Training Notes

My heart rate started slowly climbing, adrenaline pumping through my veins. My hands clenched involuntarily, arms swinging back and forth, pulling me. My feet were moving. I was breathing hard. The sweat poured off me as my heart continued its deafening pound pound pounding ... dear God, would this never end???

The end came, mercifully, finally, one hour and 15 minutes after it started. Not a minute too soon.







Yes. It's that time again:



Time for bell-ringing class!

And class number one was, yet again, not pretty for this novice.

In addition to forgetting every single note I ever learned, I also forgot how to count. Luckily, a lovely older woman (what??? I'm the same age!) spent the entire class counting for me and pointing to the notes that I was supposed to be ringing.

It's not enough being humiliated on the running fields ... oh no, I have to put myself through this weekly humilation, too. Luckily, our director not only puts up with my endless whining about my suckitudiness, but also continues to tell me that one day, I'll get it.

Well, that makes one true believer.

Plus, I hear that learning bell ringing—and other new things—can stave off dementia.

Now, where was I?

Ah, insurance companies.

I got an interesting call from my health insurance company this morning. Shall I tell you the name of this company??? I SHALL. Destiny Health.

Last May, Number One Daughter went for a routine ob/gyn visit. Last May I went to the exact same doctor. Destiny paid NOD's entire bill. Her $90 Pap smear? Paid. My $90 Pap? Reimbursement: $1.40 (I wish I were making this up).

After ten thousand phone calls to South Africa (customer service) they let me know that they paid NOD's entire bill "because she saw an out-of-state" doctor. I tried to let them know that Washington, D.C., is not exactly "out-of-state." Virginia, Maryland, D.C.—they're all part of a metro area. I believe I even used the word "contiguous." (Maybe that's where I lost them.) They continued to insist that since NOD went out-of-state, she got the full rate. Great! Then I asked why didn't I get it? That's where things went haywire.

Finally, it dawned on me that they thought Washington, D.C., was the STATE of Washington. Only that doesn't really explain why I was reimbursed differently for the exact same doctor.

About a month ago, they said they had "made a mistake" on my claim and it should be coded as out-of-state, too.

Sigh. Whatever.

They would have to "escalate" the claim, send it up the flag pole, see who salutes, blah blah.

So, today, September 12 (appointment was in May), DESTINY figured it out. They figured out that they "made a mistake." And as a result? I needed to reimburse them $350.

Here's what I'm going to do about it:

First, I'm going to escalate this. Then, I'm going to consult with my superior. Then, I'll send it to the committee to review appeals and payments (CRAP). After that, the oversight department of refunds (ODOR), located in Tapei, will take a long, hard look at the particulars of this request.

And then?

Request denied!