Insurance - warning, this is a rant

[grandmajo]

This is long, sorry in advance.....

On Monday we received a bill from the health care clinic that my husband used to go to for his cancer treatment/monitoring. When I saw who it was from, I thought to myself, why would they be sending us anything, he hasn't been there since August 2010. Sure enough I opened it up and it was a bill for his last visit there for a CT scan for August 2010. Now we have a $25 co-pay for CT scans, and this is all that we have to pay. This bill was for $410. Apparrently, the insurance company didn't pay the whole bill, per their negotiated rate with the clinic, so the clinic thought that they would just go ahead and bill us. Which they cannot do, they are under contract to accept the co-pay and whatever the insurance company sends as payment in full.

I sent an email to their patient representative and told her that I had my insurance EOB, which clearly stated that they were not permitted to charge us and that it also stated we owed them $0.00. I attached the EOB to the email. And told them that we weren't paying. Got an email back stating that oops! They must have missed reapplying the correct charge adjustment. Sure they did, they've tried to pull this stunt before with us. The last one was for $3,600, which the insurance company refused to pay because the clinic didn't file the claim properly. Of course they sent us the bill then said that they would happily knock 25% off the bill if we would make payments of $75 per month. I told them that I wasn't paying them a dime and that they needed to file it properly with the insurance company.

Today, my mom calls all stressed out because they've just received a bill for $12,000 from their hospital for my dad's kidney stone removal procedure, which was aborted half-way through the procedure. They are 77 years old, and would never be able to pay this. Once again, somebody didn't file the paperwork properly and medicare and their supplemental insurance refuses to pay.

Now I just received an email from our homeowners insurance stating that we have to have a railing on the outside stairs of our new house, and we have until 2/11 to install it, take a picture and send to them. Or they will cancel the policy that we've had since 12/30/10. And to also let us know that the deductible is being raised from $500 to $1000 because all new home policies have to have this deductible. No call from the agent, just an email from one of his office staff. Seriously, are you kidding me? The company was there right after we bought the house and took pictures. And they just now have decided that it has to have a railing, even though nobody is living there? I'm ready to tell them to stick it.

Ok, I feel better, thanks for letting me get this off my chest

[grandma12703]

Unfortunately I think this is happening to a lot of people. Great thing that you realized you do not have to pay the medical bills, a lot of people just start paying and don't ask questions. My elderly grandfather is one of those that just pay what he gets and doesnt want to stir up anything. He once overpaid the hospital by over $500.00 and when I caught it the hospital said they would just credit his account. He was not happy with me for confronting them but guess what, the next time he got ill and was hospitalized magically the money wasnt there. His attitude changed a lot after that and he has me double check everything now.

[big rockpile]

I found a long time ago that Insurance Companies are not to save you money but to make them Money.

Kind of like Life Insurance they are Gambling you are going to Live you are Gambling you are going to Die Kind of Morbid an't it?

big rockpile

[Alice In TX/MO]

Pretty much standard procedure for the insurance companies right now.

[Harry Chickpea]

Push came to shove and we dumped homeowner insurance.

The faulty billing scams will continue until states start putting big punitive penalties on monies collected this way. Right now it is all upside and no downside for the companies doing the billing.

[fantasymaker]

How did you get insurance on a empty house?

[fellini123]

Oh boy, dont get me started here!!! Well you did.

First of all we were trying to buy a vacation home and part of the closing was to get homeowners insurance. So I called USAA,the company we have been doing business with for 27 years. And they gave us a quote,and I told them we supposed to close on Dec 30. Well that closing fell through. So as soon as I found out I called USAA and told them the new closing was the 17th of Jan. Of course 1 Jan I was sent a bill for 430 for insurance on the vacation home.

I called them and told them we do not have the house that it wont close until the 17th and I didnt owe them anything yet...... Well due to the banks incompetance, they didnt do the paperwork and we were unable to close. At this point we told the bank where they could put their house and we arent buying it. I also called the insurance company and told them we were not buying the house.

Sure enough, first of Feb we get a bill for 430 for insurance on the house and stating that our account was overdue. I called AGAIN and told them we did not buy the house, and I had contacted them 2 times before.

Three days ago I got a letter from USAA saying since we have been such a good customer for 27 years they would hate to see our credit rating go down because we were overdue on our insurance payment!!!! I called AGAIN and they admitted it was a glich in their computer system. How much you want to bet I wil get another bill the first of March??

Now medical bills!!! 99% of our medical is done through the VA. My husband had an accident and he had to go to the emergency room. I told them we have Tricare, which we do. So we get the bill, and are told, it was submitted to Tricare, but turned down because DH has medicare. He doesnt have medicare, never has, is not old enough. I told them this, they resubitted it to Tricare they turned it down because "He has medicare." Contacted Medicare they checked and he does not have medicare. So now what??? We ended up paying everything out of pocket and taking it out in taxes the following year.

I have no use for insurance.

Alice in Virginia

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by fantasymaker

How did you get insurance on a empty house?

I don't know about Jo, but when we bought a house the insurance went on immediately even though we didn't move in for well over a month. If a house is mortgaged you must be insured or you aren't getting the loan. But that's here in Ohio in the dealings I've had. It may be different other places. As far as the railing goes, I believe it is required in most places. I remember some years ago when I was looking at a house, the inspector said there had to be a railing on the back steps by code. I'll probably find all this out first hand in August when I try to buy a place.

Nomad

[grandmajo]

Yep, pretty much what Nomad said, other than we own it free & clear. We had insurance the moment that we bought it. They listed it as a vacation home. What really got me is that we've had it since 12/30/10, they took pictures of it the first week in January. And NOW it has to have a railing installed in 2 days. I just sent them an email and told them that my hubby is on chemo, plus we have a wind chill weather advisory here for the next 2 days, so it isn't going to happen.

I don't call insurance companies, I do everything in writing by either a certified letter or by email. That way there is proof that I've talked to them!

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by grandmajo

Yep, pretty much what Nomad said, other than we own it free & clear. We had insurance the moment that we bought it. They listed it as a vacation home. What really got me is that we've had it since 12/30/10, they took pictures of it the first week in January. And NOW it has to have a railing installed in 2 days. I just sent them an email and told them that my hubby is on chemo, plus we have a wind chill weather advisory here for the next 2 days, so it isn't going to happen.

I don't call insurance companies, I do everything in writing by either a certified letter or by email. That way there is proof that I've talked to them!

In writing is the best way. And as for having the insurance, it is important to have the protection from the first minute whether for the loan company or yourself if you own it. I only mentioned the mortgage company because I didn't know you'uns was rich folk.

Nomad

[grandmajo]

LOL, Nomad, not rich, just really frugal. My DH tells me all the time that I'm so tight that I squeek. I tell him that he should be grateful that I'm so careful with our money....ROFL

[Our Little Farm]

I am so sorry you are having to deal with this. I am getting bills left right and center for CT scans, blood work and all when I know I met my huge families deductible by now. DH is going to go through it all when he gets home, my head is spinning too much from the huge bills I have just received again.

Doc tells me f I need to take it easy and be stress free.

How can I when we have medical bills coming through the door every few days, and people that owe us money that wont pay. Grrrr.

As for home insurance, just change!

[therunbunch]

UH.. yes, it is happening everywhere. I told DH that we just can't afford to go to the doctor anymore. We used to have ZERO deductible and now we are required to pay $35 if we take one of the little ones in. I've been studying homeopathic avenues and we've been dealing with minor stuff AT HOME. It's scary what the world is becoming.. again.

[foxtrapper]

Seems to me that most of your rant is missplaced. It wasn't the insurance companies but the companies that provided the service that screwed up.

[Trixie]

For profit insurance companies are for profit - I'm not sure what to think of Medicare and others.

Sometimes it's incompetence, sometimes not. Sometimes it's the doctors submitting ridiculous claims.

Our daughter had a fender bender when she was a teen and was taken to the ER in that small town. Our insurance company only paid half although they should have paid 100%. They stated the charges were 'obscene and way above normal for the area.

At first, we were upset with the insurance company, but we had never had a problem with their not paying before and when the hospital refused to give us an itemized bill showing what was done and how much was charged, we pretty much knew there was something going on.

After about 2 years, we made a deal to pay them a small percentage.

My daughter needed a procedure while she was away at college and called to see what it would cost. She called to ask the price - they quoted her a price of $225. She got a little scared and called us to come with her and my husband gave them our insurance information. They charged our insurance company $450!!!

A doctor did a procedure which was very involved, cutting into the shoulder muscle, stitched - interior and exterior, follow ups, stitch removal, several biopsies and they charged our private insurance company $1K.

A couple of years later on Medicare now, a very simple procedure - no stitches, 2 biopsies, no follow up - 20 minutes tops - they charged Medicare $4K.

So the incompetence, and downright wrongdoing goes both ways.

I would also like to know how one gets insurance on an empty house . We were gone for about 9 months once and the insurance company sent a letter they were cancelling our insurance.

It is a mine field sometimes ------

[SherrieC]

Good thing the insurance comp doesn't want a hand rail for that Dang Driveway of yours! Now thats dangerous. : )

[fellini123]

Originally Posted by Trixie

I would also like to know how one gets insurance on an empty house . We were gone for about 9 months once and the insurance company sent a letter they were cancelling our insurance.

It is a mine field sometimes ------

Maybe because it was listed as a vacation home?? But the mortage company had to have insurance on it before they would grant a mortage. And expecially since we would not be at that house 24/7. But there was no question as to writing the insurance policy.
Alice in Virginia

[grandmajo]

Originally Posted by SherrieC

Good thing the insurance comp doesn't want a hand rail for that Dang Driveway of yours! Now thats dangerous. : )

ROFL, even the sheriff comes and parks at the bottom and walks up it to check on the house!

[salmonslayer]

I would also like to know how one gets insurance on an empty house . We were gone for about 9 months once and the insurance company sent a letter they were cancelling our insurance.

It is a mine field sometimes ------

It is indeed a minefield but you just have to find an insurance company that works with those issues. Like Fellini we have had USAA since 1981 and I have investments through them, have financed a couple houses, have my auto insurance through them etc. yet they wouldnt insure our farm for several reasons but the most glaring was that we were not going to be living in it for almost a year after we bought it. Went to a local insurance broker that specialized on farms and told them that Donna____and her husband Bill (who they knew) were going to be looking after the place for us and poof...no problem.

As for medical, I got a deep bite in the hand by a feral cat on Christmas eve morning and decided to go to the emergency room for a tetanus shot and some anti-biotics. Went in, talked for about 1.5 minutes to the doctor who didnt examine anything, a nurse gave me the tetanus shot and on the way out I was handed a prescription..in and out in about 10 minutes. TRICARE was billed for $895.00, they paid $470.00 of which $165 was my co-pay. I am very grateful to have insurance and I understand that they have to cover the losses for those who cant or dont pay but something is seriously broken.

Edited to add: I figure the $165.00 co-pay was my stupidity charge for trying to handle a feral cat!!!

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by grandmajo

LOL, Nomad, not rich, just really frugal. My DH tells me all the time that I'm so tight that I squeek. I tell him that he should be grateful that I'm so careful with our money....ROFL

I too am frugal, but that doesn't help when the wife isn't. She reminds me of a flower girl in a wedding walking down the aisle throwing flower petals everywhere. Except it isn't a wedding and the flower petals are money. Every time she asks why we are in the shape we are at our age I tell her "bad choices". That usually ends the conversation.

Nomad