insurance - nuff said

Ok - So the babies were up very early this morning. We played for an hour, David took about an hour nap but Mary Louise was a little busy body all morning. At about 9:30, she finally shut her eyes only to be disturbed by the phone ringing...the lab calling AGAIN!!!

ugh - they have an automated system that apparently flagged our (David's) accounts as delinquent. Thanks alot computer. Each time he had lab work in the hospital, an account was created - that's a different account number times I don't know - 50 open accounts right now. So, that would in fact be 50 phone calls. I spoke with the rep - twice and was told - twice that there was nothing they could do to stop the calls. Needless to say, I turned the ringers off on our house phones and am hoping no one from the md offices needs to reach me today.

In addition (because nothing could be that simple with insurance) our primary company has yet to properly deny the claims meaning they are STILL in limbo and have not been sent to Medicaid for review. I love that I've spent a total of 3 afternoons - and I do mean full afternoons -trying to resolve (completely futile mission) this issue by mediating between the 2 companies (which is more like mediating and argument between 2 16 year olds as they both think they have done their job and the other is at fault. Oh- and no they will not talk directly to one another (again that would be too simple no?)). I just love that they are so quick to tell me that they won't cover any more medical expenses for our now uninsurable son, but they can't just write a damn letter saying as much and send it to the companies making the claims.

So, thanks bureaucracy. Thanks alot for sucking the life out of yet a few more precious moments and thanks government for setting up a system to penalize families who find themselves in similar situations and yet caudal many of life's little woopsies and unexpected -uhem- bumps. I love that your only loop holes or flexible areas are ones that perpetuate and in some cases actually outright encourage cycles of bankruptcy, poverty, and broken families. Oh and let us not forget the AWESOME insurance companies - the one we've paid out the wazoo for a policy for years never making a claim only to have them turn their backs when we actually need something (props to you of course for actually paying some of the hospital bills with minimal prodding), and the ones who claim they insure high risk groups but have long waiting periods to insure preexisting conditions. Could someone please point out the person who needs high risk insurance and does not in fact have a condition warranting such high cost, low value coverage? Amazing.

I suppose I could go on another tangent about the real issue...why it costs $50 for a bandaid and cottonball in the hospital or $1000 for a dressing change that would cost about $10 at any drugstore or why we get charged $175 biweekly to have a nurse stop over, take a weight and measure the length (which anyone can do) on 2 babies and sometimes give a $2100 shot that we have to beg the ins. company to pay even partially for in the first place. I could give my opinion on that, but I think that may be a bit much right now.

Pardon my frustration. Today, I've had it. Maybe I'll get my sense of humor back tomorrow. Rant over (I think). I just wish our policies and safety nets would catch up to technology making million dollar caps appear so ridiculously high that it'd be impossible to ever need such costly care - I suppose it is for most - unless you are born 16 weeks premature...