Decisions

Man, I want to play my horn today.  I just got back to town from visiting family and I haven't played in about 5 days.  I saw some cool old horns and met some nice people in music stores in Eugene, OR.. Now that I'm back though, it means checking the mail.  I don't like checking the mail that often.  Many times there are bills from doctors and insurance companies that need my attention.  So I check the mail because I've been away and sure enough, there's a bill.  Now I only have a few hours before I have to be at work (because I was up late waiting for my blood sugar to return to acceptable levels) and I really want to play my horn and work on music before I have to be into the job. Anything could be in this envelope though.  Upon opening I quickly realize this letter needs my attention.  Decision time.  Deal with the letter and hope it doesn't take up my entire afternoon before work or practice and work on music.  I choose deal with the letter.

It's a bill.  Apparently I owe $765 for some tests done in September.  I have insurance, why do I owe so much money?  Is it because my insurance is a high deductible health plan and these tests aren't part of my normal plan?  I can't afford to pay this bill right now.  I'd like to think I'm trying to save money for putting out my music projects.  Dammit I have to call my insurance company.  Every company I call has an automated operator system upon connecting.  Navigating these systems can be simple to extremely frustrating and useless.  Most fall more towards extremely frustrating.  Don't even try to call the state Medicaid office, you will never reach an actual person.  So I get through the system and reach a customer service representative.  I tell them I received a bill and the reason I am being charged is that I was not insured at the time of service.  This is false.  My insurance company confirms I did have insurance at the time of service and in their records there is no claim of services from the doctors.  My customer service rep tells me they are going to follow up with the doctors and to not worry about the bill for now.  I will receive a letter in 45-60 days telling me the outcome of the bill.  Also, if I receive another bill from the doctors within the 45-60 days call back immediately to the insurance company.  So, problem solved for now.  If I'm lucky the insurance company will actually handle the situation and I won't have to make anymore phone calls.  If I'm unlucky, 45-60 days from now I will receive a letter telling me I owe money for medical services I thought my insurance would cover.  

I believe that when you go to the doctor there should be some system in place for letting patients (I generally feel more like a customer when talking to insurance companies) know what bills they will incur for the services they require before the services are given.  I can see how this would create problems for people who don't want to pay for their health.  But at the same time if there are cheaper ways of getting the same services it should be the patient's choice to take other options.  Also, directly connecting insurance companies, doctors, and patients at the time of service for the services required could eliminate this whole problem.

Problem number one solved.  But while I have the insurance rep on the phone there’s another problem regarding medical supplies to be sorted.  To be continued in post Decisions Part 2.  

So today it seems I will get to practice and work on music.  It took about an hour to sort out today’s diabetes related issues, which is not that bad.  It also wasn’t an infuriating experience.  I would have much rather done other things with my time than sort out doctor’s office and insurance companies constant ineptitudes, like relax and check out music.


Photos from Uptown PartyDown show at Casa del Sol in Nyack, NY.