Hospital bills update

I figured, with 2021 rapidly drawing to a close, that I should try to finish paying our hospital bills, which meant more phone calls today. A friend did a post on facebook about yelling at people to get his way (he had done his fasting prep  for something and then was told that his insurance didn't preapprove things yet so they had to bump his appointment and...anyway...he got his appointment today) so I did my own version of that and just let myself cry about it on the phone. 

And I finally got some answers!

So, that first account is pending because my insurance only paid x-amount when they should have paid more than that. Or something. So even though I paid even more than that (as I mentioned, in excess of around $1000 more than that) and even though that amount is just sitting in the account, my insurance was supposed to have paid $160.16 more than they did. So the hospital is still holding out on getting that amount from the insurance company before they move my money around. 

But I don't have to worry about paying the new hospital bill—the $808.83—until after all the insurance back-and-forthing is over. And even then I won't have to worry about paying it because in fact these two hospital visits are linked in the system and the money that is all tied up will be transferred to the next account once the first account is officially resolved. And then I'll still end up getting a refund. 

And that's good news because I didn't really want to have to pay this bill (since I technically already paid it) because, well, it's December...so (a) it's Christmas and we bought presents for our children, (b) I have tuition due next month...though technically it's just "fees," since my tuition is covered as a perk through my work, it's still a pretty penny, and (c) we decided to bite the bullet and pay a crew to build a series of retaining walls out front and that's all happening faster than we expected which means we'll also be paying for that this month (but it will help protect our foundation and hopefully make the front yard more usable).

Turns out if you just blubber about all of that then instead of snippily telling you that "you're upset at yourself because you don't understand that you have two accounts" and they're both your responsibility you get told, "Oh, no, girl! We are not doing that* today! Today's a good day! We'll figure this out! Life is good! You just give that little shorty on your lap a snuggle and take a deep breath and we'll work through this thing together! It's going to be just fine!"

And that's how a customer service representative is supposed to talk to you.

(I still think the whole insurance/billing/health care system thing we've got going on in this country is an absolute abomination, but it was nice to be treated with a little kindness!)

* crying