Steaming Mad

(Warning: long rant below)

I used to love getting mail. Ask Scott, he'll tell you that since I've been on bedrest, one of the highlights of my day is when he walks in...with the mail. Junk, catalogues, dentist reminder cards, I love it all. After Cayden died, and so many amazing friends and family made donations to the hospital in his memory, we received acknowledgement cards from CPMC, cards that both reinforced the fact that our baby was gone while simultaneously warming our hearts with the knowledge that he touched so many during his short life.

But really, over the past two weeks, I've started to dread getting the mail. Why? I'm trying to be calm and zen as this pregnancy winds down, but that is very difficult to do on days when we receive bills for care that I received on January 14, January 16, and for various tests that Cayden received. Today marked the sixth bill received in two weeks. Among many questions I have, why the hell are we receiving this bills almost a full year later?!

Two weeks ago, we received a $999 bill for "services" rendered January 14, 2009. Interesting to call the crap medical care I received "services" since it was more of a disservice. To quickly recap: I went to L&D that night and it was discovered that I was contracting every 5 minutes. Cayden's heartrate was completely unreactive, which no one picked up on. The midwife did an internal exam and then realized she couldn't do a fetal fibronectin after an internal exam, as the results would be tainted. So she sent me home and told me to return for a fetal fibronectin on Friday morning, January 16, which would become Cayden's birthday. I'm still shocked to think that she sent me home at 31 weeks 6 days contracting every 5 minutes without any discussion of steroid shots for baby's lungs, or of medication to stop the preterm labor. I know that Cayden had a lethal condition, and good care wouldn't have changed anything, but what about a woman carrying a healthy baby? A healthy yet unreactive and distressed baby whose mother was in preterm labor? I shudder to think of that outcome.

Insurance says they paid the contractually allowed amount and that the hospital should not come to me to recoup the difference. Hospital tells me to disregard the bill. One week later, I receive another bill from the hospital for the $999 plus the insurance company's share. Hospital says insurance requested a refund. Insurance company says they didn't. And scene.

Luckily, my dad has taken over this battle, as it's simply too much for me to handle at this point.

Then last week we get a bill for $2, 435 for an MRI for "Boy Pai Baby Hirsch" on January 23. On said bill it states, "Your insurance has denied payment. The cannot identify you as a member. Pleas remit payment in full. Thank you." The typos are intentional, that's what it says. For whatever reason, they didn't use Cayden's name. Insurance says they have no record of receiving any claim. Imaging center says they sent it but will resend. Then yesterday I got another bill from the same center for $930 for additional tests. I'm about to send it back with a note to BILL MY FREAKING INSURANCE COMPANY!

As an aside, I sent a request for my medical records to St. Luke's last week, as furiously pondering the horrendous care I received made me wonder what my records reflect. I requested ANY and ALL records. St. Luke's just called and this was the conversation:

Woman: Um, we receieved your request. Did you sign a release?

Me: Well, wouldn't it be in my file if I did? I mean, we're talking a year and half ago, I don't really remember.

Woman: What do you want?

Me: In terms of...?

Woman: Your records.

Me: So I take it you found a release form? Like I specified in the letter, I'd like all of my records.

Woman: Okay, bye.

Talk about rubbing salt in gaping wounds, there's just something so unfair about having to make calls, explain your story, just dealing with this reality in the aftermath of losing a child. I'm thinking of supergluing shut our mailbox. Surely that would help, wouldn't it?