Today started too early. I have lab work of the worst kind, fasting. Up too early. Let the 100 lb wrecking ball out in 18° light dusting of snow. He promptly sneezed a hole in the snow on the deck.
Start the coffee I can’t have, so it will be ready the instant I get home. Pour breakfast kibble and wiggle my way past the aforementioned 100 lb. wrecking ball.
Arrive at the local lab at oh-dark hundred. I’m third in line waiting for the door to open. Hungry, uncaffeinated, cold, and irritated.
Signed in and waited (not long) to get processed in.
‘Oh, your insurance isn’t valid here.’
‘umm, I’ve been coming here for 3 or 4 years on that insurance.’
‘We can’t accept it. You’ll have to go to brand X or brand Y with that insurance.’
‘How 'bout if I pay cash?’
‘We can’t take your cash since you have other insurance, you have to go to a provider that takes yours. Here’s a list, in 9 pt. pica, with brand Y’s locations in slightly dark grey on a slightly light grey background.’
Grumble grumble, grumble, leave. Look at the distances to the nearest. Grumble some more.
Decide to come home since I promised the 100 lb. wrecking ball that I’d be home within an hour (like he call tell time!).
Have enough time to get a couple sausage burritos with added jalapeños at the French restaurant, Jacque in the Box, for which my son was most grateful.
Call the insurance company.
‘Oh. We don’t have a list of companies that accept our insurance...’
(insert shocked silence here)
‘...but anyone who takes Medicare will accept it.’
‘hmmm, I’ve got Medicare.’
‘Well then, your provider screwed up, call them.’
Call the provider.
Phone tree heck, if you have any one of the following issues press 1 through 9 as each issue is listed...
Of course mine isn’t on the list.
‘...or briefly describe your problem.’
(I did in great detail, see all of the above)
‘I don’t understand what you want, let me get you a person.’
Eventually, ‘Let me call that office and see what happened, (short hold), she screwed up, was very busy and misread the screen, you’re good to go!
Except I’m no longer fasting.
Yup. She was the only one doing receiving, it was busy , and she did make a verbal error and apologized saying she was multitasking and not doing it well. What I missed was she said Medicaid not Medicare to me. We’ll split the blame on that one when I go back tomorrow...
Ohjeez, Nully. I’ve had too many of those experiences and I empathize with you completely! (Well, except for the 100 lub wrecking ball. That wasn’t part of the equation.) But the wrecking ball knew you were good at your word, even though he may have timed you a little. Like, the instant the door closed behind you, he was wondering why you were so LATE!
Still, all’s well that ends.
So I take it you’ll try again tomorrow? With much better results this time, I hope!
An ambulance company tried to stick me with a $3K+ bill for my husband when our insurance rep ascertained that the bill was in the three-digit range. It was straightened out after a few days, and the person who goofed was extremely apologetic, but I wasn’t too upset about it because my rep said that they could be in a world of trouble with the state insurance commission if they didn’t get their act together. However, if I had had to fast until the issue was resolved, I probably would have murdered somebody./s (Sarc tag for any lefty trolls wandering around here; where are the plesiosaurs when you need them?)