I try not to get too upset by life’s little bumps in the road. I’ve had a lot less stress in my life since I retired a little over seven years ago, and that’s the way I like to keep it. However, once in a while something comes along that just gets me riled up. A phone call I received late this afternoon was one of those times. (Since it was a rainy dull day today, tonight’s photos are from my archives.)
Crystal Crane Hot Springs, Oregon
It was another call from a collection agency in Texas. Almost two years ago, (November of 2011 to be exact) while I was volunteering at Anahuac NWR, my back went out, and I ended up going to the emergency room in Chambers County to get some relief. I was given a couple of shots by a nurse practitioner and a prescription, and then sent on my way. That was before I was on Medicare, and the bills were sent to my medical insurance policy with Rochester, MN, Public Schools.
Prescribed burn on Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR.
As those of you that live on the road know, it takes some time for medical bills to catch up with you. Let me say that I always pay my bills as soon as I receive them, and I thought that I had done so. Well, jump ahead to February of 2013, and I received a call from said collection agency stating that I have not paid my bill with Chambers County Medical Services. Okay, so I asked what I owed. The amount was $389.25. I immediately wrote a check and sent it in. I also verified that this was the total owed to pay the account in full. I also stated that I had not received any bills in the mail previous to this saying I owed any money. I heaved a sigh of relief that I was finally done with this after 14 months.
Short-eared owl hunting on Red Rock Lakes NWR, Idaho.
Then I received the call this afternoon that I owed an additional $140 some dollars to Chambers County Medical Service, and when was I going to pay it? WTH? I went round and round with this women for fifteen minutes about my verifying in February that I had paid the bill in total at that time. I must have told her at least ten times that I would not pay another cent until I had a hard copy of all charges and payments sent to me before she finally said she would send them.
Hoodoos in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah.
I’m not sure if this is some kind of scam or what. I’ll be making a trip to Rochester at the end of the month for my checkup at Mayo, so I’ll be sure to stop in at the Rochester Public Schools insurance office to verify their records on this claim. Between taking a couple of deep breaths and ranting here, my stress level is coming down once again. Thanks for listening.
Perhaps, I’m just dealing with a bunch of turkeys over the phone…
THE END!!
Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later, Judy
