Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Tests

It would stand to reason, in my mind that if you are having surgery certain tests are appropriate prior to that surgery, correct?
I am talking at this intersection of my pre-op blood tests...
that had been done along with my heart and psychological testing, sleep apnea test, etc. for prior to my bariatric sleeve surgery.
I met all the necessary criteria for the surgery, because that was paid for in its entirety months ago by Medicare.
Then why would Medicare not see or realize that the blood work that been done prior to that surgery that they paid for, that is the surgery, in its entirety, would not include all pre-op necessities?
I have received for the "second" time a bill that was Medicare denied, so my AARP supplemental F plan cannot pay for it either. ( I also called them.)
So today instead of going to independent exercise I was on the phone with this issue that I thought had been taken care of months ago. When I had called my doctor's office who felt it was "just" a coding mistake and had said it would be taken care of, and I was told to toss that first bill and so I did.
I called the doctor's office yesterday after calling Labcorp when I received this newest bill, they had done all of the pre-op blood work and said they felt I needed to speak with my doctor's office thus the phone call.
Apparently, a revised code had been sent in on January 6, 2017, and Labcorp had a so-called claim number from it going to Medicare and so I called Medicare who earlier had stated they hadn't received any other submissions to clear up this matter, that since the original one, last year, on the first of November, thirteen days after my surgery and that claim number I was given I was informed that it was incorrect as a twelve digit number, no such thing, since theirs are only four digits and start with 0 and this one started with a 7!
My head was spinning at this point and so I called back Medicare one more time and spoke with their supervisor who boldly asked me what I though he should do, i.e. this Mr. Tracy Alan. I asked him why this is so screwy that no one has any answers and if they do they are not coordinated with one another, and their computer had nothing showing a reboot of my submission with correct coding, but my doctor's billing department, Leslie, said she had, and the Labcorp billing said they had too!
January sixth was the date of contention supposedly with the proper coding, but Medicare insisted they never received anything and recommended an appeal!
I said what?
The medical necessity wasn't proven, yep they kept saying they could not find the medical necessity, and I said, but you PAID FOR THE SURGERY!
Good grief, I felt as if I was in an Abbot and Costello skit : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RatKhtboq2E, but not a funny one at all, just a not getting it one, ya know? Maybe George Burns speaking to Gracie Allen:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDCjhLOaNZI  would be a more apropos analogy?
Anyway, after speaking to Sharon the supervisor at Labcorp who said she would file the new codes once again that she received yesterday after I called my doctor's office. And I said then I will not be paying my bill until I know what's what, okay? And she said yes and almost sounded as if she meant it.

Moving on...

An end of an era, our Montreal neighbors from across the canal did sell their home furnished in record time, at a few thousand dollars price cut, to a family from Michigan! Actually, a husband and wife, almost retired from there, she hasn't come down yet, but is expected next week.
Hubby already has made friends and is sharing our floating molded polymer dock with Dave the newcomer across the canal so he can get onto his canoe, loaning it that is, since Hubby hasn't used it lately, but does find it handy for working on the rest of the dock and painting and such.

Meanwhile, we had a cold front come through last night that brought our ridiculous too hot temps down to around fifty this morning and seventy, just barely for the day. Tonight it might go into the thirties, WHOA! Yep, this is crazy! Almost as if living up north again! Sorry to all of you in that blizzard area! I suppose we are still much better off, but this is southwest Florida, in the middle of March, what gives? Wild ride!

That said I went into northern food mode and made my homemade chili today and we had it for dinner, mmm, mmm good!
Over the years I had made it with chopped turkey, but went back to ground beef years ago.
Mine is rather simple, with a can of pork and beans your favorite or vegan one is fine too, stewed tomatoes, one can of that too, a sprinkle of cumin and chili powder to taste, brown sugar about a teaspoon full or more to taste, a dash of Tabasco, and a splash of lemon juice, one and half medium sized onions caramelized, with several cloves of garlic in olive oil and Kosher salt. Brown meat in a dash of olive oil and then add in the caramelized onions and garlic, as well as some water to scrape those brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add in the beans, and either smash the tomatoes with a potato masher or put the can of stewed tomatoes into the Cuisinart to chop, a bit chunky is fine, add them in too, and a wee bit of your favorite tomato sauce too, leave on the stove to simmer and to permeate the indoor atmosphere with its lush aroma for as many hours as you care to, but taste periodically and make sure the bottom of the pan is not burning, if so turn it off and put it on a warming part of the stove, yep my new stove has that fifth burner for that, and check every once and a while to make sure it is kept at a desirable temperature, and then by dinner it is already to consume with crackers, or cheddar cheese or Greek yogurt or sour cream, or jalapeƱos, or whatever topping you so desire and enjoy it or naked with nothing at all, au naturale! Great for all cold weather days or even what we perceive as such!
 
On this note allow me to be the very first to wish you all a very happy good night and ask you all to kindly share all your blessings and we will too!

And next time please be here or be square, ya hear!

  

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