Ah, the Medical Insurance Wait

Still no official resolution to the $19,237.00 medical insurance threat imposed on me, many weeks back. My doctor’s staff stepped in, called the surgery center, and I made a co-payment. The amount, I’m told, was the normal co-pay I’d have made if the surgery center was in-network, and it seemed reasonable. But my insurance statements still don’t show the re-billed amount, my co-payment, and a write-off.

Is the stress of this prolonged resolution creating a new medical problem? If it is, I’ve at least reached my out-of-pocket maximum, for the year.

- PJ

Hot and Cold

Last week I felt hot, as I drove home from work. No wonder, a clock on the side of a bank posted 107 degrees. The heat continued through the weekend, plus humidity. My little Tuscany looks a little scorched; its grasses, wheat-colored just days ago, seem to have taken a pinkish tint, like New Mexico soil, or perhaps sunburn.

The medical insurance threat I wrote about in my August 7 post seems to be cooling down, but I won’t rest until I know the co-payment I made this morning satisfies that bill to its final place of rest.

Yesterday, cantaloupe was six pounds for one dollar at that wonderful Latino market I wrote about in my August 17 post, last year. Two, fully chilled, sit on a shelf in my refrigerator.

- PJ

Moving forward

I’ve considered dropping out of sight for a while, since I’ve been out of ideas on how to move forward with Half Italian. That project, after all, is the purpose of this blog.

Life has been jerky, lately. There was a major family blowup. Then, I learned that the surgery center where I had my hand surgery last spring was “out of network,” leaving me with a balance to pay of $19,237.00. It’s your responsibility to check where your doctor sends you, not your doctor’s office, my helpful and supportive insurance company told me -- after the fact. Supposedly this will be resolved to my satisfaction, but I’m still waiting. The visit from the French family helped offset these things, but when life is jerky, it’s draining.

Recently, I spent an enjoyable evening with some people I’ve wanted to meet, and from that evening ideas have come, some offered, some my own.

So for now, I look for places to submit travel articles, like those I recently made to Travelers’ Tales. The research isn’t always fun, but moving forward feels good.

The chocolate cake I made yesterday was…awesome.

- PJ