Thursday, June 30, 2016

Waste

Paper: In the Fall I will be “a certain age.”  I have proof of that…my Medicare Card came in the mail four months early.  Since then I get almost daily mail about secondary insurance.   I swear a whole log of paper has darkened our mail box since then…everyone has the perfect solution.  Here a shiny thing, there a shiny thing…it must be a gazillion dollar a year business.   I have what I want and the price is perfect…save the freaking paper.   How in the world is that flimsy piece of paper that is the medicare card supposed to last the rest of my life however long or short that may be?  I scanned it so I would have a record.  I think there should be some kind of NO Mail list to avoid all the junk mail.

Time:  Some foreign gal called to warn me that my computer needed fixing.  I said “What?” she repeated that she was here to help fix my windows.  I told her I didn’t have a computer and she hung up on me…how is that for help?

I received a hospital bill for the year 2014. I was confused…we always meet our out of pocket maximum.  How could I owe more?   That bill came on a Saturday, on Monday we got three yes count them three refund checks from the same hospital. I was confused even more. So I gave them a call.  They could not find out why I owed them money, and in fact said I might have a credit on my account…why then did I get a bill…she didn’t know.  I asked her to please note the date and time that I called in reference to the bill…just incase someone wants to charge finance charges.  I spent an hour on the phone with her.  When I asked her to check my husbands account…of course she couldn’t tell me a thing…fine… I handed him the phone…he doesn’t owe anything either.

I am allergic to yellow dye, it makes me itch.  I cannot get potassium pills without yellow dye…yet there is one available so I had to switch BP meds.  I am stuck taking a Blood Pressure pill that has yellow dye because the insurance won’t okay the one that doesn’t have yellow dye.  I sent in the necessary paperwork for them to evaluate the appeal…in 60-90 days I may hear back from them.
So that is my bitch session for today…paper and time wasted.  Oh well I am getting older, what else would I do with my time anyway. Read, take photos and nap come to mind.
Pretty bud
Centaurea montana in bud.
Blog Signature

24 comments:

Tom said...

life can be so confusing

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

Wow- the doc should get in trouble for prescribing pills that contain something you are allergic to! I hope that gets straightened out, because that's just wrong. I'm a big cranky here, too, but it is because I'm still not 100% well, and the heat is just too much. This is my least favorite season.

linda m said...

Wow, do your complaints sound familiar. I keep getting so much "junk mail" from companies trying to sell me supplemental Medicare insurance. I am fully covered on my hubby's plan from his Company and only have Medicare Part A; so why are they sending me junk. I also get those irritating phone calls from some foreigner trying to fix my computer. The whole thing is a SCAM (checked it out on line). I keep asking them how they know my computer is sending out a signal when I don't have a computer and they hang up. The pill part I am not familiar with as I don't have allergies and I don't take prescription medication. But years ago we had to deal with the insurance telling my hubby he had to switch meds as his cost too much. Now we just go to WalMart for his meds and don't go through the insurance at all. Glad you have us friends to have a "bitch" session with. That is what friends are for.

Sam I Am...... said...

I have caller id and if I don't recognize the number or caller, I don't answer...it is worth it! As for the mail. it is disheartening....especially the burial ones! LOL!

DJan said...

I went through that so long ago that I had forgotten until you reminded me of all the confusing stuff I went through when I signed up for Medicare. And it sounds like it's gotten worse. That hospital business is really confusing. I had to smile when I learned you are allergic to anything yellow! Hope they fix that for you. :-)

Tired Teacher said...

I'm getting all the Medicare supplement info in the mail, and of course, all phone calls from insurance companies. Between the two, I'd say they have their bases covered. Aargh!

Intense Guy said...

I could never figure out how they know who is on the other end of a phone call - (any) man's voice would have worked for you and FG. Complete nonsense. Of course this is all government inspired/induced crap.

Pauline Persing said...

Welcome to the Medicare crowd. We've discovered it is more good than bad but, also, like all insurance, can get very frustrating. Have you started getting mail from funeral homes and funeral insurance plans? and hearing aid companies and etc. etc.? It is better to laugh than cry and you clearly know that. At least we are still around to be hassled.

Mac n' Janet said...

You're right about the flimsy Medicare card and you're not allowed to laminate it either. Whenever I have a phone call like yours I always make the person I'm talking to give me their full name.

Patsy said...

Welcome to old age!!!
You will never even if you die get off their mailing list.
And the creeps will haunt your number over and over.
But on the bright side of old age, oh what is it ?????
As I sit and write this I can see out the window, there are
three old lady's on walkers going over to the office.
Made me lose my through LOL

Linda W. said...

Hospitals and insurance companies always infuriate me.....none of them can seem to get their act together.

Anonymous said...

I don't think I can afford to grow old. I have no savings account where I've deposited patience. ;-)

Fiona said...

it astonishes me how much junk mail we have received since Ralph started to draw hid pension....does Social Security sell your information?

Red said...

People such as you' who are incredibly busy , do not need some yahoo giving you a bill in error and then making you waste your time to find a solution. It cuts into the nap time..

Unknown said...

I think there is a place on SS and Medicare websites that let you opt out of all the junk mail. It's been so many years since I signed up for both that I don't remember. I signed up for the Do Not Mail list and get very little junk mail. If I do get any, I love to send it back to them in their postage paid envelopes.

Yes, Fiona, SS and Medicare and your state DMV all sell your information.

Patsy said...

Wait till AARP find yall mail every other day.

Unknown said...

The medicare cards down under outlast the recipient. They are just like credit cards and have to be cut up to destroy,i.e. plastic, I don't envy your cards.

Unknown said...

Farside of 65 your new blog name in September?

Granny Marigold said...

I had a very polite foreign fellow try to convince me that I needed his help to fix a serious problem on my computer. I couldn't understand what he was saying so handed the phone to my son who promptly told him where to go. I think I would have been a tad more polite but anyway, it worked.

carrington said...

I so enjoy your posts! Keep writing!

Linda Reeder said...

We still get insurance mail every year when enrollment opens up. We are fortunate to have Group Health Cooperative, which handled our transitions from group employment insurance to Medicare and supplemental.
Since my son now works for the Postal Service, I look at junk mail as jobs.
I haven't had anyone call and offer computer service for quite a while now. I guess I wasn't very nice.

Paula said...

I got my Medicare card this year too!! Sobering! To say the least

Shirley said...

I'll be that "certain age" in January, I'm really looking forward to retiring! More time to play with my horses and dogs :0)

Linda said...

The husband hit a "certain age" this year too and I'm dealing with all the paper that comes with it. He just wants to ignore it....so do I.