You’ll have to wait 6 months before you can have an MRI

I just got a call from an ultra-marathoner I have seen a number of times over the years.  He is not a wimp. He's a tough guy. He's very smart. He knows his body really well, and he got what we suspected was a partial tear in the plantar fascia.  He didn't get better. He took weeks off. He couldn't run. He couldn't even hike! it was killing him, so I ordered an MRI.  I diligently prepared the order for his MRI. I sent it to the facility. I wrote up all the various details which basically proved that his MRI study is medically necessary and completely justified...and they should pay for it.  Well, the insurance company denied prior authorization for his MRI.  You won't believe this, but the insurance company said he had to have heel pain FOR 6 MONTHS before they would allow him to get an MRI. What would you do if you're a runner and you were told you're going to have to wait six months to get an MRI in order to make a decision about what you would do for treatment? Well, that's what we're talking about today on the Doc On The Run Podcast.