Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Never Forget

Today I was reading/fuming at a certain Brave Hero's insurance company and I thought back to the day I finished my observation hours with my brave, wonderful, wise supervisor. She sat me down and said, "Katie, the most important thing is not to get paid. It is to provide this service to people who need it. Insurance companies will lie to you, hang up on you, be rude to you, and lose your paperwork. You have to keep fighting. People need you."
This sat well and deeply with me. How many professionals out there are truly fighting to give people the services they need? How many professionals are willing to cut fees and battle insurance companies and make less so they can see more people? My supervisor opened her own practice because she was tired of being told to deny people services because insurance companies wouldn't pay, and people needed her. How many doctors would do the same?
I think many professionals (and insurance companies who take exotic company retreats during recessions) could learn a lesson from my supervisor. I am forever indebted to her because of what she taught me.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

There are a lot of doctors and thearpists who just won't deal with insurance companies at all and then you have to pay totally out of pocket. Cash or credit. That is hell. They say it is so they can see more people and not have to deal with the red tape. But, in reality that cuts out a huge portion of people that are unable to see them. We went to a few places like that and went broke....totally.

We have also had experiences with doctors who will write off portions of what we owed them knowing we could not pay it.

The red tape of insurance companies is hell on both sides. Argh. I handled M's insurance calls and fights for the first seven years and then about cracked up. I have Joe do it now. Lucky for him our coverage is way better now. When I did it nothing of M's was covered. I had to fight everything. It was hell.

little.birdy said...

My supervisor DOES deal with insurance companies, she just doesn't like it. And she does write off portions of people's bills when she knows they can't pay them. I can't imagine how much fighting you had to do for sweet M. You are a strong mama!

bernthis said...

You are so lucky to have found someone that has and will make such a difference in your life. What a gift.