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HMO authorizes him for his ... OB admissionBy KRIS HUNDLEY © St. Petersburg Times, published September 18, 2000 Chris Papen of St. Petersburg was pleased this month to see that his HMO, Cigna HealthCare of Florida, had preapproved surgery for prostate cancer at Morton Plant Hospital, a procedure that was scheduled for last week. But Papen, a graphic artist for Verizon Directories, was concerned about the authorization notice. The form letter was titled "Inpatient OB Admission," and while it assured Papen, 53, that "Your health is our first concern," it also told him to be sure to arrange post-partum care with his obstetrician and talk to his baby's pediatrician about an immunization schedule. "I'm 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds," Papen said a few days before going in for surgery. "This has got me a little worried. I don't know what I'll do if they try to send me to the OB ward." When he tried to alert Cigna to the mix-up, nobody could explain why an ex-Marine and Harley biker would receive approval for obstetrical services. "I just got the runaround," said Papen, who said he assumes the authorization was valid since the identification and doctor information was correct. "This is the first time I've really had to use my HMO, and it's been of a comedy of errors," he said. "But it's been a hit around the office. They're throwing me a baby shower tomorrow."
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From the Times Business report
From the AP
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