Back to Good

Okay, not really. But my back is starting to feel much better, even with my little set back this weekend. Dr. Baker could tell too, my muscles were much tighter and I was harder to adjust today, but when he did, I felt so much better. So, right now I'm feeling pretty good.

That's what always happens right after an appointment, but the next day I'm all sore, so I shouldn't be so happy right now. Tomorrow's probably going to suck. And I have two more appointments this week - on Wednesday and Thursday. I've been keeping track - that's seven times I've been so far and by the end of the week it'll be nine.

So, imagine my surprise when I got my insurance notices in the mail saying what it cost (holy cow, thank god for insurance) and how much they paid... and what I might still owe. Now, the documents clearly say that they are not a bill, but here's what it looks like:

Initial Visit -

Total Billed Charges: ......................................... $260.00
Minus Member Savings/Discounts arranged by BCBSKC: $97.67
Minus Other Not-Eligible Charges: ............................$0.00
Leaving and Allowable Provider Charge of: ..............$162.33
Minus Plan Payment of: .....................................$132.33
Leaving a Balance you may owe: .............................$30.00


Second Visit (and the next five after that, I assume) -

Total Billed Charges: ....................................... $55.00
Minus Member Savings/Discounts arranged by BCBSKC: $14.09
Minus Other Not-Eligible Charges: .........................$0.00
Leaving and Allowable Provider Charge of: ..............$25.91
Minus Plan Payment of: .......................................$25.91
Leaving a Balance you may owe: ............................$15.00

So... I totally thought that I was going to owe them money because getting better was certainly going to cost me something because I had no other choice but to do it. So, I brought the "not bills" in today and asked them about it and they told me that I do not owe them anything. Even though one of the "not bills" told me I had a $30 copay because Dr. Baker was considered a specialist or he took x-rays or... something.

Regardless of the reason, I still don't owe anything. Thankfully. I thought I was going to owe $120 today and when I told my bank account, it cried.

So, bottom line is I'm feeling pretty good right now and I still haven't given them a dime. It's all coming directly from my insurance... which is magical, and I have no idea how it works considering they think that I may owe money. I just hope that it doesn't come back to bite me later considering that I don't get how it works.

Can you imagine? If I had to pay all of that money right out of pocket because I didn't have insurance, that would be... *does math* $590.00. So, for all you people who nagged me to fix myself 2 and a half years ago when this happened the last time and I had no insurance... I say, "See! I knew I couldn't afford it then. I can't even really afford that now!" I feel pretty vindicated...

Let's see... not much else is new. I'm watching new TV shows, thankful that the writer's strike is over and I'm reading Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. It is full of ANGST. I mean... it's a lot of angst. I get that's exactly how everything felt and was SO important in high school... but isn't that why people don't want to go back and relive high school? I hear that the next books get better, so I may continue with the series. I'm only half way through the first book and not entirely committed yet. I'll let you know how that goes.

Otherwise, I'm just working (currently I'm compiling quarterly stats. It sucks. I have no idea how I got myself into it.), getting my back cracked, and sitting in awe of my insurance "not bills".

Exciting times in the Blackwell household.


End blog.