Insurance Nightmares

I can honestly say that I can remember the most frustrating time in my life to date. It was after Emily was born and I dealing with the awful insurance company and FUSD. It wasn't until after Emily turned 2 that we finally got all of that straightened out. (And no. We didn't pay the bills that they said we owed. It was settled with the awful insurance company finally paid what they owed. 100% coverage means 100% coverage!)

Now here we are, shortly after her third birthday, and we are getting enormous bills from the hospital after a routine tonsillectomy. They are saying we didn't seek prior authorization. Our doctor's office said they did call to pre-authorize, and insurance company said it wasn't necessary for a standard tonsillectomy, so they didn't file the pre-authorization. Now we are told we really did need it, and we will now have to pay this astronomical bill. Uh. No. Super-stubborn Malisa isn't paying. I don't care if I have to take multiple personal days from work to sit down and settle this, we are not paying this bill. I feel like we are being taken advantage of, and that insurance companies prey on people who don't take time to research the issue, and just pay the darn thing. So no, we don't have that type of money laying around, but also it is also that I refuse to be taken advantage of and continue this system that rakes insurance consumers over the coals.

Add to that the complete wall of the house that needs new siding, and the totaled roof after the 3/15 tornado. Yes we have filed an insurance claim, and they were quick to say we needed to replace all that we thought needed replacing. That was great. What is not great is that we are being told that the estimates from the contractors are too high, and we don't know if the insurance company is going to cover the amount that we need. We bet in the end they will, but the hassle has left me angry sometimes and in tears at other times. We aren't dealing with a local agent because of the number of claims with the catastrophe, and I get that. But instead we are dealing with offices in Jacksonville, FL, Dallas, Tx and our local office here in Irmo. The tell us different directions with what to do, and last night one man in TX told me that I should "take the time to read the insurance estimate instead of listening to the guy from FL." I told him " I am now done speaking to you. Here's my husband." I threw the phone to Scott and said, "you deal with him."

I hope that in my daughter's lifetime there is a major change in health care. I hope that when she is 28 and life grants her with a family health issue that warrants a health insurance claim, and a disaster that warrants home insurance claim that she would be thankful to the wonderful people who take money out of her paycheck every month. Thankful to the quick system, whatever it should be, that took care of her like they are paid to do. Unlike me, who is very jaded and angry. Who needs a surgery this summer to take the painful cyst out of my hand, but is scared not of the surgery, but of the bills that surely will loom afterward.