Insurance Companies

Today, a representative with my insurance company followed up with me today to let me know that the $222 claim they initially denied would be re-processed and accepted.  This dispute with my insurance company marks probably the 15th or so time I have had to call and argue a claim.  

When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I had little interaction with insurance and its inner workings.  I went to the doctor now and then, mostly for sinus problems or my yearly lady check-ups.  Hard to believe, but I wasn’t always a professional sickie.  After dealing with both a hospital system that routinely messed things up for me and an insurance company that denied claims left after right, I quickly realized that having an extended illness means being your own patient advocate.

The first ridiculous claim that my insurance company denied was a CT scan of my head, which my medical oncologist ordered after I came in with my umpteenth sinus infection.  When I opened up my explanation of benefits (EOBs), I was taken aback at their reason for denial: “no referral.”  

When I contacted the insurance company, the rep said to me, “You needed a referral for this procedure from your PCP.”

“That cannot be right.  My oncologist, who I do have a referral for, ordered this test.”

“Yes, but your PCP needed to order it.”

“That cannot be right.  You’re telling me that my medical oncologist, the man responsible for eradicating my cancer, cannot order any tests for me?  That I have to go to my PCP for everything?”

“Yes.  There’s nothing I can do.”

“I don’t believe that.  Look, I have cancer, and I’m off work because of this cancer.  I have all the time in the world.  I’m not responsible for this $500.”

After two rounds with this representative, she came back and said, “Oh it was just a processing error.  We’ll re-process it.”

Sure.

This is just one anecdote out of many anecdotes.  My insurance company never processed my last round of chemotherapy, resulting in me receiving a bill from my hospital for $14,000.  When I opened that envelope, I came close to fainting.  Real close.  It took two hours and six phone calls to finally figure out what happened – that was five people who tried to pass me off to someone else.

When you are what I call a professional sickie, you suffer a lot of indignities that normally you could just shrug off when you have good health.  Feeling sick and run down because of your medication or the other side effects, it’s a challenge to have to have the same fight over and again with the insurance company.  Dealing with an insurance company has felt like a part-time job, without any benefits.  Well, I guess the benefit was that if I didn’t stay on top of my EOBs, I would have owed over $17,000, which is thousands of dollars that I don’t have.    

Moral of the story: if you think the insurance company is wrong, fight them.  Fight, fight, fight.  They really hope you don’t pay attention, so the hospital can bill you.  Pay close attention.

Cooking and Photographing

Up until my late 20s, I had little to no confidence in the kitchen.  None.  Zip.  I seriously don’t know how I fed myself all those years when I didn’t know what to do in the kitchen.  Lord, I probably ate nothing but processed foods and other god awful things for me.  

 

Until I started dating D, I didn’t know how to properly slice an onion or a tomato.  In the beginning of our relationship when we would just hang out at his apartment, he was constantly amazed at my complete lack of knowledge.   With the lack of knowledge, I also felt ashamed and stupid.  I was 28, 29 and I can’t even make a lasagna?

Ever since I bought my house and definitely after my breast cancer diagnosis, I frequently look at all the wonderful food blogs out in the Interwebz.  Whenever D asks me what I’m looking at on the Internet, my initial response is always: “porn.”

“Oh, your food blogs.  Gotcha.”

I’m in awe of the talent out there, not only in the recipe creation but the food photography.  I have come across so many blogs where I’m surprised I didn’t short-circuit my laptop from the drooling.  I have become even such a food blog addict that I’ve sent these bloggers fan mail.  I’m a food blog groupie!  

I’m still very much an amateur cook, but I have always loved taking pictures.  I’m going to continue just posting pictures of my new creations and leaving the recipes to those who know what they’re talking about.  I will say I’m having so much fun thinking of new ideas of what I can try next.

This is what this blog is about: what’s next.

Zucchini Tots from Emily Bites

I have been looking for healthy, meatless recipes to try.  I’ve been coming across so many zucchini recipes since it can be used in baked goods (mind blown) and appetizers and the like.  When I saw this recipe, I knew I had to try it. I love tots, and I will try all the tot variations that are out there.  

Zucchini Tots

Source: Emily Bites (recipe is exactly word-for-word from her blog; no adaption)

Ingredients

1 cup shredded zucchini  
¼ medium onion, chopped
1 large egg
¼ cup dry bread crumbs
1 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (I use the smallest holed side of a box grater. Alternately, if you want to use canned grated Parmesan cheese you can use ¼ cup of that.)
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1.    Preheat the oven to 400. Mist a 12 cup mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
2.    Wrap the shredded zucchini in a paper towel (or clean dish towel) and squeeze to extract any excess moisture from the zucchini.
3.    In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients until combined. Spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared mini muffin tin and press down on the filling in each cup with the back of the spoon to compact them together.
4.    Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the tops are beginning to turn golden. Run a plastic knife around the outside of each top while still in the muffin tin and they will come right out.