Who's terms??
This is truly the most challenging stage in my life. Forget the melt-down, forget the bottom, forget the strokes.....this is it.
Yesterday on my way in to see Bill I was called in the Social Worker's office. The announcement was made that accounting was all over her case, and my insurance was impossible to deal with.
It seems that although the hospital has a contract with Blue Cross/Blue Shield, the skilled nursing facility (that uses the hospital's name and is part of the "healthcare system") does not have a contract. To further complicate the issue, BC/BS will not give a rate commitment because with out of network facilities they base payments upon what they pay in the surrounding areas at the time the statement is received. So....the result of this conversation is that we are private pay....We pay the published rate and they tell me they want the money upfront. They will provide me a statement, I can file with the insurance company and will receive 60% of the rate they would have paid had they been billed by the facility.
I guess I'll be talking to the Board of Pensions today to try to figure something out. I'm not sure how many stroke survivors have the kind of money they are asking laying around in a checking account...I only know this one doesn't.
Speech therapy........Bill announced last evening he'd met with the speech therapist and she'd told him he didn't have any problem. Hmmmm...I'm not sure why the two bouts of aspiration induced pneumonia, and two barrium swallows indicated he has a silent aspiration then, and oh, let's not forget the order for nectar thick liquids. When I got home there was a message on the phone from the speech therapist requesting a call to help with his medical history. Why did I think he has a problem???
Oh my, I know there is a lesson to be learned in all this...I just know it....I'm not in control? Of course not. Turn it over to my Higher Power, God? I sure am trying to do that - I just wish the nursing facility would understand it's out of my hands!!! Today is another day...I'll take a deep breath, say many prayers and just keep moving forward. It'll be ok.
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