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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Bills, Bills, Bills


I recently got a bill in the mail, from a doctor.  No big deal, you’re thinking; I did too, until I realized what it was for.  Caroline’s delivery. 

I still remember those days when my feelings were still so raw after losing our first precious girl, and the hospital and doctor bills came rolling in.  Each and every time I saw one of those envelopes, I felt like I was being punched in the face and gut at the same time.  It physically hurt to write those checks.  I literally wanted to write our story in the memo so that they would know that we were being billed crazy amounts of money and we didn’t get to keep the baby.  (I know that they still have to charge for medical care, even if someone dies, but it just doesn’t seem right.)

I don’t really understand how I’m getting a bill and it’s been 17 months since those beautiful awful hours.  Apparently, my insurance reversed a payment leaving me holding the bag.  Wonderful.  Honestly, it’s not even about the money at this point, but just the principle. 

Another problem is once something enters the convoluted world of insurance and claims and billing codes, it’s like trying to make sense of…well, nonsense.  After 2 long phone calls, I’m no closer to figuring out what is actually going on.  I’m kind of starting to wonder why I pay all this money for health insurance if they’re just going to come along 1 year and a half later and decide that they’re not really going to pay.

Thankfully, I have a super awesome ray of sunshine here to help distract me from the annoyance!  She’s a smiley, jibber-jabbering, walker-waking, sweet blessing and she makes each and every day brighter. 


Just a note:  When she smiles, her cheeks look just like Caroline’s.  I love seeing some of our angel baby in our baby that we have with us.

6 comments:

  1. Oh Lady I know what you mean!! When I delivered our Caroline I told the anesthesiologist that I was going through mental hell and that I did't want any physical pain to go along with it at.all. Guess what ended up not working. You guessed right! The epidural! Guess what showed up in the mail 6 weeks later. Right again :) The bill for the anesthesiologist. I wanted to call and ask them why I was due to pay $500.00 for a service NOT RENDERED. I swear I have (almost)never been that mad in my whole life.

    Thinking of you today! xoxox

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  2. Insurance is so troublesome. Sorry its been difficult for you.She is a beautiful ray of sunshine.

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  3. Oh my, this is weird. Yesterday I received a bill from a collection agency from my miscarriage in 2009 AND an ER bill from my pregnancy with John Michael. Both have been paid in full but I spent several hours trying to find paperwork to prove this which made me crazy! Two in one day!

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  4. Seriously?!?! There should be a law that says after a year they don't get to send you anything...actually there should be a law that if your baby dies that you don't get added insult to injury with the bills! I remember how awful it was in those early days to have all these "baby payments" for a baby I didn't get to keep. Ugh. To get one now...makes my stomach turn! Sorry friend!

    Love that you are able to see some of Caroline in her baby sister. Those two will always have a special connection!

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  5. My bill was so high due to complications and staying so long that I still get bills. It kills me to see them come in the mail. $40,000 and I left empty handed. It's backwards.
    Addalee is preshy!!! She is such a cutie pie.:-)

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  6. This is terrible, but it doesn't surprise me :( We still get random medical bills for Elizabeth. It's so unfathomable - to have your heart ripped out and torn to shreds, and then receive a (in our case, multi-six-figure) bill for the experience. I've found medical billing offices to be the very very worst, even worse than the insurance company. Good luck sorting this one out.

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