insurance

Monday, April 28, 2008

Welcome to personal rant day. Every once in a while something comes along that completely rubs me in the wrong direction. Today's hot topic: insurance, as you may have guessed. I would like to mention how insanely infuriated I am with the insurance company. For two months now we have been in constant phone battles, not sweet little nice conversations, raging Star Wars Death Star battles (I am talking storming the beaches of Normandy full-on war here) with our insurance to get coverage for a medication.

Cost of meds with insurance $5, Cost without $150. Insurance Says 'No way, Jose.' So we appeal. Insurance fails to process appeal. So, we finally get appeal processed (meanwhile paying $5 a pill for this stuff). Final verdict 'Ummmm, nope.' WHY!!! Then what is the stinking point of insurance!! Why do we pay a monthly premium to have them tell us they aren't going to do what we pay them to do? Does this make sense.

The logic behind the denial, and its upholding: It's not its prescribed usage and there is not enough medical evidence to support this kind of usage. News flash: Every medication that is medically proven to work in this fashion has been a failure. Apparently, thats just means try it more. Or try a higher dosage, or... whatever. Medical researchers suck at their jobs. Seriously.

May I further vent by saying that upon calling today and asking for the information regarding the denial, the young gentlemen unfortunate enough to have to take my call, could not find the information. Saying 'I don't know where to find it,' Really? The company who denies our appeal, can't find their own denial. I really need someone to punch in the face at this point (I wouldn't ever really do that, but it sounds threatening, right?).

So, after Mr. Magoo leaves me hanging on hold for twenty minutes while he and his buddies do the hokey-pokey on the other end, he pops back on to let me know that he can't tell me the information on our denial because he can't locate the letter, but he can have it sent to us. WHAT!! You can send it to me, but you can't find it? Then how in the world do you send something you cannot find? This makes no sense to me. I assume, by natural logic, that in order to send something you would have to know its location, but what do I know. (let me back-track a little here with some mortar to fill in between the bricks of my story here: One four separate occasions we have requested or have been told that letters have been sent to us regarding this appeal and denial process. As of the time I write this little number we are currently 1/4, at least these guys are shotting better than the Jazz from three-point range (way to go 0-14 guys). Needless to say another letter was not exactly an exciting proposal to me.)

My head is spinning. Enough for now.

What about you? Whats your rant/pet-peeve/frustration of the day/week/life, feel free to chime in.

I am going to bed. At least in my dreams the insurance doesn't win.

6 comments:

jen said...

Sounds like you and I had a very similar day yesterday. I spent the day on the phone with a legal company that is supposed to be taking care of my LLC for my business. I've been waiting since January for them to send me the final papers...they claim the sec of state hasn't sent them certified copies of my LLC registration (sec of state sent me a copy three months ago). Everytime I've called/emailed over the past couple months, they tell me the same thing..."we've requested certified copies from the sec of state and as soon as we receive that, we'll send you the final papers." Over and over they tell me that. I don't believe them anymore. And I can't get my business license, or secure accts. with vendors, get a state tax id number, etc, etc. until I have those papers. There. There's my rant.

Yesterday was a crappy day. I thought a good night's sleep would help...but then I couldn't sleep because I was too stressed out.

Grrr.

Anonymous said...

Why is it that anything with the terms 'utah' and 'state' in the title have to equate to incompetency? I am sorry to hear about all the business struggles. Legalities are never fun.

Anonymous said...

Ahem...

:)

Anonymous said...

Travis, to every rule there is the exception. However just think, your an auditor, if the previous statement wasn't true you would have a different job.

Anonymous said...

No, I'd still have a job, it just might be a little easier.

Anonymous said...

By the way, I hate insurance companies too. We're fought with ours to pay for Tyler's brace so many times and never had any success. We have to switch insurances in a couple months, so I guess the fighting will get to start all over again. Yippee!