Thursday, April 12, 2007

On insurance

I haven't worked full time in over 5 months, and yesterday thank goodness I got my first check for being on long term disability. Many of you have heard about my issues with this whole thing over the last few months, but really hello why did it take 5 months. My friend V-L is convinced that disability insurance tries to wait until you are healthy again before they agree to actually send any checks your way. I don't think she is far off from the truth, but today I am so thankful that I took out a private disability policy. I am going straight to the bank and then I will find some way to celebrate.

In other insurance news, I have previously bogged about how the hospital was trying to bill a very old insurance policy that I can't figure out how they got and had identity theft recommended as a solution (Thanks Harvey). Well, I am not that desparate yet, but I did try my best to inform the hospital of their mistake, make sure they had my proper insurance info, etc. thinking somehow they made a simple mistake. Despite all of my efforts and hours of frustration they still are billing the same old insurance carrier first, and I am starting to feel that there is something more sinister ie. intentional in this effort. It seems that that insurance pays better and the hospital hopes that payments will slide through. The odd thing is I'd have no diea if I didn't a- like my parents and talk to them all the time, b - if my parents didn't live in the same house they've lived in for over 30 years and c- if they didn't tell me about it. Why- because all of the rejections letter from said iinsurance company are being mailed to my dad.... There is not one single indication on any of the numerous bills that i receive from the hospital that this is going on, but yet here we are. Fortunately, after said ancient insurance rejects them they pull it together and send the bills to my proper insurance company who pays them. That is why I am now questioning intent because they have all the right info and eventually use it, but seem to want to try to see if they can get the other to slide first. HMMM

Oh yeah, and btw I am almost half way done with radiation.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Lisa:
As I told you in a former comment, I had to go to the CEO of the hospital to get my insurance woes addressed.
Now, I have another issue-I am receiving a $700 pharmacy bill that should be paid by Health Net. I have this coverage through the U. Of California. I have been dealing with this since February 2006 (yes 2006) and the HR people tell me each month that it has been taken care of. This month I went to the Director of HR and if this is not resolved by 5/1 I am going to the Chancellor.
Find out who the top person is and go to them.
MJ
P.S. I did buy some darling shoes-blue denim flats with multicolored buttons sprinkled on the toes. Quite cute.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on nearing the 1/2 way point. Hope you and KTP had fun with the albums and you did not get amniotic fluid on your shoes!

smb

Anonymous said...

Yeah on the half way point. Hope all is going well. We need to talk soon!

LD

Anonymous said...

From Kath

Hi Lisa

When talking to the hospital billing department - use the phrase "Timely Filing". If they do not file your claim to the correct insurance provider with in the timeframe given by your correct provider - they are obliged to write off the amount including your responsibility.