To add to to my list of first world problems. This one is actually a small thing in actuality but emotionally, it really sucks and it makes me quite angry.
My insurance is pretty good. It's one of the "golden handcuffs" of my job. Cost me $250 to have Patrick. (If I manage to have another child before July 2012, it will cost $750 and who knows after that, so I'm rapidly losing goodwill for this insurance but whatever.) $20 for a regular office copay. Maternity coverage is such that you pay a $20 copay for your first visit to confirm pregnancy, then everything else is covered at 100% until you get to the hospital. So, yay. Last November, you'll recall, I got a positive pregnancy test, went to Ireland, then scheduled an appointment for Dec. 14, when I'd be about nine weeks pregnant. I went, paid my copay, and then expected that would be it until sometime in July.
My next appointment was delayed due to snow, and eventually came about on Jan. 20. I did NOT pay a copay, as I was on the maternity rider. Except, of course, as I found out at that appointment, I wasn't pregnant anymore. So for my two follow-up appointments over the next two weeks, I had to pay my copay. Which I thought was in poor taste, really, as it was still pregnancy-related, certainly, but I wasn't going to quibble about it. Anyway, eventually that all got sorted out and I went on my merry way.
In July, instead of getting a baby, I got a bill from my doctor's office. It seems that they had decided to adjust my insurance claims. The claims, which had been paid under the maternity coverage, were now re-coded to regular office visits. What this meant was that I would be expected to pay a copay for the Jan. 20 appointment. I think that's a really shitty thing to do to someone who's had a miscarriage, but I don't know who decided to re-code it, and I guess they all have to make their money somehow. So, not THAT big a deal. Except, in their recoding, the doctor's office screwed up and was trying now to charge me for two entire appointments, despite the fact that they had ALREADY BEEN PAID by my insurance company.
I called them up and very politely explained that I had an explanation of benefits from my insurance company that said they could only charge me $20, so I'd appreciate it if they stopped sending me bills for $451.00. The nice lady said, "Oh, I see what's happened, I'll fix it." I then expected to receive a bill for $20 this month. So last week, when I was already quite a fragile flower over Aunt Flo's unwanted arrival, I was not amused to find a bill for $283.00.
It seemed that the nice lady had only fixed one of the appointments. I cried. I am upset that I am not pregnant again yet and money issues ALWAYS upset me, and I do not want to be dealing with this STILL.
I was all set to call them this morning but I checked my account balance online and they have two outstanding $20 copays. So I'm not sure what the issue is with the billing folks. I guess everything's set but they're still trying to charge me a $20 copay for my very first appointment which I ALREADY PAID. I don't think I feel like pursuing it, but it's ANNOYING.
I'll try to stop bitching soon. I actually want to write a post on religion. Ha. if that isn't something to look forward to, I don't know what is.
