Fear Anxiety and Worry

I know I am not the only one who struggles with worrying. Almost every woman I have ever spoken with has told me it is a constant struggle for them and I know that the scriptures say it is a sin to worry.

Is it a lack of faith that causes me to worry? Is it a lack of knowledge? Why is it that when I lay my head down at night, my mind turns on and thinks of things when it should be shutting down for the evening? Why is it that my wonderful sweet husband can control his anxiety and lay it aside and my anxiety turns into knots in my back and hyperventilation?

My mother has given me some good advice on relaxation techniques (which I did try this evening and was unsuccessful). But why cannot I not lay it at Jesus' feet and forget about it?

Please pray for me!

Who's More Incompetent?

So, for the past few weeks, I have been receiving duplicate explanation of benefits in the mail from my insurance for a doctors visit back in November of 2007... you know 9 months ago... when I had the flu the 1st time...

I kept remarking to Jim, these people (referring to the insurance company) need to get their act together. I don't know why they keep sending this! (And just to clarify, it was definitely an EOB and not a bill).

Then, in the mail today, I get a BILL from the doctor's office for 2 visits that were not paid. (Side Note: pregnancy hormones combined with incompetent people make for angry conversation). So, I immediately dial the 800# for the billing company to sort this obvious mistake out. Especially knowing that the doctors office I go to (and the insurance plan that I have) requires payment at the time of the visit... you cannot leave the office without paying, and my insurance plan requires me to meet my deductible before they pay anything... (in other words, I owed the full amount at the time of the visit)

Well, back to the phone call. It was 4:45pm when I placed this call (for the most part I would say I was calm)... and then the recording:

You have reached XYZ Billing Company our office hours are Monday through Thursday 8:ooam to 4:00pm (to which I muttered: "Dangit, it's after 4:00, oh, wait, it's Friday, they must have extended hours on Friday", you know like the banks) and then the rest of the recording: Friday's 8:00am to 12:00pm... WHAT???? 12:00pm???? ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? WHAT OFFICE DO YOU KNOW CLOSES AT 12:00pm ON FRIDAY'S???? DO YOU NOT REALIZE I AM SEETHING RIGHT NOW, FULL OF PREGNANT RAGE????

I quickly hung up the phone and dialed the doctors office... Certainly, they can straighten this thing out...

Me: Yes, I received a bill in the mail today for an office visit from back in November of 2007

Receptionist: Ma'am you'll need to contact our billing company. Their name and number is <...>

Me: Yeah, I called them already... they close at noon on Fridays. You don't understand, this is from a visit 9 months ago. That I paid for.

Receptionist: One moment ma'am, let me get the office manager for you.

Office Manager (OM): May I help you?

Me: (explain the situation again, trying not to cry as I feel it will show weakness in my attack on incompetency)

OM: Well you will need to speak with our billing company.

Me: I NEED TO GET A COPY OF THE PAYMENTS THAT I HAVE MADE EVERY TIME I HAVE COME INTO YOUR OFFICE.

OM: I can provide you with that print out- just come by the office...

So, I drop everything (not that there was a lot going on) and drive up to the doctors office, only to find that they do not have a record of me making any payment on the 2 visits in which I am being billed for... WELL, DUH KELLY, IF THEY HAD RECORD, THEY WOULDN'T BE BILLING YOU...

Me: This doesn't show that I made a payment on these two days (EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A SIGN IN THE OFFICE THAT SAYS: PAYMENT DUE IMMEDIATELY FOR SERVICES RENDERED).

OM: Well how did you pay?

Me: I would assume with my debit card!

OM: Well, all you have to do is show that you made payments and we can take care of it for you.

Seething, even more, I turn around and walk out. I pull up my bank statements for that month... WHAT DO YOU KNOW??? Payment on 11/5/07 and 11/28/07 for this doctors office.

5:45pm (15 minutes before the office closes)

Me on the phone to the OM: I have two bank statements here showing that I paid to your company "X" amount of dollars on "X and Y" day.

OM: Just bring it by on Monday and we will research it. It is probably just an oversight on the part of the billing company

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???

I ask you, dear readers, who in this scenario is responsible? Not the insurance company, as I first proclaimed, for sending me multiple EOB's, while annoying as it was...

Was it the billing company? Maybe if they stayed open a little longer on Friday's they could catch blatant mistakes like this....

Or, was it the doctor's office? Did someone drop the ball at the office and not record (not one, but) two payments I made so that the billing company would know NOT to bill me?

Granted, I may be worked-up over "nothing" to some, but when money is tight, and bills come in, it's stressful. Plus, it creates unnecessary work that I have to take care of...

IT SURE DID GET MY BLOOD A'BOILIN~