Pre-Existing My Ass
Written by Michael on August 15th, 2005So my third and final appeal to my insurance company for the classification of my pneumonia as a pre-existing condition was denied today. Because I’d only worked for 3 weeks prior to seeing the doctor, they concluded that I had contracted the virus prior to actually be covered. I find that explanation incredibly lame and so did my doctor. Sure, it did look suspicious that I got sick so soon after taking the job but statistically, those things are going to happen. I hadn’t filed an insurance claim since 1998 and when I finally do, I’m called a “potential abuser” in writing by my new carrier. My faith in our insurance and health care system just dropped a couple of notches. After some so-called “discounts” were applied to my bill, my share of the remaining tab is a little over $6,900 bucks. Nice. The last thing I need are medical bill collectors calling my cell phone all day when I’m in the middle of a building move.
Guess I have learned once again to not go to the doctor’s unless death is imminent and even then, try and see if death actually comes first
:).
15
PM
OMG!! You have got to be kidding me - your insurance company is denying the claim??? That really, really bothers me!!!
njb
15
PM
Yeah, I thought they were kidding too but no. I thought they were going to go ahead and start paying bills after they asked me for a notarized affidavit saying I did not know I was sick on my first day of work. Ultimately, their lawyers thought they had a case. Thank God for credit cards!
16
AM
I had the same thing happen to me….the whole pre-existing condition crap. Insurance is a scam. I’m not sure I’d pay the bills with a credit card. Just make payments to the doctor interest free. I don’t think there is anything they can do to you if you are making payments, but I could be wrong. I had an MRI and owed $1500 and I just make payments. They will usually work with you on it. Just my 2 cents….
16
AM
Les, I tried to make arrangements with the doctor but the bills are almost 90 days past due and they’d already been sent to collections as my insurance company had already claimed pre-existing from the start. I’d rather save my credit and save myself from the barrage of collections calls.