Insurance Nightmares

If there is any group I dislike as much as doctors it is insurance companies.

Medical
So we decided to get private insurance for the family, I received through work. With everyone my wife has to deal with I take on the process of setting it up for them.

I found an agent who offered a nice rate for ok coverage. I filled out the online application. We were accepted and received cards.

So you might be asking "why are you complaining if everything went so well..." and I would have to answer, "because we actually never got any coverage." You might wonder how that is possible, I'll explain.

My wife went to get some medication and had to pay a deductible before insurance would kick in. Next time she went to get some medication it was rejected by the insurance. I called to see what happened, and was told that the policy was canceled due to non-payment. This was odd as we had an auto payment in place. Apparently there was a screw up with the account number. I double checked the application (I made a copy of it) and saw it was 100% correct. When I followed up I was told we could be reinstated if we followed a procedure and sent a certified payment for all owed monies plus next month's and that did not guarantee reinstatement. I was pretty miffed but I didn't want a laps of coverage, so I agreed. I sent the form, certified payment, a letter and a voided check (so the billing issue could be resolved) via certified mail. I saw via UPS website that it arrived and was signed for.

One week passes.....no word, so I call back to follow up and ensure all is well.

I'm told that they rejected my reinstatement.

I can year you saying, "How could this be"... I asked the same thing. They say they could not reinstate because the policy was never truly active. They will not listen to anything else as there is no policy from their perspective. When I asked what happened to my check they say they sent back by certified mail, but I have not yet received it. I ask for a tracking #, they say they can't provide one. I ask if we can use previous application to start over as there have been no changes, they said no.

Dental
I sign the family up for dental insurance with all data correct (that is a signal of inviting trouble). We receive paperwork for Mrs Cefora.

I call to correct this, they won't make the change it unless the policy holder calls. "I can provide any information that the policy holder could provide", they said no. I was about to conference call my wife but they said they could not be assured I was calling the policy holder, even though I am currently calling from the residence now they could not put the change through unless she called from the home directly....

So clearly I broke into her home and used her phone to call the dental insurance to change her name without her permission, what an ingenious plot on my part....foiled by the kindly insurance customer service representative. I feel like I should be saying "and I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddling kids!" (Scooby Doo reference)

School screwup

My youngest Son Aiden is enrolled in Preschool services with a year round schedule. The first track-in was very good for him. He received transportation via special taxi to and from which is paid for as a part of school taxes. Then he tracked-out through the winter holidays. When it was time to track back in we didn't expect any problems.

I received a call from Aiden's teacher teacher who told me that the county was initiating cost cutting procedures (who wasn't) and the taxi which had been transporting Aiden was no longer possible. I didn't care who took him, so long as they were responsible and could be trusted to keep him safe. When I asked what the new transportation solution would be I was told there was none. My blood started to boil. I was told that the county should be providing a solution tomorrow and could I please transport him myself today.

I was pretty mad. During the entire winter holidays this message could have been sent, but it was not. This was last minute and took no consideration for my schedule, but it wasn't the teacher's fault. I agreed to transport him that day but made clear I expected a solution the next day and that I should be informed of it prior to school time, not just before. I even suggested that they use the fleet of buses at their disposal if they didn't want to incur more costs, after all taxes were paying for this service, they least they could do was provide it. I picked up Aiden from Preschool and drove him to the elementary school, then I had to turn around and pick up Anderson (which is normal). An hour later it was time to leave to pick up Aiden. I put Anderson in the car and we were off. Just as I was pulling onto the School's main road I received a call to my cell from the teacher. The taxi had shown up (the one that was no longer being paid to transport my son) and the teacher's assistant had put Aiden in the taxi and it drove off before the teacher could do anything. Of course I was furious however I had no time to deal with it just then, I had to race home so I could be there before the taxi left without dropping Aiden off. I picked some back roads and somehow made it just before the taxi arrived. I called the teacher to remind her that I needed a solution for tomorrow. She said how sorry she was for the incident and that her vice principle said that buses would be used tomorrow for Aiden.

Next day I dropped the boys at preschool and called the teacher to confirm that buses would be used. I was told yes. A few hours later I was called by the teacher, the Taxi had picked up Aiden from preschool and brought him to the elementary school. I asked what had happened. Apparently the bus driver was ready however the bus chosen was on blocks being repaired so they asked the taxi to do it and the taxi would bring him home, which it did.

Next day the Taxi arrived at the preschool again! This time over an hour early (so beat the bus which did actually go to get him) and apparently there was disagreements between the vice principle (who kept sending the teacher to call me instead of calling themselves, very brave), the county transportation department, and the taxi company based on their contract.

By now I'm ready to kill someone. I've had several calls with the teacher, and several with the superintendent's office where I believe I used the phrase "isn't this an election year" and "my friends suggest I call the TV new stations with my story".

In the end it was worked out and the bus is running for him, and I didn't actually hit anyone.