Tales of Insurance Woes

Look at this face! This is my Xavier, that's pronounced with a "Z" sound not an "X", in case you were wondering. He is without insurance at the present time because some bonehead canceled it on the insurance company's end and what do you know, I can't get through on the telephone to have it fixed. So I took matters into my own hands and threatened to go to the media. You know what? It worked!

Here in Florida, we have the Florida KidCare program. You pay "x" amount each month for your children to have insurance. My family qualifies right now because we're a one income home as my husband is a full-time student. It works out great because $15 per month vs. over $500 for my company's health coverage is obviously the better choice. The thing is, your child has to be five to be eligible. I didn't know this.


When I was still pregnant with Xavier, I gave the folks at KidCare a call to find out the procedure to add my baby once he was born. I was told to simply call from the hospital to give his date of birth and he'd be added automatically and the proper paperwork was to follow in the mail. So I did. That was when I was told it didn't work like that. Seriously?

Medicaid is what's available to our children in Florida under the age of five. There are branches of Medicaid you are referred to once the paperwork is completed and they see what bracket you fall into. My son's paperwork didn't get approved until he was well over nine months old. In the meantime, I brought him to clinics to get his well-baby checks and his immunizations. I have bills as old as he is that linger because you want to know why? Nobody at the Medicaid Customer Service answers the phone.

You dial this, press that, decode the other via your telephone keypad and then BAM! The recording that goes something like, "We are experiencing a high volume of calls at the present time, please try your call again later!"... Come on. No leave your message at the tone and we'll call you back within xx days. No "Please hold, your call will be answered in 90 minutes!"... Because you know what? I would gladly sit on hold for 90 minutes if it meant I would get answers!

I elevated matters this week via email because then I know I would have a paper trail. I received an answer back within the hour. It's crazy what a little threat can do! It's also quite sad. I threatened to take my case to the local newspapers, radio, TV, and I even used my "pull" as the Editor/Publisher of Palm Coast Macaroni Kid (my town's newsletter of family friendly events, activities, and articles). I hate having to threaten but if it means I'm going to get answers then by golly, I'm going to do it!

Here's the kicker.... They're completely trying to pull a fast one over on me. When you apply or reapply for the insurance, you're supposed to submit information on your entire family including all of your children even if their insurance isn't up for renewal. With that in mind, I received this year's payment stubs, which contain all three of my son's names. This implies my renewal packet was received in its entirety because this particular insurance doesn't mess around with cancellations (obviously, right?). Someone internally made a mistake and they aren't owning up to it. Now I'm having to reapply and put appointments on hold for my littlest shortie.

You can be sure I let the woman who decided my case was important enough to address after I threatened them, know that my son's appointments are on hold. You can also rest assured that they are fully aware of the pile of bills I have in my possession dating back to March 2, 2009, the day I gave birth. I don't like owing people money especially when, in my eyes, I don't really owe this money.

I'm all for a health care reform. I'm not for the chosen health care reform. The process of the reform has been created in a rushed manner and important factors are bound to fall through the cracks. Our government makes it out to sound beneficial, and it can be. However, the lack of training within our system is a very big deal. Tremendous in fact. It's time to bring someone on board who understands this and who will be dedicated to the logistics behind it 24/7. One's mind cannot wander from the heath care issues to that of what is happening with the war and other important factors revolving around America.

Further photographs of Pamela's sons can be found on her blog, 2 Much Testosterone along with events of much less serious nature.

This is an original Deep South Moms post.



This post was originally published at Deep South Moms, an SV Moms Group blog {Now closed}!