PIRATES AND HIGHWAY ROBBERS

"If your out go exceeds your income, your up keep will be your down fall."
Unknown

I've often thought Insurance companies and Banks are Pirates and Highway Robbers.

The health insurance company I pay every month on time every time, has gone to a new billing system. It is no longer done locally. The company has a local office that I visit every month. Why? Because ever since they changed their billing system, my bill hasn't been right once. That is over a year and a half now.

The things that are wrong, every single month are; Wrong amount. Wrong date. They say I'm behind three months, or two. Even with that, which they do every month it is never the same wrong amount any month.

I had to jump through hoops to even get on with them for a 2,500.00 deductible. Mostly this is home insurance for us, so if I were in an accident or some other unexpected thing happened... You all know how that goes, at least we wouldn't have to sell the house to pay the medical bills.

I do get four well check up visits a year, paying only $35.00. The last time I'd been to a doctor was eight years ago. So in January this year I went in. Everything was fine, as I was sure it would be. Other than the typical aces and pains of getting older, the doctor said I was in good health.

It drives me crazy that they can't fix my billing mix up though, so every few months I go in and talk to someone at the local office. Bringing my dates of when I paid, and when they cashed them, I keep copies and leave one with them. I bet they hate to see me coming. They know what it's going to be about.

Their nice enough about it, and I try to keep my cool, even though sometimes I'd like to scream. I just don't get how they could be so completely wrong.

They have told me more than once, different managers every time I go in... "Well, don't feel bad, it happens to a lot of our customers." (I'm wondering why they can't get more competent help.)

The last time someone said that to me, my eyebrows tented in a meet and greet.

"Why?" I ask, "Is it a policy of yours to confuse people's bills so after an exasperating few years they quite and you never have to pay out on their policies?"

We both laugh, she a little nervously, me thinking I wasn't really joking? I do wonder, you know, is that a tactic some companies take?

Well, this month I got two bills! One on the 19th and one on the 24th. Both different. Both wrong amounts. And wrong due dates. Now they've doubled my fun! Oh Joy!

Even two different account numbers. Ah ha, I thought. Maybe that's the problem. They somehow have me with two account numbers.

So guess where I'll be on Tuesday?

I sure hope this will solve this problem and relieve this hassle every month.

I don't have the answers about all this insurance business, and the medical costs, etc. etc.but surely, there's got to be a better way than this!