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Saturday, September 09, 2017
WARNING: I HATE DEALING WITH INSURANCE COMPANIES
The last two weeks I've spent a great deal of time on the phone with insurance companies for things that shouldn't have even been brought to my personal attention. I just don't have this kind of energy for nonsense of this kind.
We received a bill from our lab for services rendered. According to our handy-dandy book of information, we're NOT supposed to pay for any lab work. Why the bill? That was my question.
It seems one of my doctors ordered a few tests that the lab "didn't do in house" and they (without letting the doctor or I know first) sent it out to their parent company to do the work. Not my fault, not our insurer's fault, but we get the bill. I tried to solve it on my own-since a mistake had already been made by the same side provider the month before and then it was corrected. This time, the person on the other end of the phone wasn't so helpful. There's an hour of life and energy I won't get back.
Next, I called our insurer-who finally took me off of hold after 45 minutes of elevator music and listened to me. Now I have to admit, this woman was very nice and she really worked hard to help me. She listened to me, said she didn't understand why I should have gotten the bill and proceeded to call the provider and put us all on a "conference" call.
After about an hour (no kidding), he refused to talk to me, referred to me in the 3rd person and was rude to my insurer! Wind up was she filed a complaint on my behalf and the bill was erased. Great news there. She also informed me that since my hospital stay had pushed me "minimum" that I probably shouldn't be seeing any more bills until next year.
Again, that was fabulous news-as I am now up for: a Prolia shot (a mere $1,000), a updated CTScan on my lungs to see how the Valley Fever is coming along and a few more doctors appointments.
EXCEPT-shortly after that news, Steve gets a text telling him that due to rising costs and the present insurer wanting to raise them by 15%-they were switching us to another provider as of October 1st!
Fantastic, NOT! So now I have to hope the new company will A) let me continue to see my present doctors B) not hold up any of my treatments C) charge me for what I wouldn't have seen a bill for just because we're changing.
This whole thing is a necessary evil.
We received a bill from our lab for services rendered. According to our handy-dandy book of information, we're NOT supposed to pay for any lab work. Why the bill? That was my question.
It seems one of my doctors ordered a few tests that the lab "didn't do in house" and they (without letting the doctor or I know first) sent it out to their parent company to do the work. Not my fault, not our insurer's fault, but we get the bill. I tried to solve it on my own-since a mistake had already been made by the same side provider the month before and then it was corrected. This time, the person on the other end of the phone wasn't so helpful. There's an hour of life and energy I won't get back.
Next, I called our insurer-who finally took me off of hold after 45 minutes of elevator music and listened to me. Now I have to admit, this woman was very nice and she really worked hard to help me. She listened to me, said she didn't understand why I should have gotten the bill and proceeded to call the provider and put us all on a "conference" call.
After about an hour (no kidding), he refused to talk to me, referred to me in the 3rd person and was rude to my insurer! Wind up was she filed a complaint on my behalf and the bill was erased. Great news there. She also informed me that since my hospital stay had pushed me "minimum" that I probably shouldn't be seeing any more bills until next year.
Again, that was fabulous news-as I am now up for: a Prolia shot (a mere $1,000), a updated CTScan on my lungs to see how the Valley Fever is coming along and a few more doctors appointments.
EXCEPT-shortly after that news, Steve gets a text telling him that due to rising costs and the present insurer wanting to raise them by 15%-they were switching us to another provider as of October 1st!
Fantastic, NOT! So now I have to hope the new company will A) let me continue to see my present doctors B) not hold up any of my treatments C) charge me for what I wouldn't have seen a bill for just because we're changing.
This whole thing is a necessary evil.
