Weekly randoms 11/12-11/16

lzzfrancisco

I'm also trying to get caught up with everyone, but Im out of town until tuesday to see my little sister and her wife adopt their 1.5 and 2.5 yo foster kids! So excited for their journey to end and begin all in the same moment!! Ill be around but possibly quiet for a few days! 

becks_726

@lzzfrancisco that's so exciting! Enjoy your time with them. 

ohsunnydays

That's awesome @lzzfrancisco!!! That's great you get to be there during that special time!! 

notthecheat

@grebretso LabCorp did that to me once. Entered the wrong ID number so of course my insurance was like "we don't have one by that number." Well, instead of telling me that, LabCorp said "your insurance said that these procedures are not covered" what a fucking PITA shit show that was.


Every time I call insurance to inquire about a claim it takes me hours. There are so many rules and different complicated functions for calculating coverage for every little thing. I always get some bs excuse that it's because of the way the provider coded it and the provider always throws the blame back on insurance and I get so anxious and frustrated and confused. I have NEVER successfully lowered my bill, save for that one time with LabCorp that I only found out because I didn't get an eob at all. I just end up feeling stupid and defeated and way more stressed that I started out. 

The reason my AS bill might be higher is they did an additional TV US just to check cervical length, since I have a bicornuate uterus. The AS was also a level II because of antidepressants I take. Which I feel is still bullshit because it's not like I'm getting this extra stuff done for no reason.

I don't know what to do anymore.

BourbonBiscuits

Ahhh @izzfrancisco that’s so exciting!!! 

sjnsjnsjn

@notthecheat- Yeah clearly medical necessity is not the issue. It’s some other pile of BS no doubt.  So sorry

ginger1228

@izzfrancisco congrats to them and your entire family! Foster kids are so special and deserve a loving family. So happy for them (assuming your sis and her wife and lovely people ) 

notthecheat

This is my eob. I'm a little embarrassed that I try to understand how insurance works and it's just so confusing to me. Like, why did they pay nothing for the actual US? (The TV cervical length check is the $240 one) and why did they pay so little for the TV?

smallbutmighty77

My mom is an attorney in the medical claims field. She goes after insurance when they won't pay/deny claims that they shouldn't. So I grew up around it and always check my stuff.
We paid our deductible etc on Kenzie right when she was born and they tried to double bill us and send it through collections but I had all the docs to show we'd already paid.
Between her throat surgery at 3mos and heart surgery at 1yr, I pay for the highest level of insurance through work, which is a fortune but I'll take it any day over no insurance. 

danixbanani24

@notthecheat my best advice is to call your insurance directly and ask the percentage of coverage for maternity medically necessary appointments and tests.  Then specifically ask about these tests - the AS is not really an optional test that you’re opting for.  I don’t necessarily know a ton about insurance either but I find that sometimes I need to call up and be like explain this in explicit detail to me thanks.  It’s a PITA but it’s worth it to call and ask and possibly fight if its money they aren’t entitled to!

@lzzfrancisco that’s so awesome!!! Hooray for their beautiful new family right before thanksgiving too!!

DH pissed me off today and we’re in a fight of course - all over a stupid haircut for DS.  Maybe I’m being a grumpy bitch but he’s also a big baby for making DS get a haircut like it was the end of the world.  Pray for me 

etnyah

Ugh @notthecheat what a mess. I still don't get why it's so expensive though, because I also needed a TV US during my AS, to check placental placement. Like, I went 30 minutes over my allocated time slot and had an unplanned TV US, and it still didn't end up anywhere near what my NT scan cost was. I'm just throwing my hands up at the whole system, it's all ridiculous. Too bad we're the ones having to pay for it!

cas060

@lzzfrancisco, aww so great!! Enjoy every moment 

cmjenkies

@notthecheat according to your EOB, you haven’t met your deductible on the ultrasounds. 

bellebaby221

Up at 2:30 per my usual insomnia. Started dozing off around 4:30, now I'm up with a kid that sounds like a barking seal. Today blows already.

riatortillaxo

@lzzfrancisco congratulations to your family! My youngest brother was adopted after having him as part of our family in foster care for a few years. It is such a great event for the kids and your family! 

okayestmom12

@danixbanani24 - Re: your pediatrician and meds... mine is pretty stingy too so after 7 years of mom’ing, I really only take my kids in when a) I know it’s croup (they’ll prescribe a 3 day course of steroids to kick it) or b) it’s an ear thing. Otherwise, we try and ride it out because it’s just a waste of a copay. 

FTR: my PCP is the same way. DH was so sick last winter but it wasn’t flu or anything crazy so it was a “rest and drink lots of fluids” visit that cost $20. Sometimes we just want drugs (even though I know it’s probably not best. But still 😜). 

sjnsjnsjn

@okayestmom12- Same Same on the having had way too many visits that just get common sense advice in response.  I am also on the croup bark/suspected ear thing (although he’s never had an ear infection so that one results in a useless visit too so far)/eye infection/inexplicable and unresolvable rash baseline for a visit. I have no idea when they will start prescribing cough meds because I have never had them do it despite some doozy coughs.

danixbanani24

@okayestmom12 doctors are so stingy now! I hoard antibiotics and steroids and cough syrups whenever I get them lol even if they expire hahaha
i tend to agree with not wasting a copay but DS has been saying his ear hurts and while I think maybe he’s pulling my leg I just want to bring him in and check just in case...