Sunday, June 26, 2011

Ring Around The Insurance/Doctor Hell

Last week Daddy called me a little after I had left from one of my usual visits.  He was very upset because he had received a phone call from a collection agency.  WHAT!!!!!  That was not good.  Daddy pays his bills the minute they hit his doorway and I do too, and since I am in charge of his finances right now we both were very confused.  It was a medical claim.  First of all we are confused because Daddy has good regular insurance and Medicare which most generally covers everything except for an occasional deductible.  We also have had his mail forwarded to my house until September because he can't walk to his mailbox, and I'm paying his bills, what few of them he has.  He said that they had been sending bills and they have been sent back.  They apparently don't forward those bills.  I told him that if they called back to mail them to his name c/o of ME.  Well, on Friday afternoon I received a letter along with a photocopy of the bill.  The letter said he owed over $750 and that the letter was from a medical collection agency.  The bill showed charges and insurance payments with a balance not covered for about $350.  My first question would be where is the extra $400 that they say he owes.  Plus, it is from the hip doctor we have been seeing, one who is in charge, at this moment of Daddy's care.  One who we've seen, been in his office, many times since the charges stated on the statement.  They did not say a word on any of the visits.  Plus, Daddy has been in a hospital, special care hospital and nursing home for about 3 months, which THEY KNEW!  Plus they have his phone number and my phone number which THEY HAVE NOT CALLED, NOT ONE TIME!!!!!  Can you tell I'm pretty pissed right now.  Tomorrow, Monday morning, my phone line is going to be on fire because I am very angry and getting angrier by the minute thinking about it.  Whew, there goes the damned blood pressure.  These doctors or their offices or the insurance companies and whatever else do not talk to one another.  Good grief, I am dealing with a house in complete disarray, picking out tile and colors and general construction mess.  I'm trying to work and keep up with those books, plus my finances and Daddy's finances.  I'm taking his trash out at least once a week, buying his groceries, cleaning his toilet and doing his laundry along with mine.  I'm helping to keep his appointments plus mine, usually shifting mine to accommodate his.  I'm emotionally tired right now and getting to be physically tired. 

No comments: