I was going to post this article two weeks ago and decided to wait. In that time I’ve spent (no joke) 5 more hours on the phone with my health insurance company and with my provider’s billing office. Insurance people say they paid the bill; billers say they didn’t get it. Billers want proof it was paid; insurers say they can’t share certain information.
This is a vicious cycle where the customer (who is dutifully paying their insurance premiums and co-pays) gets caught in the middle. It’s a time consuming nightmare. I’m told to call my senator’s office and they will get to the bottom of it. I certainly hope that’s true. No one has time for this and no one should have to deal with it.
This is one of the many reasons why our health care system needs help. I won’t support any new “ideas” until they’ve addressed all of it. It’s not a quick fix. Get the right people at the table and start talking, please!