SO FRUSTRATED!!

I really, really, really hate the healthcare system in this country. Why is it that we pay a boatload in premiums each month, yet we still end up owing money for every routine or non-routine visit the kids have??? When Parker had his hernia surgery, the doctor told us that it was necessary for him to spend the night in the hospital afterwards. Since he was only 2 months old, they needed to monitor him to make sure that he handled the anesthesia okay. Of course, when we got the bill, we learned that insurance wouldn't cover his overnight stay. Why you ask? Because a hernia is classified as a outpatient surgery. But wait, I said to the insurance company, his doctor told us that it was absolutely necessary that he stay overnight. Oh, please, we can't just go by what the doctor says is right for the child, can we? So, we got stuck with thousands of dollars of costs from his surgery. When we have full insurance. When the hospital had discussed the surgery with our insurance company beforehand. Still mad about that.

Next, I learned that our insurance will not cover the standard "developmental testing" that our pediatrician gives to each boy at their annual check-up. It's pretty much just a discussion they have with me where they make sure the boys are hitting milestones and developing socially. It's $80. Not covered. So, everytime I take the boys for check-ups, I have to say, "no developmental testing, please." The co-pays are enough without adding $80 a visit. Then, just today I learned (the hard way, of course, by getting the bill) that our dental insurance will only cover fluoride treatments for the boys once every calendar year. But wait, aren't they covered twice a year for check-ups? And isn't a fluoride treatment a standard protocol for a childen's dental check-up? Yep! Does this not quite add up, or is it me? So, that's another $32 we owe. And now I have to remember that, not every visit, but only the second visit of the calendar year, to tell the dentist to skip the boy's fluoride treatments. Really, I need to maintain a spreadsheet of what insurance will cover and what it won't so that I'm prepared at each visit to tell the doctor what we can't have.

Can you tell I'm frustrated?

P.S. We had a great morning today! I'll try to write more on a positive note tomorrow!