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FRACK! Frackity frack FRACK!
[.... deep sigh .........}
I know it's been awhile since I've posted things around losing Jeff last October. FWIW - it's still hard and I tend to ostrich myself. But there are times when things are just out to get you and your recovery process.
I finally got the last check sent in to the funeral home. Yes, I know - he was a vet. And yes, VA should be covering this. But there are several, teeny tiny, little bitty, super secret sub clauses on just who qualifies for death benefits. And so far as everyone I've talked with, his 'status' with VA [disability case pending, 0% awarded disability so far] and the situation surrounding his death [at home vrs in the ER, etc] means there's no qualification for payment/repayment of funeral costs.
[... another deep sigh ........}
So today brings a new twist. I just got an $800 bill from the ambulance company for the call.
Okay - I am *not* mad at the company. $800 for 20+ minutes of 3 responder ALS is entirely reasonable. What's got my Wheaties frosted is the fact that Medicare refuses to pay. Their reason? The 'presumptive' date of death is listed as 1 October. The parameds called the code on the 2 October. So Medicare is saying that since the coroner 'said' he died on the 1st, there's no way the ambulance company could have been called on the 2nd so it *must* be a fraudulent claim.
FRACK!!!!!!!
Trust me, I *DO NOT* like the lead coroner here. She strikes me as far more worried about being the 'big stud dog' in the male gene pool and much less worried about what may actually have happen. But that's my call on it. My opinion - free and worth every single cent you paid for it. Luckily the ambulance company is willing to work with me on this. But tomorrow I'm going to have to dive into the Swamp Known as Medicare and hope I can talk to a live body and get this sorted out.
But excuse me if I don't think it will be anywhere that easy.
[............... double deep sigh ................... ]
[.... deep sigh .........}
I know it's been awhile since I've posted things around losing Jeff last October. FWIW - it's still hard and I tend to ostrich myself. But there are times when things are just out to get you and your recovery process.
I finally got the last check sent in to the funeral home. Yes, I know - he was a vet. And yes, VA should be covering this. But there are several, teeny tiny, little bitty, super secret sub clauses on just who qualifies for death benefits. And so far as everyone I've talked with, his 'status' with VA [disability case pending, 0% awarded disability so far] and the situation surrounding his death [at home vrs in the ER, etc] means there's no qualification for payment/repayment of funeral costs.
[... another deep sigh ........}
So today brings a new twist. I just got an $800 bill from the ambulance company for the call.
Okay - I am *not* mad at the company. $800 for 20+ minutes of 3 responder ALS is entirely reasonable. What's got my Wheaties frosted is the fact that Medicare refuses to pay. Their reason? The 'presumptive' date of death is listed as 1 October. The parameds called the code on the 2 October. So Medicare is saying that since the coroner 'said' he died on the 1st, there's no way the ambulance company could have been called on the 2nd so it *must* be a fraudulent claim.
FRACK!!!!!!!
Trust me, I *DO NOT* like the lead coroner here. She strikes me as far more worried about being the 'big stud dog' in the male gene pool and much less worried about what may actually have happen. But that's my call on it. My opinion - free and worth every single cent you paid for it. Luckily the ambulance company is willing to work with me on this. But tomorrow I'm going to have to dive into the Swamp Known as Medicare and hope I can talk to a live body and get this sorted out.
But excuse me if I don't think it will be anywhere that easy.
[............... double deep sigh ................... ]
