Emotional Support

[trystan]

{{hugs @Essfia}}

 

19 hours ago, PrincessLucy said:

I am willing to bet that it will already be gone as it has been on the market for 3 days.

so our house has been on the market for two weeks now.  we've had a few people looking, and not helpful feedback.

the house we put a bid on had a contingency for the seller to keep it on the market ..... and someone else (probably with no contingencies) put an offer on it as well, and since their realtor was of the cutthroat variety, we never had a chance.

the fun part is, we're selling our house that's in the philly area (4 beds, 2 baths) and looking for something in the Pittsburgh area - which is totally across the state from us, which is 5-1/2 hour away.  the fun part will be moving all our cats out as well.....

i think things will be less stressful once someone is under contract to buy hour house.

and then tonight, we got a text from the realtor. she says we really need to discuss how to make the house more appealing to buyers.  hubby's going out to Pgh again this weekend to see a few  more houses, so we'll be talking monday night.  which means i have to sit with that the whole weekend.  yikes.

[PrincessLucy]

46 minutes ago, trystan said:

{{hugs @Essfia}}

 

so our house has been on the market for two weeks now.  we've had a few people looking, and not helpful feedback.

the house we put a bid on had a contingency for the seller to keep it on the market ..... and someone else (probably with no contingencies) put an offer on it as well, and since their realtor was of the cutthroat variety, we never had a chance.

the fun part is, we're selling our house that's in the philly area (4 beds, 2 baths) and looking for something in the Pittsburgh area - which is totally across the state from us, which is 5-1/2 hour away.  the fun part will be moving all our cats out as well.....

i think things will be less stressful once someone is under contract to buy hour house.

and then tonight, we got a text from the realtor. she says we really need to discuss how to make the house more appealing to buyers.  hubby's going out to Pgh again this weekend to see a few  more houses, so we'll be talking monday night.  which means i have to sit with that the whole weekend.  yikes.

This one is not on the market yet, as I refuse to have to even consider moving out before I have something of my own to go into.  The dog is blind and the cat is in kidney failure and pooping out of the box too often. I need them to be elsewhere when we show this house.

 

Me buying a house/condo is not dependent on me selling this one. This house is going thru probate, where I will get 1/3 once it settles. I am paying cash for what I buy.

 

I can't imagine anybody wanting to move from Philly to anywhere else. You got The Academy of Natural Sciences (we have slept under many an exhibit there), Franklin Institute, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Rodin Museum (though my son was afraid of some of the pieces), Eastern State Penitentiary, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, really good cheese steaks, and you are near Sesame Place (I drove 3 1/2 hours one day to meet Bob McGrath and have him autograph a book he wrote about potties) and not too far from Hershey Park, Dorney Park, and DC and a really cool corn maze on the way back from Hershey.

 

Lol, at least you have the Mr Rogers memorial in Pittsburgh.

 

Actually, we almost went to Pittsburgh once, but went thru Punxsutawney instead on the way back from Cleveland. We went to Cleveland for the Great Lakes Science Center, Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and Cedar Point.

 

Anyway, I wish you good luck selling. Tell your realtor you are going to bury a statue of St Joseph upside down to speed up the process and see what she says.

 

I don't think our realtor passed on any of my feedback on the places that we have seen. I asked her if she notified the other realtor about the leak in the ceiling pipe in a condo that we saw, and all she said was "they already know".

Edited July 23, 2022 by PrincessLucy

[trystan]

38 minutes ago, PrincessLucy said:

I can't imagine anybody wanting to move from Philly to anywhere else.

well, yes. but the cost of living and property taxes and such here is crazy.... we're like 10 minutes from Sesame Place, also in Bucks County.  one of the websites we looked at for various facets of neighborhoods gave Bucks County an "F" for cost of living.  many of the neighborhoods out near Pgh are C or higher... the cost of living is not as insane, and we not so much concerned about the school districts because our youngest is a senior at Pitt.  

 

we've gone to Pittsburgh many times over the last 11 years, and it's a good area to be in.  in the end, we're downsizing our mortgage and our debt.  and maybe we might be able to finally do that saving thing.  buying the house out there is contingent on selling the house here.   

 

not sure about St. Joseph.  does he have a Pagan counterpart?  

 

and good luck to you finding a place as well! {{hugs}}

 

Edited July 23, 2022 by trystan

[PrincessLucy]

23 minutes ago, trystan said:

not sure about St. Joseph.  does he have a Pagan counterpart?

Lol, probably not, but besides my mother's funeral and my son's friend's mother's funeral, the last time I was at church was for a sale 10 years ago, so I am far from a religious expert.

 

I had to look up St Joseph, but I have been toying with the idea of planting one at my sister's old house. They moved out about 25 years ago and still own it, but it is in such bad disrepair that it isn't worth the cost of tearing it down. She wants to keep it "in case one of her kids wants it", but none of them do. They would never check it after a storm to make sure the sump pump was working.

[trystan]

10 minutes ago, PrincessLucy said:

had to look up St Joseph,

yeah, i did too.

i went to synagogue with my parents up until college.  hubby and i got married by a rabbi, but it was in a hotel  

i'd found paganism completely by accident when i was doing research for one of my novels i was writing at the time, and it aligned with some of my musings back from college!  for most of the time my daughters were in school though, we went to a Unitarian Universalist fellowship.  i kept up going, until covid happened.  i kept up with them on zoom until the summer, and then just didn't zoom anymore. (and then i changed my work schedule, different story).  i have a group of UU Pagans that i used to meet with regularly, even on zoom, until we started meeting in person again.  i think i'm getting old and tired and don't want to go out friday nights once a month any more  

 

your sister's house sounds like a big oof.

[PrincessLucy]

On 7/22/2022 at 7:01 AM, Essfia said:

I dunno should I write it here or no...

Yesterday I lost my friend, forever. She was in a car near the driver (her father) when they're were attacked. Her father is alive, but in a hospital. Poor her two young children. Her husband on the war now, and she...

Sorry. It's very hard for me. I just need to write it somewhere

I am so sorry for the loss of your friend. I hope her father will be alright.

 

Stay safe.

 

 

16 hours ago, trystan said:

your sister's house sounds like a big oof.

 

Yeah. She was supposed to sell it when she bought the house that she is in now. She rented to a friend for a couple of years, but apparently, the husband liked to break things. The next door neighbor wanted to buy it, but she turned him down. She lets him park his extra cars there to make it look lived in.

 

-----------

 

Well, in other news, I put in a bid on a condo today. I bid $15k under the asking price, so I am not too hopeful, but it needs walls patched, repainting throughout, electrical work in the kitchen. The have an extension cord for the refrigerator going across the room, but the plugs behind the frig work, so perhaps the fridge triggers the circuit breaker or something. I brought night lights with me to check all the outlets and everything else works. All the ducts need to be cleaned, it needs a new sliding screen door in the back and a new outer front door and I would need a locksmith as the front door sticks badly.  I would have to rip out rugs eventually, though they are in good shape. My dog can't have rugs as he would mess them up in the living room, and the cat would make a mess in the bedroom.

 

I was supposed to be called yesterday to set up my knee surgery, but the woman who schedules the surgeries didn't call. It would be nice to recover in the new place.

[trystan]

yikes

 

2 hours ago, PrincessLucy said:

I was supposed to be called yesterday to set up my knee surgery, but the woman who schedules the surgeries didn't call. It would be nice to recover in the new place.

good luck with your surgery {{hugs}}

[PrincessLucy]

On 7/23/2022 at 4:50 PM, trystan said:

yikes

 

good luck with your surgery {{hugs}}

Thank you. Trying to time my recovery around when I close, so I can recover on the first floor, as one of the first things to come to the new place will be the couch from downstairs.

 

-------------

 

They turned down my offer. I bid $120,000 when they wanted $134,900 but they countered with "half the difference" so I am paying $127,450.

 

Funny, I was going to offer $125k, but figured they would counter with $130k, so I am still $2,500 less than I wanted to pay.

 

Trying to get inspection for Wednesday.

[trystan]

25 minutes ago, PrincessLucy said:

Funny, I was going to offer $125k, but figured they would counter with $130k, so I am still $2,500 less than I wanted to pay.

yaay!

we put a bid on a house in Rochester, PA, $5k over asking,  and they accepted it!

now we have to get the current house under contract....

Edited July 24, 2022 by trystan

[PrincessLucy]

12 minutes ago, trystan said:

yaay!

we put a bid on a house in Rochester, PA, $5k over asking,  and they accepted it!

now we have to get the current house under contract....

Wonderful news! Congrats!

 

I want a quick closing so I can get rid of my $183/month storage unit. The plan, which I should be able to stick to, is just 4 months of storage unit, which will be the end of August.  Storage place is less than 5 miles from here and less than 3 from new place, so a few trips of local family filling vehicles and it will be empty. This week I am going to finish packing what I will be storing for the family to look thru later on and then we will be focusing on cleaning/power washing/gardening until we put this place up for sale.

 

Edited July 24, 2022 by PrincessLucy

[trystan]

33 minutes ago, PrincessLucy said:

I want a quick closing so I can get rid of my $183/month storage unit.

i totally get that.

may i ask, (and i might be being presumptuous, but - ) what state are you in? as i've mentioned, i'm in PA.

[PrincessLucy]

19 minutes ago, trystan said:

i totally get that.

may i ask, (and i might be being presumptuous, but - ) what state are you in? as i've mentioned, i'm in PA.

Southington, Connecticut. 

 

I am still a New Yorker at heart even though I moved to Connecticut in the 70's.

[trystan]

16 minutes ago, PrincessLucy said:

I am still a New Yorker at heart even though I moved to Connecticut in the 70's.

i get that.  i've lived in Bucks County my entire life.... i'll turn 52 before we move across the state though.  this will be the first time ever i've lived this far away from everything i've known thus far.  it's exciting, but kinda daunting too.

[StarKaabii]

My gosh. My life is on a complete downward spiral. I feel like I have absolutely nothing happy left in my life anymore and barely a reason to go on. I used to think of myself as pretty optimistic but that’s just entirely been shattered now. My heart feels pretty well empty, broken and dead. Aaaand my mother is pretty well at the root of literally all of it! Yay for kind, supportive parents who are too stupid to realize how emotionally abusive they are and the fact that they have literally destroyed their child! :DDD

 

Actually, she did realize that and knowledge it once in a note she left me promising to change, which was a bunch of bull crap and made it all the worse. I don’t even know anymore if I’m at a point where I can ever heal or forgive her. This has been going on for nearly a decade (7 years, starting when I was age 11, I am now 18) and I feel like I’ve just been. Completely broken now. And that upsets me even more, both because it hurts, and because I used to be such a happy-go-lucky, optimistic forgiving person even just two years ago, and now I feel like all I am is a vessel of bitterness and anger whose life never goes right. I don’t... like that. I miss how I used to be, dearly. But I don’t even know how to let go of the anger anymore, if I even can, especially with the one who caused it constantly being so close and piling more onto it on a daily basis at this point, then blaming me for everything that goes wrong even if SHE caused it. I wish I could be stronger, but I WAS strong, for a really long time. I feel like my strength has reached its limit.

 

I can’t get counselling or therapy, as I don’t drive, I don’t want to ask my mother for it for multiple reasons, and I just. Don’t trust people. I’m too arrogant and too guarded both to ever want or be able to talk about my problems to some person I don’t even know. Yes, I am basically doing precisely that right now, on the internet of all things. But it feels a bit different face-to-face, especially when you have social anxiety and a tough time putting your thoughts to words vocally as well.

 

I just. Want to get better. I want to get to how I used to be. But I don’t know how. These past two years have done a number on me mentally and emotionally, and it’s all been domestic stuff. I don’t have in-person friends or the like to bounce things off of or get time away from home. I’m just weary of it all, agh.

[Awdz]

Wowsers StarKaabi, my heart weeps for your situation. It sounds like you want to reach out to someone but are too scarred to work up the courage.

Please remember that there are people in your life who do consider you worth their time!

Are you still in school? Is there a teacher there that other kids seem to feel particularly safe with, that you could approach and ask to talk? 

[PrincessLucy]

On 7/28/2022 at 3:07 PM, StarKaabi said:

My gosh. My life is on a complete downward spiral. I feel like I have absolutely nothing happy left in my life anymore and barely a reason to go on. I used to think of myself as pretty optimistic but that’s just entirely been shattered now. My heart feels pretty well empty, broken and dead. Aaaand my mother is pretty well at the root of literally all of it! Yay for kind, supportive parents who are too stupid to realize how emotionally abusive they are and the fact that they have literally destroyed their child! :DDD

 

Actually, she did realize that and knowledge it once in a note she left me promising to change, which was a bunch of bull crap and made it all the worse. I don’t even know anymore if I’m at a point where I can ever heal or forgive her. This has been going on for nearly a decade (7 years, starting when I was age 11, I am now 18) and I feel like I’ve just been. Completely broken now. And that upsets me even more, both because it hurts, and because I used to be such a happy-go-lucky, optimistic forgiving person even just two years ago, and now I feel like all I am is a vessel of bitterness and anger whose life never goes right. I don’t... like that. I miss how I used to be, dearly. But I don’t even know how to let go of the anger anymore, if I even can, especially with the one who caused it constantly being so close and piling more onto it on a daily basis at this point, then blaming me for everything that goes wrong even if SHE caused it. I wish I could be stronger, but I WAS strong, for a really long time. I feel like my strength has reached its limit.

 

I can’t get counselling or therapy, as I don’t drive, I don’t want to ask my mother for it for multiple reasons, and I just. Don’t trust people. I’m too arrogant and too guarded both to ever want or be able to talk about my problems to some person I don’t even know. Yes, I am basically doing precisely that right now, on the internet of all things. But it feels a bit different face-to-face, especially when you have social anxiety and a tough time putting your thoughts to words vocally as well.

 

I just. Want to get better. I want to get to how I used to be. But I don’t know how. These past two years have done a number on me mentally and emotionally, and it’s all been domestic stuff. I don’t have in-person friends or the like to bounce things off of or get time away from home. I’m just weary of it all, agh.

I am sorry that you are going thru all that. Try to stay strong.

 

Sometimes talking about it helps.  I find talking to complete strangers online makes me feel better, as they don't know me in real life so there is no danger of me being pointed at and having my secrets spilled.   

 

----------------

 

Just in case anyone is following my Mom-died-so-I-gotta-move-into-my-first-ever-home-not-owned-by-someone-else saga...

 

To recap, this condo is the place that we couldn't see the first day as the key wasn't opening the door. We saw it the next day, when my son was able to get the door open but I wasn't ready to offer. We saw it again last week, but the realtor's husband had to get the door open for us.

 

Yesterday was the inspection. The inspector got there first, and me shortly after. The realtor gave him the code for the lock box, so he tried to open the door but couldn't. Even with the 2 keys he couldn't get it.

 

He climbed in the kitchen window and opened the door for us.

 

That is one really annoying lock. Only 1 screw on the side, so the pieces move, which causes all the issues.

 

The inspection went okay, but I need a new bathtub upstairs (crack in the tub) and a new toilet downstairs (longtime slow leak).  I need an electrician for a few minor things plus for a new panel, as I want to be able to put in central air, so this way I can get all the necessary electrical work done at once.

 

While we were trying to get in, I met a contractor who was ripping out floor in the next building so he came over to see the living room. I was pretty set on hardwood, but the inspector said I would be better off with laminate as it will be easier cleanup with my blind dog.

 

Anyway, we negotiated a discount with the owners to help me pay for the tub and toilet.

 

No idea when we close yet, but it will be sometime in August and I get my knee surgery in early September.

 

Ohhh...I almost forgot the best part...

 

I had to run home for lunch to send something off to the realtor and I locked myself out of my house and car. I had put my keys on my desk. I had to break into my old home so I could drive back to work.

 

 

[trystan]

oh yikes, @PrincessLucy!

but yay for finding a place!  

 

we're still looking for a buyer for our current house. *sigh*

[miaou]

currently feeling overwhelmed by medical bills. according to my insurance company, i owe $0.00 on one of them and $60.00 on the other. even though i've been unemployed for several years, i can definitely pay that.

 

what i can't pay is the $2400.00 one provider wants or the $540 the other is sort-of-politely demanding.

 

the insurance company and i have called the providers in question multiple times. one provider has failed to give the insurance company necessary support documentation for nearly a year; the other didn't/hasn't process(ed) the insurance company's adjustment.

 

so the providers, instead of fixing things on their end, are continuing to send me incorrect bills. i'm super stressed (and feeling somewhat harassed at this point) but the last round came in saturday's mail -- so of course i can't do anything until monday.

 

16 hours of anxiety down, 22 to go... 😶

Edited July 31, 2022 by miaou

[mishhelle]

I had surgery years ago and had the same stressful experience dealing with the hospital and insurance company. I’m sorry you’re dealing with this, @miaou
 

this reminds me of a tiktok the other day where a guy said you can get out of some medical bills by “disputing the validity of the debt”. he went as far as to remind people that they have no legal obligation to provide their SSN to doctors or hospitals. therefore disputing validity makes it even easier. idk whether or not that’s entirely true but it’s…interesting

 

on a serious note, you mentioned that you’ve been calling, but have you put anything in writing, with documented proof? if you have not, try this:

 

send a certified letter with return receipt request and sprinkle it with threats of potential legal action aka “this is a Cease and Desist” letter. state that you dispute the validity of the debt and refuse to pay because 1) you are unemployed and 2) that you have already provided your insurance company contact information. state that you are aware of what you owe based on your insurance plan/deductible and that any further contact is considered harassment and a violation of the FDCPA. this will light a fire under their lazy, paper-pushing butts, and it’ll get them off your back.
 

making sure that you have proof that they received your written communication is important. that’s why you want to send this letter certified with return receipt. and letting them know that you’re aware of your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act is also important. they like to screw around as much as they can with people because they think you don’t know your rights, or that they will wear you down so you just pay them. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2022 by mishhelle
damn typos

[miaou]

thanks so much for the suggestions, @mishhelle! i haven't sent any written communication myself but my insurance company has (and i have reference #s for the various communications). but i think i'll follow your registered letter idea and see if that gets me anywhere.

 

also, i might stop giving out my ss#...!

[PrincessLucy]

17 hours ago, miaou said:

currently feeling overwhelmed by medical bills. according to my insurance company, i owe $0.00 on one of them and $60.00 on the other. even though i've been unemployed for several years, i can definitely pay that.

 

what i can't pay is the $2400.00 one provider wants or the $540 the other is sort-of-politely demanding.

 

the insurance company and i have called the providers in question multiple times. one provider has failed to give the insurance company necessary support documentation for nearly a year; the other didn't/hasn't process(ed) the insurance company's adjustment.

 

so the providers, instead of fixing things on their end, are continuing to send me incorrect bills. i'm super stressed (and feeling somewhat harassed at this point) but the last round came in saturday's mail -- so of course i can't do anything until monday.

 

16 hours of anxiety down, 22 to go... 😶

I am sorry that you are going through this.

 

I am dealing with a similar issue.

 

I went to the ER in March and the doctor's medical group sent me a bill saying that the insurance company denied my claim and that they hold me responsible for over $600. I called the medical group to dispute the bill, and the woman who answered said that they can't hold me responsible as my insurance was denying the claim as a "plan discount" and they would correct the bill.

 

2 months later, different ER visit with over $1,300 bill from the doctor's group that they claimed was denied and I was responsible for.  I called again and read what the bill said and it was the same plan discount/incorrect code in the doctor's billing. I mentioned having not yet received a corrected bill from the March visit, and I was told that they were still working on it.

 

I agree with the advice that mishhelle has given you.

 

Are you in the US? If so, I would contact your state's insurance commissioner as well.

 

When you contact your state insurance commissioner for disputing a medical bill, it's essential that you have all of your paperwork and documentation in order. 

 

You will typically need to fill out an official complaint form, and you can then attach your own documentation to support. 

 

If there is a true medical billing error not being resolved, this is where you can clearly state the error, the CPT codes that were inaccurate, what the codes should have been, and the potential estimated difference in price.

 

If your claim is simply being denied by your health insurance, this is also the appropriate place to dispute that request. In some states (like California), there is a specific request for an Independent Medical Review to determine if you should be covered.

[mishhelle]

15 hours ago, miaou said:

thanks so much for the suggestions, @mishhelle! i haven't sent any written communication myself but my insurance company has (and i have reference #s for the various communications). but i think i'll follow your registered letter idea and see if that gets me anywhere.

 

good luck, it’s at least enough to get them off your back while they deal with the insurance company directly. 

3 hours ago, PrincessLucy said:

2 months later, different ER visit with over $1,300 bill from the doctor's group that they claimed was denied and I was responsible for.  I called again and read what the bill said and it was the same plan discount/incorrect code in the doctor's billing. I mentioned having not yet received a corrected bill from the March visit, and I was told that they were still working on it

the SAME error?? what in the blatant ineptitude? I swear these errors cause people so much unnecessary stress. 
 

I was trying to find out if medical providers are legally required to handle errors like this in a certain timeframe, and I stumbled upon the topic of medical billing errors that happen 80% of the time. based on what I’ve read, maybe both of you should request a detailed report of all the billing codes submitted to your insurance, and to look up the codes online to verify that those procedures were legitimate. these people are notorious for adding illegitimate to your bill (look up “medical upcoding”), or for sending you surprise bills for other things not covered by your insurance, such as an out-of-network anesthesiologist who administered the sleepy drugs that you were not made aware of at the time. There’s actually a law protecting you against this called the “No Surprises Act”, now. 
 

i will never forget looking at my bill and discovering that the hospital charged me $14 for ONE potassium pill. I remember calling them and saying “are you kidding me, I can go down to Walgreens right now and buy a whole bottle of potassium pills for less than that!”

Edited August 1, 2022 by mishhelle

[miaou]

thank you for all this, @PrincessLucy ! the bigger bill i'm dealing with is also an er visit. 😔 anyhow, my insurance company has actually been amazing in all this; the problems are all with the providers. i may not have been clear enough in my original post:

 

one provider, the emergency medical group, has failed to respond to the insurance company's request for documentation. they appear to be double billing and unless they can prove otherwise, the insursnce company will deny the second claim. moreover, the insurance company has advised that i owe nothing if we pass the one year mark, and if the med group tries to bill me after that point, i should send the bill to the insurance company and their legal team will handle it. it's just stressful getting the bill!

 

the one i'm dealing with now seems to be a miscommunication within the doctor's billing department. insurance contacted them with a corrected adjustment and the doctor's bilking department said it would take 40 - 60 days for them to process it. the bill should be on hold on their end -- but they sent me a "delinquent" bill in less than 30 days. hopefully this one will be easy to fix, but i don't like the threat of collections (even though that should be easy to fix too, if it happens).

Edited August 1, 2022 by miaou

[Maia NaViolith]

If it is at all helpful, my day job involves making insurance companies pay correctly, and if you think it'd be helpful, PM and I can give some pointers.

 

General stuff--it is not uncommon for the insurance company to tell a patient that the claim was "coded incorrectly" when it actually is coded correctly but there is some other issue at play.  Some companies are a lot worse about it than others, and then you have issues that happen when the doctor, for example, wants a patient to have a CT with/without contrast, and so that's what we get authorized.  But when they actually do it, without is always done first (then the contrast is given--you can add easier than you can subtract) and sometimes what they wanted to see is so glaringly obvious on the without contrast that they won't give the contrast--and that's a different code.  It's usually a fairly straightforward process to update the auth to "CT without contrast" since that was what was actually done and the with/without cannot be billed.  There are a few level of care codes, and it's not completely uncommon for there to be a dispute between the facility and insurance as to what the correct level of care is--and aggravatingly, a patient who comes into the ER/urgent care must be coded as an "existing patient" if they had been seen anywhere in the facility in the past three years, even though there is no connection between that visit when you had food poisoning two and a half years ago and that broken arm you have now (and it's an easy thing to miss).

 

Patient side, there are a few caveats--be sure you read any communication you get from your insurance company.

1) A few insurance companies/plans require that you annually update COB (coordination of benefits), even if you do not have any other insurance.  Also (most frequently seen in plans through a labor union) the plan may require an annual form to be filled out identifying who is covered.  Making these changes is patient responsibility--they will not accept the facility telling them.

 

2) If there is any hint that this could be an accident (vehicle or work comp), your insurance company will want some accident/injury info.  Sometimes this can be handled via phone call, sometimes there's a form that has to be filled out/returned.  They may also request "health history information" from the patient (and don't accept medical records from the facility as a substitute).  If there is accident insurance (a homeowner's coverage, auto policy, or if it is work comp), be sure that the facility gets the billing info.

 

Now, another tip--if you truly do not have the resources to pay a bill, rather than trying a scam (like disputing the bill even though you know it is valid), call the office and see if they have options like discounts or charity care.  For example, some facilities might give a 20% discount if you ask and promise to pay that 80% of the bill within 30 days, and then that $138.00 bill drops to $110.40.  Others have charity options, but you have to apply and provide verification of income/expenses, but with these options there may be a write off up to 100% of your bill.

 

If it all possible, try to have your card on you when you go in for care.  I have seen errors on the ID (and without the card scanned in, I can't make corrections unless the card was issued through a handful of coverages that allow me to use other identifiers to get to the correct ID).  For example, an ID with letters can get I/1 or 0/O sorts of errors, and if it's handwritten, sometimes letters/numbers can be confused.  Also, if you live with someone with similar name, be sure that the insurances have the same info and are alerted to pay attention to the date of birth.  (We had an on-going issue with a father/son duo--let's say John Smith Sr and John Smith Jr.    John Smith Jr had his own coverage from wherever he worked, and was also still on his father's coverage as a dependent.  John Smith Sr only had his coverage.  We would go round and round with insurance because they wanted us to bill John Smith Sr's bills to John Smith Jr's coverage and kept insisting that John Smith Jr's coverage was primary on John Smith Sr--get one bill correctly processed and the insurance company would turn around and make the same [censored] error on the next bill for John Smith Sr (who had a chronic condition, so a new bill every month).

 

But if there's other questions, ask away--I've been at this for several years now.

[PrincessLucy]

17 hours ago, Maia NaViolith said:

General stuff--it is not uncommon for the insurance company to tell a patient that the claim was "coded incorrectly" when it actually is coded correctly but there is some other issue at play.  Some companies are a lot worse about it than others, and then you have issues that happen when the doctor, for example, wants a patient to have a CT with/without contrast, and so that's what we get authorized.  But when they actually do it, without is always done first (then the contrast is given--you can add easier than you can subtract) and sometimes what they wanted to see is so glaringly obvious on the without contrast that they won't give the contrast--and that's a different code.  It's usually a fairly straightforward process to update the auth to "CT without contrast" since that was what was actually done and the with/without cannot be billed.  There are a few level of care codes, and it's not completely uncommon for there to be a dispute between the facility and insurance as to what the correct level of care is--and aggravatingly, a patient who comes into the ER/urgent care must be coded as an "existing patient" if they had been seen anywhere in the facility in the past three years, even though there is no connection between that visit when you had food poisoning two and a half years ago and that broken arm you have now (and it's an easy thing to miss).

 

 

2) If there is any hint that this could be an accident (vehicle or work comp), your insurance company will want some accident/injury info.  Sometimes this can be handled via phone call, sometimes there's a form that has to be filled out/returned.  They may also request "health history information" from the patient (and don't accept medical records from the facility as a substitute).  If there is accident insurance (a homeowner's coverage, auto policy, or if it is work comp), be sure that the facility gets the billing info.

I wish I could find my latest statement from the insurance company. It came in yesterday but I have misplaced it while looking for things and reading the 281 page packet from my new condo.

 

Basically, the doctor's office resubmitted the May bill using the same wrong code, so they denied it again, and they resubmitted it with the correct code which the insurance company denied as it is a duplicate claim so they are going to correct the code on the original claim, so I still don't know how much I am responsible for out of $1725. I am having my knee scoped next month and I also need to see my primary and I have not yet seen the corrected March bill. I am about $800 away from my out of pocket max for the year, so I will only be responsible for that $800, no matter where it falls.

 

---

 

OMG! Years ago, I tore my Achilles Tendon while walking my dog. She had heard a loud noise (fireworks or a car backfiring) and she needed to get home immediately. I was flipped in the air.

 

I kept getting the questionnaire from the insurance company asking if it was an accident.

 

I kept saying "yes" and explaining what happened.

 

After the 3rd or 4th time, I finally sent it back and said, "No. My dog flipped me in the air on purpose." Then they paid the claim.

 

-------------

-------------

 

So we are probably redoing the floors in my mother's house in preparation to sell it. 

 

3 quotes, all of them measuring the 3 bedrooms, 4 closets, living room and dining room differently.

 

First quote for 910.89 sf plus 4 closets (they hand sand in the closets so they list them separately) $1684.09

2nd quote doesn't even give the size nor does it mention the closets is $1890.00

3rd quote which is 881 sf and doesn't mention closets is $2190.00

 

After I give my brother and sister the first quote, my sister votes no on doing the floors.

After I give them all 3 quotes my brother decides that we should only do the living room dining room and hallway because "first impressions". 

 

Yeah, No. All or nothing, because I am not having people come out to requote me on half the job. Besides, there would be a definite stupid looking change in the floor from done to undone, which would not help us sell at all.

 

So my brother is now realizing what doing the floors means--the bedroom set that he brought over to replace my mother's set to "stage the room" will either need to go in the kitchen until the work is done or go downstairs or to his house. He really only brought it here because his friend was losing their furniture store and my brother wanted it to replace his set which isn't even a set, just some unmatched pieces.

 

I was running around getting CO2 detectors, smoke alarms and fire extinguishers to replace what is here and quoting insurance on the condo from a couple of places while getting calls to change the time that the flooring people were coming to give me a quote. I got my policy but the agent put the address in wrong and it kept being denied as a foreclosure but it wasn't, so they had to try again with the corrected address. If they use the street address and then the building and unit, it shows as foreclosure, but if they just use the building and unit number it doesn't.  I had to call the realtor during that issue and she found no foreclosure in the property's history. 

 

I got the condo association's 281 page thing today as well as the resale package and the property card finally. Of course, that meant more phone calls and texts to me to tell me I have to Verisign something else. It also meant I read through 281 pages and sticky-noted anything important.

 

Closing is on the 19th. Not sure what time, but I will need to know as I want to have the rugs upstairs cleaned before we move in the furniture. I want to hire a local company to do the heavy lifting part of the move. The condo is about 3 miles from this house.

 

I spent 2 hours looking for the dog's license and rabies tags. They had fallen off my desk and were under the back corner of it. I had put them to the side a month ago to add them to the dog's collar but I had packed away most of my tools. I had the certificates with my other important papers, but I need to give copies to the property manager.

 

To relax we had family movie night. Just my 32 year old son and me. Secrets of Dumbledore.

 

I fell asleep.

Edited August 4, 2022 by PrincessLucy