Dealing with health insurance companies

I got a bill for 2 of my 3 sons annual wellness visit. I called up the doctor's office, it is a new pediatrician that we recently switched to find out why we had a balance of $180. The insurance company rejected the claim because their had been 360 days since their last physical.

I dread dealing with our health insurance company Aenta because of problems we have had in the past. And they are the only option for health insurance through my husband's company.

1. Lost my entire family's records in their system.
2. Drop off one of my twin sons off our policy because it is fraud to have two people in the same family to have the same date of birth. Ever hear of twins?
3. Drop my oldest son's because he has the same first name as my husband.


So you can tell I am dealing with the brain trust.

I figured I need at least an hour of time to deal with this because of spending 10-15 minutes in automate system hell. And if you press "zero" it tells you not recognizable. And then while you finally get to the customer service line, no music just sort of dead air and you don't know whether you are connected or not.

15 minutes in the call, I get a person!

First person I give my little spiel about the billing problem. Not my area you must have pressed the wrong button. I ask if I have the the direct line, she gives me the same number that I called. She says she will transfer me.

What a surprise 20 more wait minutes

Second person I think you may have been transferred to the wrong area let me transfer you. My blood pressure is rising at this point.

Third person Finally get the correct area! Mrs Frugal I am sorry but we can not allow two wellness visits within one year that is why your claim has been rejected. I had spoken to someone in November when we switched pediatricians and they told me that we can go the new doctor and get a physical. I didn't go right away since we had physicals in Mar 2005. No more need to get the kids looked at, I would wait until the right time. Of course this csr has no idea of that policy even though I have the first name, no they don't give out last names or any other information to track the call.

I ask to speak to a manager and after waiting 10 minutes on hold, I get one but she has no idea what I am referring since the CSR didn't fill her in. She tells me that she can run the claim on through and it should go through no problem.

I should have asked for a manager in the first place.

78 minutes later I hang up the phone.