Denied medical care? this info was new to me:

[Ms. Toad]

1. It's good we have it (and yes, I knew about it) -

But for life/limb-threatening conditions, by the time you get to the external review (after two internal denials), you may already be dead. I do everything in my power to get the approval from the insurance company without making a formal appeal (even an internal one). That is the fastest route. It does require doctors willing to go to bat for you. So the only times I haven't been able to win before an appeal are when I had a stinker of a soon-to-be-former doctor.