Happy Valentines Day (and a rant too!)

Blog Prompt: Today is Valentine’s Day. What was your favorite Valentine gift?

My favorite valentine gift is the one I got this year. I decided that I wanted a web cam so I can talk by video with others and maybe even try to do some podcasts. I mentioned the possibility and the next thing I know my hubby tells me to research what I want and takes me out shopping to buy it. Now I have a webcam but noone to video talk with yet. I just found out my sister doesn't have a webcam! I am on Skype now but don't know anyone to talk to so if you have a webcam or skype, I'm loonyhiker!

Tonight I'm making lasagna for dinner since this was the first meal we ever had together! Keep your fingers crossed. I got this lasagna noodles from Barilla that are "no boil."

Now for the rant:

Last August I went to the emergency room for food poisoning. When I got the bill from the doctor's office (Gastroenterology Associates) in September, it stated that Blue Cross Blue Shield denied payment so I called. I found out that it wasn't listed as emergency services but as outpatient and emergency services should have been covered. After about 4 phone calls back and forth between the doctors office and the insurance company, the girl at the doctors office said she would call and get it straightened out and refile if necessary. I asked her to let me know if there was a problem and never got any call or bill since then. Today I get a letter from a collection agency telling me that they will ruin my credit because I didn't pay.

I called the doctor's office who said they would refile but when I asked for an email address so I could send a letter to verify the phone call, she refused to give me one. The lady did say the woman in charge of collections MAY POSSIBLY call the collection agency and put it on hold. I asked that this woman call me today when she gets back from lunch and I am still waiting. I will probably call around 4:15 if I haven't heard from her yet.

I called the collection agency (Merchants Credit Association, Inc.), long distance of course, who said I had to send a letter in writing and I asked for an email address to send the letter but she refused to give me one and said I had to send it by mail (does her family members work for the postal service?). She also told me that I shouldn't worry about documentation in case I go to court because they PROBABLYwon't go to court over $236. I asked for her supervisor or the owner of the company or even her attorney but she refused to give me that information and was extremely rude! I guess I made her mad by asking for someone higher up but they are threatening to ruin my credit! Needless to say I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau online (and they even supply an email address to contact them if necessary!)

I am willing to go to court if necessary. I am tired of calling the insurance company who tells me to call the doctors office who tells me to call the insurance company and the collection agency tells me to deal with the doctors office. No one wants to give me a straight answer and I should not be penalized for this since I pay my insurance premiums and I pay my bills on time! Maybe if we go to court I can get the doctor, the doctor's office people, the insurance company and the collection agency people all in one room to get this settled!

Thanks for listening!