Headaches

Let me start by saying that if for some reason you figure out where I go to school, don't let them know about this post. I recently heard about a grad student getting kicked out of their program over Facebook, but I'm pretty sure it was because what they said could be interpreted as a threat. Either way, play it safe.

So a long while back I decide to go our university ER for what I was worried could be a broken ankle. I got charged 50 bucks up front for a copay, which I didn't know I had because when we utilize university facilities/physicians, we don't get charged a deductible/copay. It was whatever though, because that's what my card said and I figured it would be just as expensive to get crutches to hold me over the weekend (it was, of course, a Friday at 5p and our clinic wouldn't be open until Monday). Verdict was bad sprain, and I was given an ice pack, an ace bandage, and an aircast. Woo.

But of course that's not how the story ends. No sir. And after fighting with the hospital billing staff, my insurance, and some medical supplier, I think finally have a decent idea of why I wound up paying QUADRUPLE that cost. First off, that air cast I got wasn't supplied by the hospital but by a medical supplier. Now, this makes sense in terms of our general ER population. Guy/girl comes in, sprained ankle, walks out without intention of paying for treatment. Hospital doesn't have to foot the entire bill because XYZ med is going to bill for their equipment and eat whatever isn't paid. Works out well until you get a university student who would only come to that ER to avoid paying out of network deductibles, and that XYZ med is seen by university insurance as a "referral" and you wind up with a pretty nice charge for a plastic piece of crap. Loops holes need to be created because this, IMHO, is counterproductive.

And still the story drags on. I also got a nice $100 fee put under my deductible section relating to said ER visit. I call up the insurers, tell them I don't pay deductibles when I go to university facilities. Kind lady on the other end of the phone says that copays and deductibles get logged under the same column by their [shitty] computer program. So I ask what copay, I paid my 50 bucks upfront. She says yes but you owed 150. I said not according to the card I had, that updated copay came on a card mailed in October and I went to the ER in Sept. She informs me my policy effective date went to work over two months before I received my card. After some research, I find that our university has a waiver date a month and a half after the policy effective date, so that the insureres can't deliver cards until at least 2 months after we've already been on a plan. Now how much sense does that make?

I'll tell you. Nill. I'm done now.