Comments on: My next trick: HMO grumbling http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/ "Maybe all we can hope to do is end up with the right regrets." Sat, 11 Feb 2012 03:59:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Woulda Coulda Shoulda » They’re real, and they’re annoying http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-104137 Woulda Coulda Shoulda » They’re real, and they’re annoying Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:32:41 +0000 http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-104137 [...] So yesterday Otto and I went out to run some errands and go to our first appointment with the specialist Monkey will be seeing, because for the first appointment just the parents get to go. We spent a lot of time sitting in the waiting room, and then a lot of time telling the nice doctor our entire medical history (well, mine and Monkey’s, anyway), until somewhere around the “Has your cousin’s step-sister’s uncle’s father ever had bursitis?” question I became sorely tempted to tell him that I had JUST REMEMBERED that actually, Monkey is adopted and we have no medical history on him whatsoever! [...] [...] So yesterday Otto and I went out to run some errands and go to our first appointment with the specialist Monkey will be seeing, because for the first appointment just the parents get to go. We spent a lot of time sitting in the waiting room, and then a lot of time telling the nice doctor our entire medical history (well, mine and Monkey’s, anyway), until somewhere around the “Has your cousin’s step-sister’s uncle’s father ever had bursitis?” question I became sorely tempted to tell him that I had JUST REMEMBERED that actually, Monkey is adopted and we have no medical history on him whatsoever! [...]

]]> By: Woulda Coulda Shoulda » Stuart Smalley behind the mirror http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103850 Woulda Coulda Shoulda » Stuart Smalley behind the mirror Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:28:16 +0000 http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103850 [...] And then, of course, we have the case of the sweet young thing in the teaching program whom I’ve now see twice. Last time, I told you that I wanted to make her a sandwich and tell her to do her homework. This time, it was much worse. [...] [...] And then, of course, we have the case of the sweet young thing in the teaching program whom I’ve now see twice. Last time, I told you that I wanted to make her a sandwich and tell her to do her homework. This time, it was much worse. [...]

]]> By: Karen (from Our Deer Baby) http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103801 Karen (from Our Deer Baby) Tue, 03 Jun 2008 14:43:41 +0000 http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103801 We ended up with $8000 worth of hospital bills last years NOT covered by insurance, such fun. Sorry that they are being such a pain. I have no helpful advice, but I can send you some hugs and tea and chocolate, how's that? Or booze if you prefer it. Karen We ended up with $8000 worth of hospital bills last years NOT covered by insurance, such fun.

Sorry that they are being such a pain. I have no helpful advice, but I can send you some hugs and tea and chocolate, how’s that? Or booze if you prefer it.

Karen

]]> By: Astrogirl426 http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103703 Astrogirl426 Mon, 02 Jun 2008 02:22:05 +0000 http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103703 WooHOO did you hit the nerve, girl! Of course, you knew that by sharing your crazy-making experiences with an HMO, you were just openin' the floodgates, right? Yeh, we've had our share of fun stories too. Like when we changed from Healthy NY, with all 3 of us on it, to ChildHealthPlus for just the Bunker Monkey (we enrolled in another plan for the grownups in the Bunker), and our HMO just, um, got confused? And said we couldn't enroll Bunker Monkey because he was already enrolled in Healthy NY? And since now it was past the 20th, we would have to wait until next month to enroll him in CHP? Yeh, because they have their heads up their asses? Um, yeh. That's when I sic Bunker Hubby on them, sit back, and sip my cosmo while he deals with it. Advantage: He doesn't cry, and he doesn't feel bad when he insists they do their job (I know, I have a problem - I'm getting help, ergo the health insurance change). Disadvantage: I don't get the pleasure of telling them to bite me. Oh well, life is full of compromises. WooHOO did you hit the nerve, girl! Of course, you knew that by sharing your crazy-making experiences with an HMO, you were just openin’ the floodgates, right?

Yeh, we’ve had our share of fun stories too. Like when we changed from Healthy NY, with all 3 of us on it, to ChildHealthPlus for just the Bunker Monkey (we enrolled in another plan for the grownups in the Bunker), and our HMO just, um, got confused? And said we couldn’t enroll Bunker Monkey because he was already enrolled in Healthy NY? And since now it was past the 20th, we would have to wait until next month to enroll him in CHP? Yeh, because they have their heads up their asses? Um, yeh.

That’s when I sic Bunker Hubby on them, sit back, and sip my cosmo while he deals with it. Advantage: He doesn’t cry, and he doesn’t feel bad when he insists they do their job (I know, I have a problem – I’m getting help, ergo the health insurance change). Disadvantage: I don’t get the pleasure of telling them to bite me. Oh well, life is full of compromises.

]]> By: wafelenbak http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103613 wafelenbak Thu, 29 May 2008 16:52:35 +0000 http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103613 I'm a little late to the party, and I don't want to be guilty of giving Ass-vice, but after 8 years of working in HR I tell people repeatedly that if they have ANY kind of ongoing health condition, go with the PPO. I realize that might not be an option for you (or for awhile), but it is so worth it if you can. There is a reason HMO's are cheap--you get what you pay for, and some of the better doctors won't even accept them because they are such a P.I.T.A. for everyone involved. I’m a little late to the party, and I don’t want to be guilty of giving Ass-vice, but after 8 years of working in HR I tell people repeatedly that if they have ANY kind of ongoing health condition, go with the PPO.
I realize that might not be an option for you (or for awhile), but it is so worth it if you can. There is a reason HMO’s are cheap–you get what you pay for, and some of the better doctors won’t even accept them because they are such a P.I.T.A. for everyone involved.

]]> By: Carolyn http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103588 Carolyn Wed, 28 May 2008 23:34:31 +0000 http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103588 So sorry. Have BTDT, including the crying. Now I know better when the birds start to sing - it's a hold-track they have on their phone system. Just designed to trick you. :) So sorry. Have BTDT, including the crying. Now I know better when the birds start to sing – it’s a hold-track they have on their phone system. Just designed to trick you. :)

]]> By: Susan Getgood http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103560 Susan Getgood Wed, 28 May 2008 15:06:04 +0000 http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103560 Am so sorry you got the HMO runaround. We recently switched plans, due to COBRA from my last corporate job finally ending, and I got hit with the HMO blues too when I tried to refill my allergy prescriptions. Yes, think about that timing -- no allergy meds in the spring. Hope things start looking up. Am so sorry you got the HMO runaround. We recently switched plans, due to COBRA from my last corporate job finally ending, and I got hit with the HMO blues too when I tried to refill my allergy prescriptions. Yes, think about that timing — no allergy meds in the spring.

Hope things start looking up.

]]> By: Aimee http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103555 Aimee Wed, 28 May 2008 14:23:36 +0000 http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103555 Grrrrrrr. Frackin' HMOs. Grrrrrrr. Frackin’ HMOs.

]]> By: Woulda Coulda Shoulda » Is it chilly in here? No? http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103543 Woulda Coulda Shoulda » Is it chilly in here? No? Wed, 28 May 2008 13:50:53 +0000 http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103543 [...]             « My next trick: HMO grumbling [...] [...]             « My next trick: HMO grumbling [...]

]]> By: Poli http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103539 Poli Wed, 28 May 2008 11:09:59 +0000 http://wouldashoulda.com/2008/05/27/my-next-trick-hmo-grumbling/#comment-103539 That must have been very frustrating experience! I'm sorry that we have to manage with this so often nowadays and instead of helping, this insurance thing makes it more complicated for patients! That must have been very frustrating experience! I’m sorry that we have to manage with this so often nowadays and instead of helping, this insurance thing makes it more complicated for patients!

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