Monday, April 26, 2010

Score one for the Squeaky Wheel and other odds and ends

Last Friday I walked out of a doctor's appointment after disagreeing with how much I was being charged to have b*tox injections for my migraines. By 5:00 Friday evening, the doctor had called four times and left two messages. Each time she called, I was still too worked up and upset to answer the phone or listen to her messages. But when I finally did, I was pleasantly surprised.

She apologized for the confusion and said that from now on she'd code my injections as an office visit, not a procedure, so I'd only be charged the co-pay and the cost of the medication. Instead of paying $600 for four shots, I'll only have to cough up $250, which, from my research, is pretty standard.

This is proof that being the Squeaky Wheel and standing up for yourself with doctors and health insurance companies can work. I'll be calling the doctor back today to thank her for changing her billing procedure and to make an appointment.

Now on to other bits and pieces.

My cell phone has been missing for more than a week now. I'm pretty sure it's in the house somewhere. I remember getting in the car last Sunday and realizing I didn't have it with me, but I decided not to go back in for it given that Elizabeth and Campbell were standing with their noses pressed against the front window crying because I was leaving them behind.

I have searched the house and have offered a reward to the big girls if they find it. I've looked under beds and in toy boxes and in closets, but no luck.

Much to B's frustration, I almost never carry the thing and rarely use it. But now that I don't have it, I really miss it. Now I'm trying to convince B that I need an iPhone as a replacement, but he's not going for it - yet.

Finally, I had a post picked up by the nice folks over at Deep South Moms blog. It's about trying to find a balance between being a mom and not a coach. Please go take a look, and maybe leave a comment.

I didn't get up to run at 5:30 this morning because I'd been up three times with Elizabeth, who still isn't feeling well. But now I think I'm going to pop her in the jogger and see if I can squeeze in a few miles. It's too nice a morning to miss out on running.

5 comments:

ckh said...

Good for you, standing up for yourself!

And if you want to find the phone, (thought I like your replacement plan, too) call on St. Anthony. He's helped me out quite a bit, let me tell you!

St. Anthony, St. Anthony
Please look around
Something is lost
And needs to be found.

B in Austin said...

Hmm, lost the free phone...want a $500 replacement...Hmm

Baino said...

I've lost my phone too! It rang an alarm yesterday morning but now it's gone flat and I can't find it anywhere. Nor do I remember taking it out of my camera case. So bloody inconvenient. All my numbers are in there and I won't have time to get a newbie until tommorrow. Such a pain in the proverbial.

Janice said...

Yay on the insurance/botox payment thing, good for you!

If only they had GPS for the phone -- you already tried calling it of course. My DH gets so frustrated that when I do carry it, I don't hear it ring/feel it vibrate, or that's always the day it runs out of battery when he tries to call me. *Sigh.* My electrochemical makeup just isn't tuned for cell phones.

I do great with wristwatches, though, watch batteries last a really long time for me!

Unknown said...

good for you! just like my old/young dentist came through when i walked out, sometimes we vote with our feet.