White armor

Chapter 783 Umbilical Cord Blood, Gone? (Part 1)

Although matters related to medical insurance are managed by the Medical Insurance Department, the director of the Medical Insurance Department is a nurse by training and there are some things he doesn't understand. Feng Zixuan helps him fill in the gaps in his knowledge.

Feng Zixuan was so busy that he didn't return to his office until after 9 p.m., completely exhausted.

As he passed by the dispute resolution office, he saw Director Tang of the office chatting with a patient's family member.

Feng Zixuan didn't pay any attention and went back to his office to sit down and catch his breath.

The health insurance system has a huge problem, and everyone with a discerning eye knows what's going on—it's a Ponzi scheme bubble that can no longer be sustained and is about to collapse.

It's not just in China, it's the same all over the world.

I remember during the London Olympics, the NHS appeared as a separate unit at the opening ceremony, which was a source of pride for old Britain.

But more than a decade has passed, and neither the Mayor of London is a traditional Onsadian, and the NHS is practically empty.

However, no matter how miserable the world was, Feng Zixuan had nothing to do with it; he only hoped that the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University could be a little better off.

Normally, the medical insurance department is quite polite to the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, since they are both from the provincial capital and can easily reach each other.

But this time the medical insurance officials were adamant. Although they didn't say it explicitly, Feng Zixuan realized that the pressure on their side was probably too great, and they might even have collapsed.

"Oh well, I'll just have to endure it," Feng Zixuan thought to himself.

Bankrupt the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University? Not quite. Fine them less, preserve their core staff, and see how things change after this period.

If any major economic entity collapses, even if the country is well-fed, some profits will still flow to hospitals.

"Forget it, that's not something a mere head of the medical affairs department like me could think about," Feng Zixuan thought, turning off the light and preparing to go home.

The corridor was like a tunnel where all sound had been drained; Feng Zixuan's leather shoes stomped on the floor tiles without even a sound echoing.

The stark white emergency lights cast intermittent patches of light overhead, like the slime trails left by some kind of creature.

"I'm still too tired. I even had this kind of hallucination," Feng Zixuan sighed.

He rubbed his temples and gave a wry smile.

The light from the dispute resolution office seeped through the crack in the door, casting a long, suspiciously yellow line on the corridor floor. For some reason, Feng Zixuan felt it resembled a piece of ripped nerve, still twitching slightly as he approached.

As he quickened his pace, he could vaguely hear the rustling sound of papers turning over coming from the dispute resolution office—it was so regular, it was almost like someone was repeatedly scratching the same page of a file with their fingernails.

But it's almost midnight now, and I just saw Director Tang communicating with the patient's family. How could there be any strange noise?

The surveillance camera at the corner was flashing a red dot, and the light reflected off the glass cover shone directly on the back of his neck, as if he had been licked by something.

Feng Zixuan reached into his briefcase to touch his car keys. The coolness of the metal reminded him of the metal cabinet in the dispute resolution office that could never be cleaned properly—it was said that ten years ago, a patient's family member had spilled some liquid on it.

As he reached the elevator, he inexplicably turned back.

The yellow light beneath the crack in the door of the dispute resolution office suddenly dimmed for a moment, as if a shadow had swept past inside.

Hey!
Feng Zixuan cursed inwardly.

"But we were told it would be preserved for 20 years."

A sobbing sound came from the dispute resolution office.

The night was quiet and the sounds were faint, but Feng Zixuan could hear them clearly.

Preserved for 20 years? Could it be umbilical cord blood?

Feng Zixuan was slightly taken aback.

If there really is a problem, it happened more than ten or twenty years ago, so it can be considered a "legacy issue".

But isn't there a specialized agency responsible for this kind of thing?
But then Feng Zixuan realized that the so-called specialized institution had disappeared, and the director who had been in contact with the patient's family had also retired.

Unable to find a contact person, the patient's family had no choice but to turn to the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University.

"Woooooooo~"

Just as Feng Zixuan was about to turn the corner, the sound of crying came from behind him.

Sigh, the patient's family is truly pitiful. If it weren't for the illness, who would even remember that they had stored umbilical cord blood?

Feng Zixuan stopped in his tracks, but instead of going to the dispute resolution office, he listened quietly.

With all sorts of troubles happening every day, Feng Zixuan didn't want to get involved in any more. After silently understanding what was going on, he turned and left.

Just as Feng Zixuan guessed, when she gave birth, the head of the obstetrics department said that the umbilical cord blood could be preserved, and then someone contacted the family, saying that 10,000 yuan could preserve it for 20 years.

The patient's family paid to preserve the umbilical cord blood at the time, but they never expected to need it recently.

However, problems arose when it was time to use the information, as the people from that time, whether institutions or doctors, could not be found.

"What a mess this is," Feng Zixuan sighed, feeling somewhat confused.

Nothing happened that night. Feng Zixuan didn't sleep well either. He was a light sleeper and had many dreams, but when he woke up, he forgot what he dreamed about.

I washed up, ate breakfast, and went to the hospital.

Upon hearing Feng Zixuan's footsteps, Director Tang quickly ran over.

Feng Zixuan knew he was most likely going to report on yesterday's incident, so he asked as he opened the door, "What is it?"

"Director Feng, it's about the umbilical cord blood incident from 16 years ago."

Director Tang briefly recounted the events, which were largely consistent with Feng Zixuan's guess.

It was back then that I kept the umbilical cord blood after giving birth, but when I needed it, I couldn't find anyone to use it.

"Okay, I understand. You handle it as you see fit," Feng Zixuan said.

"Director Feng, I've contacted Director Guo and found that company." Director Tang's expression was slightly strange, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Oh?"

Feng Zixuan was surprised by Director Tang's expression and the unspoken words. As for his ability to contact the previous client, that was a basic skill and quality, and Feng Zixuan knew Director Tang quite well.

Director Tang gave him a look, and Feng Zixuan understood, opening the door and entering the office.

The door was gently closed, and Director Tang tiptoed to Feng Zixuan's side. "Director Feng, it seems to me that they're trying to stall for time."

"Drag it out?!" Feng Zixuan's eyes narrowed.

"Well, I reckon the umbilical cord blood wasn't preserved at all." Director Tang's voice was extremely low, furtive, as if afraid someone would overhear him.

Feng Zixuan was taken aback, but quickly understood.

"Back then, a unit of umbilical cord blood was offered at a special price: 10,000 yuan to preserve it for 20 years."

"Hmm, how much compensation?" Feng Zixuan asked.

"One hundred thousand."

Feng Zixuan curled his lip. There were only him and Director Tang in the room. Feng Zixuan was too lazy to manage his expression, and his face was full of disdain and annoyance.

Feng Zixuan could see the trickery involved immediately—very few people could actually use umbilical cord blood; even one percent was more than enough.

They received 100 million, lost 10, and still had so many years of financial returns. This deal was indeed a good one.

But when people need it, do you tell them you didn't? This is a bit of a pain.

Feng Zixuan said with disgust, "You decide what to do."

"Director Feng, I think the best I can do is try to get more money." Director Tang, who understood Feng Zixuan, sighed.

"Okay, go ahead." Feng Zixuan waved his hand.

"Dong Dong Dong~"

A knock sounded at the door, just as Director Tang had left. He opened the door, saw Luo Hao, greeted him, and left.

"Director Tang, you've been busy all night? Another major dispute?" Luo Hao asked familiarly as soon as he came in.

"Don't even mention it, it's a terrible story." Feng Zixuan started to say it, and Luo Hao's expression immediately became quite interesting.

"Has something really happened?"

"You know?" Feng Zixuan asked.

"Sigh, I heard from my senior brothers and sisters that there was definitely something wrong with it back then. It's not official, it's no different from the Putian medical group renting a urology clinic in a hospital." Luo Hao sighed and explained.

"What do you guys think?" Feng Zixuan asked, curious that Luo Hao knew about such trivial matters.

“Just look with your eyes,” Luo Hao said. “What can ordinary people do? They have complex forces behind them. Even if they cause a huge incident, they will eventually be brought down quietly.”

"You're not acting like a young person at all. You talk like an old fogey," Feng Zixuan said with a laugh.

"The main problem is that there's no solution. Over time, many things have been lost." Luo Hao didn't continue gossiping about the matter, but instead said to Feng Zixuan, "Director Feng, the intensive care unit asked me for a diagnostic AI robot. I'll let you know first. If you agree, I'll go see Dean Zhuang."

"Hmm." Feng Zixuan nodded, deep in thought.

“There’s nothing we can do about this kind of messed-up thing. There have been similar rumors circulating before.” Luo Hao sat down, put his hands on his knees, and said to Feng Zixuan very seriously, “But if something happens, they really will give 10 times the compensation, and the patient’s family won’t pursue it too much.”

“You’ll need time to investigate,” Feng Zixuan said coldly.

Luo Hao suddenly noticed that Feng Zixuan's complexion had been bad lately, and he always had a long face, just like now.

This man used to be gloomy and sinister, just like the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in my memory.

But now?

"Director Feng, is everything alright at our hospital?"

"I don't know, let's wait and see. What, Xiao Luo, are you interested in this?" Feng Zixuan chuckled. "So gossipy?"

"That's all. There are many intertwined problems in clinical practice. I'm wondering what to do if an AI robot encounters similar situations in the future," Luo Hao said earnestly.

Feng Zixuan was taken aback.

He looked up, squinted, and silently gazed into Luo Hao's eyes.

Luo Hao's eyes were like a lake in late autumn, so clear that they could reflect the most subtle fluctuations in people's hearts, yet so calm that people dared not easily test their depth.

His gaze was neither evasive nor aggressive, but met mine openly, as if it could pierce through all the fog of pretense.

Feng Zixuan looked closely and saw that Luo Hao's pupils had an amber-like texture under the light, and the light brown iris around the edge resembled tea leaves that had been sun-dried, reflecting years of accumulated clarity.

When he squints slightly, a few shallow wrinkles appear at the corners of his eyes, like ripples on a lake surface stirred by the wind, but this does not diminish the sharpness of his gaze.

even.

Luo Hao's gaze made Feng Zixuan feel pressured.

What's special is the way he looks at me—neither deliberately intimidating nor overly gentle.

It is a calm power built on absolute professional competence, like the operating light on the operating table, bright but not dazzling, illuminating all darkness.

At this moment, those eyes were fixed on Feng Zixuan without blinking, not even a tremor of his eyelashes.

There was neither probing nor deliberate aloofness in his eyes; they simply held a clean and unwavering certainty that "I understand all your difficulties." This gaze inexplicably evoked the image of an ancient well deep in the mountains, its surface forever reflecting the purest sky.

In addition, Feng Zixuan even faintly sensed a hidden killing intent.

"Xiao Luo, it's just an AI robot, that's all."

"Well, what else?" Luo Hao chuckled. "Don't even mention me, even the boss can't do many things."

"For example?"

"For example, organ transplant surgery, the boss never touches it. Those guys in the south initially learned the techniques in Canada, and the organs were also imported from overseas... Forget it, there's no point in talking about this kind of thing."

Luo Hao smiled and shook his head.

"I'm planning to subtly say a few words in support of the patient's family about this matter," Feng Zixuan said calmly.

He himself didn't realize that under Luo Hao's gaze, he had subconsciously begun to explain something.

“Without anyone to help, I’m worried they won’t even pay the 100,000 yuan. The child’s treatment will cost money. Although leukemia is now curable, that first step costs money. Every penny saved is better than letting them spend it all.”

Feng Zixuan's explanation was very brief.

"That's true." Luo Hao smiled and nodded.

"If you're interested, I'll let you know if there's any progress."

"Thank you, Director Feng." Luo Hao nodded slightly, his jawline smooth, like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath.

But Feng Zixuan felt that Luo Hao's actions were just youthful impetuosity.

It is indeed rare to see Luo Hao display such youthful spirit. There are many things that even Boss Chai and his group cannot touch, let alone Luo Hao.

Even with Zhong Nanshan, he was still forced by capital to appear in public and spout nonsense, which had a certain impact on him.

People in the arena involuntarily.

Feng Zixuan didn't understand these words when he was young, but he understands them more and more now.

All I could do in this situation was help get some money back, and even that was considered crazy.

"Xiao Luo, I don't have any say on the ICU side. You talk to the dean, and I'll cooperate," Feng Zixuan said.

"The AI ​​system is working quite well after a period of operation. I'll keep an eye on the clinical aspects and try my best not to cause you any trouble, Director Feng."

“There will definitely be trouble,” Feng Zixuan said. “The more work you do, the more mistakes you make. You can’t just not do any work because you’re afraid of making mistakes, right?”

"Yes." Luo Hao wasn't moved by this, but said seriously, "Boss Chai said that if nothing goes wrong, it's because the number of surgeries isn't high enough. Once the number of surgeries reaches a certain level, something is bound to happen."

"Don't worry, with the powerful medical affairs department of our First Affiliated Hospital of Medical University protecting you... Hahahaha." Feng Zixuan said, laughing heartily.

It's fine to say this to others, but it's definitely not appropriate to say it to Professor Luo.

Xiao Luo knew just as much about the ins and outs of the medical department as I did, and he always had some wildly imaginative ideas.

Or it could be a case of using a lower-dimensional attack, like the time when the proctology hospital in which I had a stake was suppressed by Professor Luo.

The problem was solved, and the situation didn't escalate. It can be said that this matter was handled perfectly.

"Okay, then you can go ahead and get busy," Feng Zixuan said. "If it involves AI, you should tell me as soon as possible, I mean if something goes wrong."

"it is good."

Luo Hao didn't say much, agreed, and went upstairs to find Zhuang Yongqiang.

Feng Zixuan felt a little strange.

It's true that doctors lack empathy; the people in the medical affairs office are even less likely to empathize.

Feng Zixuan had undergone countless trials, but unexpectedly, he failed to maintain his skills today.

Feng Zixuan comforted himself, saying that it was all because of the recent troubles caused by medical insurance.

He chatted with Director Tang for a few minutes and asked Director Tang to make arrangements to move things forward.

It was relatively easy to contact the hospital. When Director Guo was summoned, he looked displeased. Feng Zixuan smiled ingratiatingly, showing the retired director ample respect.

Through Director Guo's connections, an institution that stores umbilical cord blood was found.

Feng Zixuan made an appointment with the other party to meet the patient's family at the dispute resolution office the next afternoon. He did these things simply and decisively.

Director Tang was someone he had personally trained, and his work style was exactly the same as Feng Zixuan's, so there was nothing to criticize.

After making the arrangements, Feng Zixuan left a message for Luo Hao, informing him of the schedule.

Whether Luo Hao comes or not is something Feng Zixuan doesn't care at all.

The next afternoon, Luo Hao arrived early.

Feng Zixuan expected Luo Hao to be enthusiastic, but he didn't expect him to be this enthusiastic.

"Director Feng."

"Xiao Luo, you're not planning to do something, are you?" Feng Zixuan asked somewhat nervously.

Luo Hao is young, and when he encounters injustices in the world, he probably still has some thoughts in his heart about the idea that others should help those who are wronged.

But there aren't that many bystanders, and doing this could very likely leave hidden dangers for the future.

Feng Zixuan wanted to offer a couple of reminders.

"Director Feng, I'm just here to watch the fun. That way, I can chime in when my seniors are talking in the group chat." Luo Hao smiled, clean and refreshing.

"That would be great," Feng Zixuan said. "Xiao Luo, don't get any ideas. Boss Chai is right."

"Hey."

"You don't know what kind of power is behind this organization. Once you turn against them, it might turn your easy life into a difficult one."

“I understand, Director Feng, don’t worry,” Luo Hao said.

"Don't worry?" The simpler Luo Hao's explanation, the less reassured Feng Zixuan became.

“It’s not easy to still contact the organizations over there,” Luo Hao said casually. “I thought he had already gone abroad.”

"It seems like business has been doing quite well these past few years."

"Business, business," Luo Hao muttered to himself.

Feng Zixuan patted Luo Hao on the shoulder, "How's your job as a recipient of the Outstanding Young Scientist award?"

"If we follow the steps steadily, there shouldn't be any problems."

"That's good, that's what you need to pay attention to." Feng Zixuan was no longer as anxious as yesterday and patiently comforted Luo Hao.

"Yes, Director Feng, don't worry, I know what's important. Every year is crucial now. Even after winning the Outstanding Young Scientist Award and the three major awards, I can't relax. I can only breathe a sigh of relief when I actually become an academician."

"It's good that you know," Feng Zixuan thought to himself.

The appointed time had arrived, but the person from the other side hadn't shown up yet. Feng Zixuan wasn't in a hurry and chatted with Luo Hao about clinical matters.

More than two hours late, a middle-aged man in his forties walked in with a young woman in her twenties who had just graduated.

"Mr. Lü from Greenbud Biotechnology," the girl introduced as she entered.

Director Tang was a little impatient, but still stood up with a smile on his face.

He extended his hand, but President Lü did not shake his hand and they passed each other.

Mr. Lü, with his slightly protruding belly, walked to the chair.

He wore a well-tailored dark gray suit with gleaming platinum cufflinks peeking out from the cuffs.

He slightly raised his chin, his eyes drooping, and his gaze swept lightly across the faces of everyone in the conference room, as if he were inspecting a group of unqualified suppliers.

His thick hands were loosely tucked into his pockets, the Patek Philippe on his wrist flashing dazzlingly with each movement. The knot of his tie tightened around his short, thick neck, trembling with each soft hum that escaped his nose.

Mr. Lü and the young woman who came with him were wearing 10-centimeter stilettos, the heels clicking crisply on the floor.

Her makeup was so exquisite it was almost sharp, her eyebrows were drawn thin and arched, and she habitually peeked out from under her eyelashes when looking at people.

Holding the latest LV handbag, her nails painted a cool nude color, she deliberately let her diamond ring dazzle as she flipped through documents. A sneer played on her lips, a "this low-level meeting doesn't even deserve to waste my time" kind of sneer.

Occasionally, he would look up, his eyes blatantly conveying the undisguised sentiment that "everyone here is trash."

The girl took out disinfectant wipes from her bag, wiped the table and chair in front of her three times, then crumpled the used wipes into a ball and casually tossed them onto the empty seat next to her.

Feng Zixuan smiled slightly and looked at Director Guo.

"Director Guo, is this the gentleman?" Feng Zixuan asked.

Director Guo was a little embarrassed, nodded, and exchanged a few words with General Manager Lü.

You can tell they knew each other before, but that was all in the past.

When General Manager Lü looks at others, he does it through his nose. Only Director Guo can speak a few words like a normal person.

"Mr. Lü, I'm from the Medical Affairs Department's Dispute Resolution Office. You can just call me Xiao Tang," Director Tang said kindly.

"Speak, my boss Lü's time is precious," the girl said impatiently in a high-pitched voice.

"That's it."

Director Tang briefly explained the situation.

"The patient has already been admitted to the hospital. As for the patient's family... I think they shouldn't come yet. As a representative of the hospital, I would like to know your company's opinion on how to handle this."

"What opinion should we address?" General Manager Lü said in a muffled voice, "The fire five years ago wiped out all the umbilical cord blood from this side. Let her sue, issue a summons, and our company will send someone over."

"???"

"???"

Luo Hao and Feng Zixuan were both stunned.

Logically, such companies would lose money to avoid trouble, since most of their profits come from healthy people who have preserved their umbilical cord blood.

A 10-fold payout isn't a huge sum, especially for a company with tens or hundreds of millions in cash flow every year.

But does Mr. Lü mean that there's no money?
Luo Hao was both amused and exasperated; he had truly seen something new today.

He didn't speak, he just watched quietly.

"Mr. Lü, I've reviewed the agreement. It states there's a tenfold compensation for improper storage. The patient definitely needs treatment now. If we have umbilical cord blood available for stem cell therapy, that would be ideal. If not..."

As Director Tang was speaking, the girl interrupted him.

"Didn't General Manager Lü say that our company had a fire a few years ago?" The girl looked unhappy, and her voice was terribly shrill. Luo Hao felt like the windows of the dispute resolution office were buzzing.

(End of this chapter)