Score One for Me!

I decided I should post something on my blog before I watch one of my new useless shows, Privileged. Ya I'm not even sure why I watch it...maybe because I LOVED Reba and it has the same actress....eh not really I liked Van! Anywhoo I will update ya'll on my most recent accomplishment. I fought the insurance company and lab and I WON! That's right! Eight months later I am $117 richer and feel even better for sticking it to the man! Let me take you back to March 2008. My wonderful husband got a fancy new job and we were both very excited...little did we know the troubles that were lurking underneath with the hassles of changing health insurance during a pregnancy. So he switches jobs and we have new health insurance but no cards for proof...ya I don't know how insurance companies expect us to be ok with "being covered" but no proof. Pretty useless. During this 2 week span of "being covered" but no proof I had one of those wonderful labs for a diabetes test. So what can I do? Pay for it myself and submit it to the insurance for reimbursement. So that is what I do. $117 out of pocket bleh! Fast forward to May 2008. I mail in my claim. Two weeks later it does not show up so I call them. "I don't know what you are talking about." "We never received any claims from you in the mail". Ok so I will mail it again. My motto is to give health care providers 3 trys before I go crazy on them. So many many phone calls later it shows up incorrectly on my account and they don't know what I am talking about. I have the baby and forget all about this mess. Then we come to September and I go on my online account with the insurance company and what do you know?!?! They paid the lab! Idiots! Did they not see my receipt?!?!? Bah!!! So now I am fighting with the lab. Ok so I call the lab and the only number I have for them is the billing questions number. Well I don't have a bill with an invoice number. I have a receipt. Every time I talk to them they ask for my invoice number and I explain that I don't have one and they get all confused. They can't even find that I had service on the day stated on the receipt. "Could you please fax me your receipt and explanation of benefits". Ya sure whatever. So I fax it asking for them to call me with information. Two weeks go by and I am back on their tail. Again I get a lady asking for my invoice number. I explain I don't have one. Finally I give her every number imaginable, including the telephone number of my childhood best friend. Then she says "Could you please fax me your receipt and explanation of benefits". Ok whatever...this is your second chance. I call the lady, I got her name this time, the next day. Apparently she was busy with someone else and this new lady asked to help me. She informed me that all faxes are researched in a few days and to call back in a week. So I ask "is there anyone specific to talk to because this is the second time I've sent in information". "What is your name" she says. "Oh well it says here in the system that we are cutting you a check for $117". Well thank you...thank you for letting me know. Stupid! So for now I have won....but check back in a few weeks to see if I even get the money.