Comments on: Fun with health insurance companies, part whatever http://www.odonnellweb.com/?p=4335 General Geekery from Fredericksburg VA Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:41:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jen http://www.odonnellweb.com/?p=4335&cpage=1#comment-11963 Jen Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:20:41 +0000 http://www.odonnellweb.com/?p=4335#comment-11963 I can SO relate! You did fail to mention, however, that we pay dearly for this honor! Our high-deductible insurance rate has increased 137 percent (yep, that's right, more than doubled) since we opened this policy in Jan. 2005, and the deductible has increased, too. Yet we have had no major medical issues (3 colds, two warts and well-checks between four people). So, what was a $330/month payment for a $4,800 deductible is now $790/month with a ... get this... $10,000 deductible! WHAT THE?! @#&$(@#*$)(*Q@#)&% I can SO relate! You did fail to mention, however, that we pay dearly for this honor! Our high-deductible insurance rate has increased 137 percent (yep, that’s right, more than doubled) since we opened this policy in Jan. 2005, and the deductible has increased, too. Yet we have had no major medical issues (3 colds, two warts and well-checks between four people). So, what was a $330/month payment for a $4,800 deductible is now $790/month with a … get this… $10,000 deductible! WHAT THE?! @#&$(@#*$)(*Q@#)&%

]]> By: Michele Quigley http://www.odonnellweb.com/?p=4335&cpage=1#comment-11939 Michele Quigley Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:25:33 +0000 http://www.odonnellweb.com/?p=4335#comment-11939 I hear ya. My daughter is diabetic (just diagnosed a month ago) and already I can relate. Right now I am trying to figure out why if the insurance company says they approved extra test strips the pharmacy can't get an approval to go through their computer. I need to make yet another phone call today and am hoping we can get it cleared up. Our supply is running low and I'm sure I don't need to tell you how expensive those strips are! Oh yeah and the classes they keep wanting me to go to. Five hours plus an hour driving each way. And please don't bring your child they say. You know, the diabetic one that needs shots 4 times a day and who still really isn't comfortable with anyone else giving them to her except me, let alone being away from me for 7 hours at a stretch (she's 8). Frustrating. I hear ya. My daughter is diabetic (just diagnosed a month ago) and already I can relate. Right now I am trying to figure out why if the insurance company says they approved extra test strips the pharmacy can’t get an approval to go through their computer. I need to make yet another phone call today and am hoping we can get it cleared up. Our supply is running low and I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how expensive those strips are!

Oh yeah and the classes they keep wanting me to go to. Five hours plus an hour driving each way. And please don’t bring your child they say. You know, the diabetic one that needs shots 4 times a day and who still really isn’t comfortable with anyone else giving them to her except me, let alone being away from me for 7 hours at a stretch (she’s 8).

Frustrating.

]]> By: Melissa Wiley http://www.odonnellweb.com/?p=4335&cpage=1#comment-11935 Melissa Wiley Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:43:19 +0000 http://www.odonnellweb.com/?p=4335#comment-11935 This post made me crazy, because I can so relate. The runaround is NUTS. Here in San Diego, my pediatrician sends us up to the children's hospital for any and all lab work, testing, etc etc etc. You lose the better part of a day. Last week we were awaiting very important lab results regarding my 4yo son. The kind that keep parents up at night as they wait for potentially devastating news. The day the results were in, all I needed to know was a number written on a piece of paper which was sitting on the lab tech's desk. Lab personnel wouldn't give it directly to me. Had to come through the pediatrician. Who wasn't available until very late in the day...a very long day. The news was good, thank goodness. Would've been great to know that as soon as the lab techs did. And the receptionist. And the ped's office manager. And nurse. And the ped herself, who (it turned out) found out the good news hours before she "had a chance" to call me. Crazy-making. This post made me crazy, because I can so relate. The runaround is NUTS.

Here in San Diego, my pediatrician sends us up to the children’s hospital for any and all lab work, testing, etc etc etc. You lose the better part of a day.

Last week we were awaiting very important lab results regarding my 4yo son. The kind that keep parents up at night as they wait for potentially devastating news. The day the results were in, all I needed to know was a number written on a piece of paper which was sitting on the lab tech’s desk. Lab personnel wouldn’t give it directly to me. Had to come through the pediatrician. Who wasn’t available until very late in the day…a very long day. The news was good, thank goodness. Would’ve been great to know that as soon as the lab techs did. And the receptionist. And the ped’s office manager. And nurse. And the ped herself, who (it turned out) found out the good news hours before she “had a chance” to call me. Crazy-making.

]]> By: Dawn http://www.odonnellweb.com/?p=4335&cpage=1#comment-11933 Dawn Wed, 04 Jun 2008 01:40:53 +0000 http://www.odonnellweb.com/?p=4335#comment-11933 But at least she has choices right? I think that's what I always hear from defenders of the American 'system'. I mean if I need blood work I have no choice at all but to go to the public clinic ten minutes up the road. No choice but to wait five minutes for my appointment and then no choice but to be efficiently served and then sent out the door. But at least she has choices right? I think that’s what I always hear from defenders of the American ‘system’.

I mean if I need blood work I have no choice at all but to go to the public clinic ten minutes up the road. No choice but to wait five minutes for my appointment and then no choice but to be efficiently served and then sent out the door.

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