Tuesday, April 18, 2006

this is precisely why I didn't want double coverage

I really shouldn't complain.

Double insurance coverage is twice as much as many people have. But it is truly a pain in my backside.

In August of last year, my gastroenterolgist ordered a bunch of tests, everything from blood work to an endoscopy to a colonoscopy. Being the good patient that I am, I fulfilled all his requests, had all the tests done, only to be stuck with a lot of bills. A lot.

Unfortunately, the labs in this area don't bill secondary insurance. So any time I have work done I have to call them up afterwards, ask for a copy of the report, and wait for them to send it to me. I've been calling at least once a month since August trying to get this matter straightened out. Not that I can't afford to pay what's left of the bill after primary. But it's a matter of principle. We have double coverage; why should I pay more money than I have to?

Well, I had to call like, 3 times this month in order to get the lab to send ME a copy of MY record so I could send it MYSELF to the secondary insurance company. Supposedly they faxed it like 3 times, but guess what? It never got there. I also asked them to make a note on the account that due to THEIR mistakes, the bill was still pending (not outstanding).

Finally, on Saturday, I got a copy of the record. But I also got a notice from a collection agency with my past due amount for the work done in August. I called the lab. "Oops." They messed up. But there's no way to get it back now.

Arrgh.

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