Light as a feather

I got another call from the hospital's collection agency yesterday. I wasn't home to take it, but there was a message on the machine. I figured the last 60 day period must have come up (i.e. since I wrote my last appeal letter to the insurance company). You know how collectors are, I wasn't particularly looking forward to talking to them. But you can usually keep them at bay as long as you are working on the bill and expecting to make progress.

So I emailed my benefits coordinator this morning and asked him to check with our regional representative. I told him the collectors were calling and I was going to need something tangible to tell them.

He got back to me pretty fast, within a couple of hours (although I didn't check the exact time of the email). My claim was finally approved and sent for payment on Tuesday, and all I owe is my 20%. Finally. I'm a good sport about these things, so I went over to the hospital and paid my 20% this afternoon, now that I know the numbers are correct.

It is so nice knowing that I have no medical bills in limbo. I'm not even sure when the last time I could say that was. I'd be almost perfectly light except that in my mailbox was a letter from the collection agency dated Monday and saying, "We have been notified by your insurance company that your clam has been rejected. We ask that you send payment in full."

Dishonesty just takes some of the fun out of life. If the insurance company sent my account for payment on Tuesday, I don't see how it could have been rejected on Monday. That's why you never give an inch to collection agencies. They'll say anything to get money out of you.

Dishonest people don't deserve to thrive.