$20,000 is what the State of Minnesota requires for auto insurance companies to cover for health related costs for each accident. I was rear-ended and immediately felt some whiplash pain. I visited a chiropractor the next day and have seen her thrice per week ever since the injury. I procured some medication for the pain, got x-rayed, and visited a message therapist once per week. After one month, I was finally feeling better.
Well, my auto insurance company is objected to my aggressive treatment. They refuse to pay the bills, some of which I paid out of my pocket, until I receive an Independent Medical Exam (IME). They will pay for a medical doctor to conduct the IME and because they are paying for the exam, the doctor has incentive to rule in their favor. I will probably be informed that I don’t qualify for any more treatment. I spoke with a lawyer and he said that IME’s only rule in favor of the patient about 30% of the time. I could hire him to appeal a negative ruling but it would cost money.
I have to choose between health and money. I fear being stuck with the medical bill and pain. I cannot afford any charges. The accident has already cost a lot of time but money is a bigger concern right now. I cancelled all the future messages and a meeting with a neurologist. The chiropractor said that she would “eat” to cost if the insurance company refused to pay the bill. Lily is an independent practitioner so she is being very magnanimous. I will barter my skills to pay for services because I wouldn’t feel comfortable having her lose funds. Sadly, the massage was just as helpful as acupuncture. I don't have health care insurance to cover any of the bills.
The lawyer stated that Travelers and State Farm are more supportive of their clients. I shall switch to one of those companies as soon as my health issues are resolved. I refuse to stay with a company that does not honor its pledge to customers. Meanwhile, I am really scared about the exam. At the very least, they should pay for all the bills to the point of the exam.
Insurance Companies = Mafia
© 2013 Ima B. Musing
Showing posts with label health care insurance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health care insurance. Show all posts
Friday, March 29, 2013
Sunday, March 10, 2013
AUTO CALAMITY
Crunch. “Damn,” I muttered. I waved the universal “follow me” beckoning sign to the guy. He was driving the car that had just crashed into mine. I had safely traversed treacherous city streets, slightly slippery highway, and had cautiously exited the off ramp near my office. The ramp slopes downward so I drove slowly. I still slid a bit at the end but managed to stop at the yield sign. Patiently waited for traffic to clear before I could merge. Alas, the young man behind me did not practice such caution. I was beginning to exit when I glanced in the rearview mirror and felt dread. His car was traveling too fast and I couldn’t get traction to move out of the way. A percussive thud was the result. At least I didn’t hit anyone as he slammed into my car.
We pulled into a parking lot and he was immediately apologetic. I asked if he had insurance and felt relieved when he replied in the affirmative. I have indemnity coverage so we swapped information. The back of my aged car, 13 years old, is cracked and a large chunk is missing from the center. The offending auto didn’t have a ding. My Toyota Camry now shutters a bit so it probably got knocked out of alignment, too. The break indicator light keeps turning on so a wire must have been affected. The car is drivable. I don’t have money to replace it.
The pain was instantaneous. My neck and back began to ache. Thankfully the other driver, we’ll call him Jin, said that he felt okay. He is a college student and it was his first mishap. Alas, I have been in several vehicular collisions. After swapping information, I slowly made my way to work. I called my insurance company’s claims office and they quickly assigned me to an adjustor, Ellen. I told her that I wasn’t feeling well and she added on a medical adjustor. Both adjustors are located in the Twin Cities and they were very friendly. With the support of Aspirin, I foolishly worked a full day, which I will refer to as Day Zero.
No sick leave or PTO and no medical or benefits of any kind is offered to me since I am a part time employee. I had the next day (aka Day 1) off and decided that I should seek medical assistance. I researched and located a chiropractor. She was lacking in bedside manner and the office cramped but the acupuncture and ultrasound permitted me to move my head more freely. It is too soon to do adjustments. Dr. Lily (not her real name). She noted that the pain would probably get worse before I would begin to heal. How disheartening.
The next day I had to work for a half day (Day 2). Lily prescribed a message after work. The therapist, Sally, was gentle but I felt wretched that night and all of Day 3. My left leg sciatic nerve and mid-back are at 9 on the pain level scale with 10 being the highest. Perhaps I should have waited a week before seeking treatment. Aspirin isn’t strong enough and I hesitate consuming very much because it can lead to other problems. I can’t use Ibuprophen because it irritates my kidneys.
Pain in the neck.
© 2013 Ima B. Musing
We pulled into a parking lot and he was immediately apologetic. I asked if he had insurance and felt relieved when he replied in the affirmative. I have indemnity coverage so we swapped information. The back of my aged car, 13 years old, is cracked and a large chunk is missing from the center. The offending auto didn’t have a ding. My Toyota Camry now shutters a bit so it probably got knocked out of alignment, too. The break indicator light keeps turning on so a wire must have been affected. The car is drivable. I don’t have money to replace it.
The pain was instantaneous. My neck and back began to ache. Thankfully the other driver, we’ll call him Jin, said that he felt okay. He is a college student and it was his first mishap. Alas, I have been in several vehicular collisions. After swapping information, I slowly made my way to work. I called my insurance company’s claims office and they quickly assigned me to an adjustor, Ellen. I told her that I wasn’t feeling well and she added on a medical adjustor. Both adjustors are located in the Twin Cities and they were very friendly. With the support of Aspirin, I foolishly worked a full day, which I will refer to as Day Zero.
No sick leave or PTO and no medical or benefits of any kind is offered to me since I am a part time employee. I had the next day (aka Day 1) off and decided that I should seek medical assistance. I researched and located a chiropractor. She was lacking in bedside manner and the office cramped but the acupuncture and ultrasound permitted me to move my head more freely. It is too soon to do adjustments. Dr. Lily (not her real name). She noted that the pain would probably get worse before I would begin to heal. How disheartening.
The next day I had to work for a half day (Day 2). Lily prescribed a message after work. The therapist, Sally, was gentle but I felt wretched that night and all of Day 3. My left leg sciatic nerve and mid-back are at 9 on the pain level scale with 10 being the highest. Perhaps I should have waited a week before seeking treatment. Aspirin isn’t strong enough and I hesitate consuming very much because it can lead to other problems. I can’t use Ibuprophen because it irritates my kidneys.
Pain in the neck.
© 2013 Ima B. Musing
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
ALL I WANT
Homage to a classic holiday ballad, though I do have $350 worth of dental work on hold as well as three teeth who need crowns, including my front ones. To the tune of “All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.”
All I want for 2013 is a full-time job
With ben-e-fits
In the East Metro*
All I want for 2013 is a full-time job
So-oh
I can be self-suffi-cient!
* anywhere in the Twin Cities...
Santa, are you listening?
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
All I want for 2013 is a full-time job
With ben-e-fits
In the East Metro*
All I want for 2013 is a full-time job
So-oh
I can be self-suffi-cient!
* anywhere in the Twin Cities...
Santa, are you listening?
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
Sunday, November 25, 2012
SNIFFLE SNOUT
Sore nose, aching abdominal muscles, half-used Kleenexes laying about the house. Four weeks of suffering from malingering allergies is tedious. I have regular coughing fits and blow cloudy mucus from my nose. I know I don’t have a cold because the snot would be yellow or green if it were a virus.
Due to a dreadfully limited income (part-time work with no benefits), which drains my savings account each month despite a Scrooge-like budget, I keep the house cool. 54 degrees Fahrenheit cool. The cats are puffed up most of the time and huddle against me for warmth when I sit on the couch. However, it lowers my heating bill. I qualify for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program but it only helps with the bill for one month of the winter. Minnesota winters are considerably longer than one month. I delayed turning on the boiler until two weeks ago. Anyway, the cool air seems to aggravate my coughing.
I only take decongestants when I arrive at work. The non-drowsy version still makes me a bit loopy and tired but at least I don’t have to blow my nose all the time and it wears off before I have to drive home. I continue to seek full-time work so that I can afford to see a doctor for the first time in over three years, increase the temperature of my home, and heal my chapped nose. Unfortunately, few jobs are offered or placed from now until mid-January. I hope my budget lasts that long. If you wish to help, please send your gift to http://www.gofundme.com/i4ix0 Thank you ever so much!!
Achoo!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
Due to a dreadfully limited income (part-time work with no benefits), which drains my savings account each month despite a Scrooge-like budget, I keep the house cool. 54 degrees Fahrenheit cool. The cats are puffed up most of the time and huddle against me for warmth when I sit on the couch. However, it lowers my heating bill. I qualify for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program but it only helps with the bill for one month of the winter. Minnesota winters are considerably longer than one month. I delayed turning on the boiler until two weeks ago. Anyway, the cool air seems to aggravate my coughing.
I only take decongestants when I arrive at work. The non-drowsy version still makes me a bit loopy and tired but at least I don’t have to blow my nose all the time and it wears off before I have to drive home. I continue to seek full-time work so that I can afford to see a doctor for the first time in over three years, increase the temperature of my home, and heal my chapped nose. Unfortunately, few jobs are offered or placed from now until mid-January. I hope my budget lasts that long. If you wish to help, please send your gift to http://www.gofundme.com/i4ix0 Thank you ever so much!!
Achoo!
© 2012 Ima B. Musing
Friday, December 3, 2010
COBRA BITES
Not the venomous snake, though the animosity between members of the US Congress causes them to hiss at each other. COBRA extends health care benefits when you depart from your employer. My health care benefits were ended at my full time job of four years when the position was cut to part time during the summer of 2009. Thankfully, the Economic Stimulus subsidized the cost of health care insurance and made it affordable for me.
Unfortunately, the subsidy has ended for me and now I have to pay $480 each month for health/dental care insurance causing a conundrum. It is a horrible gamble; if I don’t have insurance and I get hurt the financial result could be catastrophic; or, if I do buy the expensive insurance I will drain down my savings faster, which will cause financial catastrophe. I am afraid to be without health/dental care insurance since illness and accidents occur.
I could purchase bare bones insurance but it costs around $250 and actually is a better bargain to keep paying in to my former employer. My COBRA plan expires in the spring of 2011 so I’ll be forced to obtain the bare bones version at that time anyway, if I can afford it. It would be greatly appreciated if the US Congress would extend COBRA benefits beyond 16 months and reinstate the subsidy. Eventually, the national health care revisions passed earlier this year will fill this gap but that plan isn’t available now.
I hope that the US Congress extends Unemployment Benefits for those who have been unemployed for 99+ weeks, too. I have sent out nearly 100 resumes since July and had one in-person interview (got declined). It is irritating that corporations are posting huge profits and refusing to hire. Don’t they realize that they are stressing out their current employees? Lining the pockets of the ultra-wealthy is causing a lot of anger. I think that is one reason why the Tea Party and radical groups are becoming more popular. Fear causes anger, which is a fierce motivator.
I choose an attitude of gratitude to stave off the fear and anger.
Peace.
© 2010
Unfortunately, the subsidy has ended for me and now I have to pay $480 each month for health/dental care insurance causing a conundrum. It is a horrible gamble; if I don’t have insurance and I get hurt the financial result could be catastrophic; or, if I do buy the expensive insurance I will drain down my savings faster, which will cause financial catastrophe. I am afraid to be without health/dental care insurance since illness and accidents occur.
I could purchase bare bones insurance but it costs around $250 and actually is a better bargain to keep paying in to my former employer. My COBRA plan expires in the spring of 2011 so I’ll be forced to obtain the bare bones version at that time anyway, if I can afford it. It would be greatly appreciated if the US Congress would extend COBRA benefits beyond 16 months and reinstate the subsidy. Eventually, the national health care revisions passed earlier this year will fill this gap but that plan isn’t available now.
I hope that the US Congress extends Unemployment Benefits for those who have been unemployed for 99+ weeks, too. I have sent out nearly 100 resumes since July and had one in-person interview (got declined). It is irritating that corporations are posting huge profits and refusing to hire. Don’t they realize that they are stressing out their current employees? Lining the pockets of the ultra-wealthy is causing a lot of anger. I think that is one reason why the Tea Party and radical groups are becoming more popular. Fear causes anger, which is a fierce motivator.
I choose an attitude of gratitude to stave off the fear and anger.
Peace.
© 2010
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