Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Insurance. A Blessing... and A Curse

I'll come back later to write up my Truthful Tuesday post, but I just had to get this vented!

Big Daddy changed jobs a couple of months ago, and we were excited to learn that he would be eligible for health insurance very quickly. The timing couldn't have been better for us, really, as our coverage started Dec. 1st, and by the 3rd, I had J in at the pediatrician's office with a lovely case of bronchitis.

Yesterday, E mentioned to me that he had a sore spot in his mouth. He pulled down his bottom lip, where I saw what looked like a small blistering area. I'm prone to mouth ulcers myself, so I sent him off to rinse with a little Listerine and then I rubbed a bit of Orajel on it and called him healed! (Not really, but at least treated.)

Today, it's not a sore spot. It's not a blistered area. It's not even a mouth ulcer. I'm pretty sure it's a cavity, and it's nowhere near the front of his mouth. The whole right side of his little face is all swollen and puffy, and he is hurting pretty badly.

So, I went to figure out what dentists are on our new list.

Only to find that the insurance company for the dental side has lost us.

#%$*!

We don't exist in their computers. They don't show us having coverage. So, I fired a text to Big Daddy, who called his H.R. person, who called the insurance company, who is now working on it. In the meantime, I have an appointment at 4:00 for the E-Man to have his poor little head looked at. He's at school, probably trying to not die eating lunch right this very moment.

All I can do now is hope that he doesn't fall apart before I get to him. And that eventually, the insurance company finds us. And that I can file a claim for reimbursement for his treatment. And that the dentist trip doesn't traumatize him beyond belief, since I know that there is no way this trip isn't going to suck. It's going to involve either A) Shot, drill & fill or B) Shot and yank. And I can't imagine either of them being much fun. (Having never had to have a filling or a pulling, I can't begin to to know, but the idea of a needle in my gum holds ZERO appeal to me.)

Ugh.

5 comments:

  1. Poor E! I hope he doesn't feel too much pain this afternoon.

    I feel ya on the insurance thing too. I once had an argument with a pharmacist because either they or the insurance company (they blamed the ins. co.) had my son's b-day off by 2 days. They didn't want to cover his meds. I was livid, I tell you. You got it right when you said a blessing and a curse.

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  2. Don't even get me started about insurance! LOL Hope you get everything taken care of and quickly!

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  3. Poor E, that is terrible! Oh and I {HATE} don't like to ever use that word but in this cause I really do feel that way, insurance companies! I hope E and J both feel better.

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  4. Hmmm seems to be a common theme here! Ha! I hate hate hate insurance companies too but anyway, poor kid! Did he make is through school? How is he doing?

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  5. Yup, I'm with you on the blessing and a curse... It took us 14 MONTHS to finally get everything squared away with G's delivery and subsequent NICU stay. ANNOYING!

    I hope your son can hold off on that dental treatment!

    ~Elizabeth
    http://confessionsfromaworkingmom.blogspot.com

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