back  Airline Pilot Central Forums > Airline Pilot Forums > Major > JetBlue
New Medical Shenanigans >

New Medical Shenanigans

Notices

New Medical Shenanigans

Old 10-23-2021, 07:39 AM
  #1  
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Oct 2017
Posts: 306
Default New Medical Shenanigans

Buried in the new benefits package is a potential landmine, the mandatory review by a company selected doctor. Before the company will pay for a spine procedure you must get an eReview. Based on this review they can force you to go to travel to another state, for their doctor to look at you. Think of this as an arbitration hearing for your healthcare. The company is willing to pay to fly you, and put you up in a hotel to see this doctor. How do you think he is going to find for your upcoming procedure? Now in any fights with the insurance company you will have your doctors vs this company shill.

We have seen how this works in "binding arbitration", where the arbitrators are chosen by the company. The outcomes are nearly always in the companies favor, and if they aren't damages awarded are tiny. Right now its limited to spinal care (good thing pilots don't get back pain), but I expect this to expand.

Here is the full text:
A note about Spine Support: Before your spine procedure can be covered by JetBlue Medical, Crewmembers and dependents will need to have a mandatory eReview from experts at Mayo Clinic, which is covered at 100%. If onsite travel to Mayo Clinic is recommended, the cost is covered by JetBlue, based on your Medical Option.
MainlineFlyer is offline  
Old 10-23-2021, 03:26 PM
  #2  
On Reserve
 
Joined APC: Jun 2019
Posts: 11
Default

Will a doctor at the Mayo Clinic be a quack company shill or an ethical medical professional who upholds the hipocratic oath? I’m thinking the latter. Especially for something as important as a spine procedure. The Mayo Clinic isn’t Bob’s Corner Spine Surgery.
eatittom is offline  
Old 10-23-2021, 05:36 PM
  #3  
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Oct 2017
Posts: 306
Default

Originally Posted by eatittom View Post
Will a doctor at the Mayo Clinic be a quack company shill or an ethical medical professional who upholds the hipocratic oath? I’m thinking the latter. Especially for something as important as a spine procedure. The Mayo Clinic isn’t Bob’s Corner Spine Surgery.
So you think the company is stopping you from receiving treatment, insisting that you go to another state ON THEIR DIME, to see a doctor OF THEIR CHOOSING, before they will pay for it out of pure altruism?

I didnt know that doctors can't be corrupted. I guess that all those drug reps paid bug money to giveout free vacations, and kickbacks in exchange for their drug being pushed in clinics were misguided.

So in your mind arbitrators chosen by the company are fair minded and neutral as well? I mean, they are members of the bar so...
MainlineFlyer is offline  
Old 10-24-2021, 06:18 AM
  #4  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Nov 2011
Position: Admiral
Posts: 726
Default

Having access to the Mayo Clinic is a pretty big deal. With the reputation that the Mayo Clinic has, I find it highly unlikely that anyone would willfully tarnish it, let alone risk ruining their personal careers for the likes of JetBlue.
Flyhayes is offline  
Old 10-24-2021, 06:55 AM
  #5  
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
 
Joined APC: Oct 2017
Posts: 306
Default

Having access, and being mandated to go there are two different things.

Last year, if your doctor thought you needed spine surgery, you got it. Next year that won't be the case. Why do you think that is?

It must be because jetblue cares so much about us.
MainlineFlyer is offline  
Old 10-24-2021, 08:14 AM
  #6  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Nov 2011
Position: Admiral
Posts: 726
Default

Honestly, I'd much rather have the second opinion from the mayo clinic. If it could save me from an unnecessary spinal surgery (and all the issues that go with it) vs other effective medical treatments, I'm all for it.
Quite often, surgery isn't the best option but is still what surgeons opt for.

A quick google search finds this: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/...ryId=125627307

Sure, why wouldn't the company want to save money if it's not even needed for effective treatment? If it helps you why not? If it keeps my insurance premiums down, why not?

Sounds more to me that you like getting upset for the sake of being upset, especially when it's the Mayo Clinic and not some fly by night dr.
Flyhayes is offline  
Old 10-24-2021, 09:00 AM
  #7  
Covfefe
 
Joined APC: Jun 2015
Posts: 3,001
Default

Originally Posted by Flyhayes View Post
Honestly, I'd much rather have the second opinion from the mayo clinic. If it could save me from an unnecessary spinal surgery (and all the issues that go with it) vs other effective medical treatments, I'm all for it.
Quite often, surgery isn't the best option but is still what surgeons opt for.

A quick google search finds this: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/...ryId=125627307

Sure, why wouldn't the company want to save money if it's not even needed for effective treatment? If it helps you why not? If it keeps my insurance premiums down, why not?

Sounds more to me that you like getting upset for the sake of being upset, especially when it's the Mayo Clinic and not some fly by night dr.
What is preventing you from getting a second opinion as it is? If this was an addition that said “you *can* now get a second opinion by the Mayo Clinic for spine surgery at JetBlue’s expense,” that’d be one thing. But it’s not. It’s a mandate. They choose what procedure they want to further look into, they choose the doctor, all on their terms.

Why would anybody favor healthcare mandates? What if they decide to change “mayo clinic” to “jetblue clinic with jetblue doctor,” or some fly by night garbage medical facility…would you still be in favor of it? What if they expand it from spine to any other procedure? What if this adds 6 months to your wait time while you’re out on disability unable to work? You’re focusing too much on the details of “spine, second opinion, and Mayo Clinic,” and not the broader implications of company controlled and micromanaged healthcare with the ability to put somebody of their choosing on payroll to be the arbiter of what and potentially when medical procedures can or can’t be performed. Of course it starts with something that doesn’t seem like a bad idea on the surface (rare surgery that often should have a second opinion anyway, by a big name trusted medical group). But this would be opening pandora’s box.
BeatNavy is offline  
Old 10-24-2021, 09:04 AM
  #8  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,327
Default

Originally Posted by BeatNavy View Post
What is preventing you from getting a second opinion as it is? If this was an addition that said “you *can* now get a second opinion by the Mayo Clinic for spine surgery at JetBlue’s expense,” that’d be one thing. But it’s not. It’s a mandate. They choose what procedure they want to further look into, they choose the doctor, all on their terms.

Why would anybody favor healthcare mandates? What if they decide to change “mayo clinic” to “jetblue clinic with jetblue doctor,” or some fly by night garbage medical facility…would you still be in favor of it? What if they expand it from spine to any other procedure? What if this adds 6 months to your wait time while you’re out on disability unable to work? You’re focusing too much on the details of “spine, second opinion, and Mayo Clinic,” and not the broader implications of company controlled and micromanaged healthcare with the ability to put somebody of their choosing on payroll to be the arbiter of what and potentially when medical procedures can or can’t be performed. Of course it starts with something that doesn’t seem like a bad idea on the surface (rare surgery that often should have a second opinion anyway, by a big name trusted medical group). But this would be opening pandora’s box.
Welcome to 2021.
feltf4 is offline  
Old 10-24-2021, 09:29 AM
  #9  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Aug 2005
Posts: 322
Default

Without knowing any details, it's possible that this change was recommended to the company for loss prevention and/or fraud prevention. If similar companies were seeing a trend of, say, higher disability claims for "lower back pain", and one way to screen out false claims was to require a workup by a competent facility, then it might be worth it to eat the cost of such screening.
Blue Dude is offline  
Old 10-24-2021, 05:10 PM
  #10  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Nov 2011
Position: Admiral
Posts: 726
Default

Originally Posted by BeatNavy View Post
What is preventing you from getting a second opinion as it is? If this was an addition that said “you *can* now get a second opinion by the Mayo Clinic for spine surgery at JetBlue’s expense,” that’d be one thing. But it’s not. It’s a mandate. They choose what procedure they want to further look into, they choose the doctor, all on their terms.

Why would anybody favor healthcare mandates? What if they decide to change “mayo clinic” to “jetblue clinic with jetblue doctor,” or some fly by night garbage medical facility…would you still be in favor of it? What if they expand it from spine to any other procedure? What if this adds 6 months to your wait time while you’re out on disability unable to work? You’re focusing too much on the details of “spine, second opinion, and Mayo Clinic,” and not the broader implications of company controlled and micromanaged healthcare with the ability to put somebody of their choosing on payroll to be the arbiter of what and potentially when medical procedures can or can’t be performed. Of course it starts with something that doesn’t seem like a bad idea on the surface (rare surgery that often should have a second opinion anyway, by a big name trusted medical group). But this would be opening pandora’s box.
You make some decent counter points.
Where we perhaps differ, is that I don't buy into slippery slope arguments.
Looking at the singular issue at hand, I think it's ultimately a good thing for the pilot group.
Had any number of variables been different, I would perhaps have another opinion about it.
Flyhayes is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
snowdawg
Delta
263
08-19-2015 01:17 PM
zippinbye
Delta
24
06-17-2015 01:45 PM
globalexpress
Pilot Health
6
12-31-2010 03:01 PM
Cortes
Pilot Health
1
07-28-2008 08:48 PM
dudewannabe
Cargo
1
07-26-2008 12:20 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices