Blue Cross Update...Arg.

This would be my third post about Blue Cross, and probably not my last. I checked my online status yesterday, and it looks as though BCBSM has removed my group conversion status, therefore taking away my waiver which means I now still have to wait the 6 months for any pre-existing conditions. This should have never happened to me. My application was stated as received before the end of October, which was well in the time frame for having my waiting period waived, but they have refused to give that to me. So the next next is speaking to the State Representative, and going higher if we have to. This is just ridiculous that they would try to get as much money as they can without paying anything they don't have to. I don't believe that BCBS is there to "help the people". If I had a better choice I would leave the company immediately. I just wish I had more power to do something, to make them pay. I can't stand this.

Blue Cross, You're EVIL...(and Avatar!)

I just have to start this post by saying that this post is totally to vent, so if you don't want to hear someone whining for a bit, you might just want to not read. I am just SO ANGRY lately at BCBCM! And, what is going to frustrate me even more is that my computer cord is broken, the battery is dead, so it is probably going to take me a long time to post this due to the fact that my computer shuts off every time it gets bumped at all. And I already have to take a break from posting, Braedan is having his self a little tantrum. Man.

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It has been a few days since I actually started this post, and I am much calmer at the moment. James and I just got back from seeing Avatar, which was AMAZING by the way! I loved every minute of it. Makes you really think. I thought it was a very cool, much more modern twist of Pocahontas meets Fern Gully and add a few millenia. Awesome. But back to my previous version of this post.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield. The anger. So angry. Very angry about their whole company. I lost my insurance as of September 1st due to leaving my job, and so I was going to purchase individual coverage from BCBS. In order to get the 6 month pre-existing condition period waived, you must enroll within 62 days of losing previous coverage (and a few other rules, which I had met all of). So I enrolled at the beginning of October. Their records show that they received my application about October 23rd...well in the correct time frame of getting all that waived. Awesome. So I give it about 6 weeks and keep waiting and calling to find out the status of my application, and every time I called was told that my app was approved that it was just waiting for a contract number now. OK. So I call at the beginning of December, and was told that my contract was active as of November 15th, but that a contract number just had not been generated for me yet...ok, so I was going to have to pay for more than a month of coverage that I could not use? Mind you, I did not even go to the doctor during this time because of no insurance...to save on the bills. No way was I going to pay-but I just waited to see if I would actually be charged for that time. Weeks and weeks go by and still NO WORD from BCBS. So, about 2 weeks ago, beginning of January, I decided to call again just to see what the hold up was. APPARENTLY there were some temps in during the season, and my application was never pushed through. SO we had to start all over again. Very frustrating. The woman on the phone took all my information and resubmitted my application and my biggest question was about the waiver. I had done everything I was supposed to and would have been eligible to have the pre-existing condition waiting period waived, but she was going to call me back after her boss spoke to the underwriters. So goes a few days.

After a few days I receive a call back and this is what I was told. I either had to back pay to September 1st and do overlapping coverage (from when my last coverage ended) or take the date of February 1st and have the waiting period. WHAT?! Your company screws me over with this and you tell me I have to PAY? Excuse me, but I did everything that I was supposed to do. I met all of the eligible criteria, and HAD my application gone through like it SHOULD HAVE because it was already IN THE SYSTEM, there would have been no problem. AND I would have had coverage in November. So I told her no, and that they needed to figure this out. So I waited again. And this is what they said: Instead, I could either take the original date I wanted, November 1st and back-pay or keep the Feb 1st date and still have the waiting period. This is UNACCEPTABLE! How can this company think they can just take someone's money like that because THEY MESSED UP?! I was so angry. We were so angry we decided to pull our application completely. We were livid! This was after going back and forth and back and forth and they would not budge. How completely unfair is this? This is just unreal. I understand why they chose November 1st, because that's the date I SHOULD HAVE HAD only IF my application was processed in time. But it wasn't. And since their company messed up and ruined my time frame, they should have still allowed me to have a waiver. Because now, I am starting all over again, and I don't get a waiver. If I didn't need the coverage and could find something better, I would go there. But I can't, not with all the times we need to go to the doctors and hospital etc. Can you see how I would be so angry? Do I have this right? I think I do. And all I can say to Blue Cross is SCREW YOU!

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Ok, I know that wasn't very nice of me to say. But I am angry. About this whole thing. I'm sorry, but if your company messes up, own up to it. Don't make the customer have to pay for YOUR mistakes. Now I have a pre-existing condition that I can't get any help for, and if an emergency arises, I will be out big big big bucks because of this whole mess. I can almost say that I hate Blue Cross. I really can. This is not the first issue we have had with them. But that is my story, this is my complaint, and I feel a little better getting this out, but no amount of words can explain the back and forth frustration we have had with this. I have only touched the surface. Just so angry. And now I must go find something to make myself feel better. And hope that my gallbladder doesn't burst in the process. Because BCBS isn't going to pay to fix it. The end.

Monkey Boy!

Well, we finally celebrated Braedan's first birthday after a long, torturous trip and hard work. :Here's the story:

We had been waiting all week long to be able to get ready for the party. I had purchased items to bake a really cool monkey cake that I found a picture of online (to see if I had any artistic ability and creativity left), and couldn't wait to get started! The only thing we weren't looking forward to was the drive to Lansing. Braedan has been notoriously known for constant screaming in the car on even the shortest of trips. We hoped this one would be good since he has gotten much better in the recent weeks before. So Friday arrived, we got him in the car and on the road. We were golden...until he woke up 50 minutes later screaming, so we stopped before it got too bad so he could calm down for a while. Back on the road. We had no more than pulled out of the McDonald's parking lot when Braedan started up again. We were so frustrated and hoped it would calm, but never did. His scream only escalated and sounded so piercing to the ears you feel deaf when he's done. He continued to scream and scream, nothing calming him until he so bad he threw up all over himself and his carseat. Then he began to choke on it, so we had to pull over. We stayed on the side of the road for a while to calm him down (he was soaking wet, drenched in sweat), and then after a long period of time we had to get on the road again, and I sat next to him in the back stea trying to talk to him and play with him, but even that hardly helped. So, screaming we went, all the way to grandma's house.

We were releived to finally be out of the car, which lasted only for a short time because Braedan is sensitive and I got a speech about how I have made him that way by "spoiling" him from actuallly choosing to comfort my child when he needed it. I just was angry after that point (I won't bother with the details because typing on my phone just takes too long). The night had to continue though because I had to get to work on the cake. And work it was.

I have baked a cake before, but apparently last night I couldn't do anything right. I filled the pans to full, I didn't mix right, I had too many questions and grandma was taking over. But eventually it was finished, and turned out beautiful! I even did the decorating by myself for my little monkey face cake. I was so proud I almost hated to cut it up today! It was worth the trouble. And to make my ever so long story short, Braedan did well at the party, ate his cake and tofutti ice cream, got a bath, and then we were on the road again. After the first hour of screaming we stopped, calmed him, let him nap, and then he fell asleep in the car. We just had a half hour of peace, but he just awoke crying again, so I must end my story...oh, there he goes escalating! Onto more wonderful adventures...life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what yer gonna get!

When Anger Gets The Best Of You...

As I mentioned before, this blog is all about life. All the ups and downs that come with it. Today is just one of those days, not so much as bad as yesterday, but I seem to always let my anger get the best of me. I wish it weren't so, but it is. Sometimes it just feels like everything in this world that could go wrong, has. I am just irritated. Irritated at people, and traffic, and the government, and whatnot. Why can't we all just be peaceful? Why can't friends be friends and be open and honest with each other? Why can't people communicate properly and instead hide away from their emotions bottling it all up until it bursts? There is always a breaking point, and although I have been there before, I do not wish that on anyone else. I pray things get better, in my head, in my heart, in my life. Don't get me wrong, my life is great, and there is so much I would never even dare to dream of changing, but my complaint is just about this week, a moment in time that will pass as all others do. So off to more of the day, seeing what it has in store for me, or doesn't, either way I will make it through, or find a way.