It is About Time

After months of fighting with our insurance company, we have finally won.  Since being released from the hospital over three months ago, our supplemental health insurance has refused to pay our claim.  They seemingly had a new excuse every week, and despite supplying them with all the proper paperwork, they still denied the claim.  

We were beginning to think we would never win this battle.  Then, on Friday, we received an email from our contact that the check was in the mail.  We didn't get too excited, because one check had already been sent, only to have the insurance company put a stop payment on it.  It wasn't until this morning when the UPS delivery man handed delivery confirmation of the check to my wife that we thought it might be for real.  She wasted no time in calling the hospital to confirm and urge them to cash the check before the insurance company could change their mind.

We have made dozens of phone calls and spent hours on the phone over the last several months trying to resolve this.  It feels almost as good just to be done with the whole things as to know that our claim has been paid and we are no longer in debt to our health care providers.

Throughout this process, I have heard many people tell me their own horror stories of insurance company woes.  Many of them did  not have the same ending that we have.  When health insurance companies do what they are supposed to do, they are great.  The problem is that so often, they don't.  Worst of all, those fighting the battle are often at their lowest point.  There were times after my surgery when I was so tired and worn down that the last thing I wanted to do was battle with them.  And they know that, which is what makes it so difficult for patients.

Fortunately for me, I have an very determined wife, and there was no way she was letting them get away with it.  We fought it every step of the way, and eventually, we won.