Jump to content

Chalkie

Validated Members
  • Posts

    1,819
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Chalkie

  1. 1 hour ago, Vladimir said:

    I am traveling now, but under EOB I assume you mean the billing statement with the medical codes. 

    Yes, I got the EOB's and called GEHA for them to explain what the billing codes meant.

    I was told that telling me the billing codes was a violation of HIPAA and they could NOT provide me with the information!!!  Told me to go look up on the internet.

    Which I did.  It had NOTHING to do with a annual physical.  How do you contest a improper billing when GEHA will NOT tell you what you were billed for in the first place!!!

    Again, ATENA was the contractor that handled GEHA claims.  This year it is United HealthCare. 

    Life will not got better.

    My wife worked a lot of years in the medical field and a job I had required we take an annual HIPAA test. To tell you that explaining a billing code to the patient is an utter load of BS. Law also says that you have right to appeal billing decisions. If they make an internal review and you are not happy with the decision you have the right of external review. This is to take the review process out of the hands of the insurance company and place it with a (supposedly) unbiased third party. I am curious though if you are getting GEHB and are of Medicare age. If so, my understanding is the Medicare becomes primary and GEHB is secondary very much like TFL for military retirees. 

  2. 1 hour ago, Vladimir said:

    There was a Wall Street Journal article on insurance fraud by the INSURANCE COMPANIES against their customers.

    ...

    We really need a Congressional investigation into health care insurance fraud by the INSURANCE companies.

    The other angle I would like to see investigated is the targeting of people by the insurance companies that cannot speak English.

    ...

     

    This is interesting as it ties to the thread started by lappir. My cousin, a nurse, just posted a link on FB that goes along with this as well.

    Are Regulators Finally Waking Up to the Threat That Is UnitedHealth Group?

  3. 17 hours ago, Vladimir said:

    Can you quote yourself and then answer!!!

    Anyway, more information on Molina HealthCare of Washington and their business practices.  I don't understand the fine, WHY IS THIS COMPANY STILL IN BUSINESS???

    https://www.yoursourceone.com/columbia_basin/wa-fines-molina-healthcare-100-000-for-enrollment-and-billing-errors/article_b855bb32-e16e-11ee-b01d-8bd95a5974d0.html

     

    What's missing in that article is how many people are in their system. 2000 of say 200,000 is only 1%. While we could hope for 0% I think we all know that is not going to happen.

  4. I think the term "non-profit" or "not-for-profit" is misleading when it comes to health care at least. These entities absolutely make a profit, it is all in what is done with that profit. The non-profits plow their profits back into building new facilities, improving existing facilities, adding technology, etc. rather than paying out a stock dividend. But make a profit they do, and it is substantial. 

    For example, in Colorado Springs there is a city owned hospital that operated for a long time as a successful venture. Then one year some misguided people got an initiative on the ballot to force the city to sell it because, while it had operated in the black for years, it might become less successful and become a tax burden. The initiative passed but fortunately some legal folks put the brakes on it because it turned out that the original land deed and founding money required that it always remained city property, was always to be dedicated to healthcare, and had to remain non-profit. To satisfy the "let's get rid of it" folks the city leased the building(s) to the UCHealth system, a "non-profit" under the auspices of the University of Colorado. Since then UC Health has added 3 Urgent Care, 5 Primary Care, 7 Medical buildings, 1 new Hospital, and 1 stand alone Emergency Room to its portfolio. I daresay this was not all done with donations and grants.

  5. 17 hours ago, lappir said:

    I'm not saying that someone who has invested in "Health Care" is better cared for. I'm saying Administrators of various "Health Care Corporations" are more concerned about showing a profit to their "Investors" than they are about taking care of the patients.

    I think this is likely true. When I was younger it seemed that insurance was at least balanced. Patient care was good, insurance paid the providers well, and the investors made money. Today with all the consolidations in the medical industry into giant medical providers that control multiple aspects of health care under one umbrella, profit has become king.

    Just one example, I recently got an email saying that Tricare was going to start using Accredo for specialty prescriptions. I did a little digging and Accredo is a subsidiary of Express Scripts which is owned by Cigna Healthcare. Now if you look up Cigna is says - "The Cigna Group is a for-profit American multinational managed healthcare and insurance company" - and you can bet that a profit is expected at every level.

  6. 16 hours ago, Kirk W said:

    Since it is the federal banking regulators who make those rules, at present it would be acceptable as long as they can send mail to that address and you receive it. 

    And therein lies the rub, one can send mail to a PMB address and the individual will receive it, but that is not acceptable unless the bank does a deep dive into the Patriot Act. 

  7. I knew a guy that built a mountain cabin under similar circumstances. He did not want to pay the price for a well so he installed a 500 gallon cistern powered by a 12v RV water pump so he had water when power was out. He could not install a septic because some arcane rule required a well before a septic could be installed. So, he installed a 1500 gallon holding tank and had a honey wagon pump it out as needed. To fill the cistern he put a 200 gallon tank on a trailer and filled it at home before going to the cabin and then transferring it. Now, you would need to find a place to get water but I know in some places, in Texas at least, there are water delivery companies. The whole project is certainly doable. I would be more concerned that things like this were allowed in the first place and then take a look at the use of the surrounding properties to make sure someone did not NIMBY your project.

     

  8. 2 hours ago, BobDees said:

    Have any of you had a Federal Jury Duty Simmons in Bueanmont District Court? How did you handle it? Did the Court Clerk understand your situation as a member of the Escapees?

    What does being a member of Escapees have to do with it? There are only certain things that excuse you from jury duty, however, if you are not going to be in the area the best thing you can do is to contact the Juror Office and request to be excused. 

  9. 4 hours ago, Kirk W said:

    That still violates the TX regulation that say that you must show "Evidence of Texas Vehicle Registration* for each vehicle you own."

    I'm no lawyer but I suspect that really means for each vehicle you own (and regularly drive) in Texas. But it would be an interesting "what if" question to pose to Texas DMV.

  10. 18 hours ago, Kirk W said:

    So what about the retiree who has a summer home and a winter home and keeps a car at each location and proper registration of a car is where it is garaged, while driver's license properly is only in the state of domicile?

    Summer or winter, I think is the key. If, for example, Texas is your legal domicile and you spend winters in Texas, then vehicles that you keep in Texas and use in Texas need to be licensed in Texas. Your summer home is not your domicile and by implication is your vacation home, then you can keep and register a vehicle there and drive on your domicile license. This may not be true in all states though.

    For years, the cabin next door to my parents was a summer only cabin with the owner being a Missouri resident. He kept a couple of old jeeps there but had to license them in Missouri since Colorado would not let him license them there without a Colorado license. I am hazy on how the change came about but the law was changed so he could start licensing them in Colorado.

  11. 58 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

    I hear that from time to time, but I question it because our son moved to TX from WA several years ago and got his TX license right away, but didn't even bring his vehicle to TX for several months. I also have two grandchildren with TX licenses that do not own any vehicles. It has been so long since we moved to TX that I don't remember what we had to do.

    Quote

    1. U.S. Citizenship or, if you are not a U.S. Citizen, evidence of lawful presence

    2. Texas Residency

    3. Identity, and

    4, Social Security Number

    5. Evidence of Texas Vehicle Registration* for each vehicle you own. Registration must be current. Visit Texas DMV vehicle registration for more information (New Residents who are surrendering an out-of-state driver license only)

    6. Proof of Insurance* for each vehicle you own

    *If you do not own a vehicle, you will sign a statement affirming this.

    This is straight from the Texas DPS. So, if you have no vehicle, no problem, but if you do and affirm you do not, that is technically perjury. Would the state ever call you on it? Doubtful, unless maybe you got pulled over driving a car registered in another state under your name. 

  12. 1 hour ago, cowboy said:
    In any case I called the state office and the person I talked to said no no no you have to have a license or address in South Dakota to register your vehicle??

    I honestly thought this was a rule everywhere. Texas seems a little backwards to me in that you have to register a vehicle before you can get a license, and anyone can get Montana plates if you want to go through the hoops for an LLC. Otherwise any other place I have lived required that you have an address or license.

  13. 1 hour ago, Kirk W said:

    I hope that nobody believes that they have a bank that cares about them. 

    ~~~

    Publicly held corporations do not have ethics, only the profit/loss statement matters. You may find a few employees who have ethical standards and seem to care about the customers, but only profits matter to the investors.

    This is a pretty jaded outlook, although it may not be entirely inaccurate. Any company, whether public or private, really only cares about profit or loss at the end of the day. Even "non-profits" (unless generously funded by donations) have to make a profit to cover overhead. I happen to bank with the largest bank in the US and I have never found them to be uncaring, just opposite actually. I get a number of perks from them and I fully understand that they are intended to keep me happy and, more importantly, keep me as a customer.

  14. 3 hours ago, Kirk W said:

    What was your experience with Wells Fargo?

    My experience? My folks had WF accounts and when my Dad passed we wanted to close the accounts. Well, I never imagined the difficulties in doing that, nor the sheer incompetence that they showed in the process. They supposedly closed one account but somehow managed to keep a monthly fund transfer going from it. That then generated overdraft charges. They were unable to explain it adequately to my mother, who by the way was Head Teller of a bank for 25+ years and knew a bit about banking. I had her get me a POA so I could talk to them and they refused to honor the POA even though it had been drafted by an attorney, notarized, and filed with the court. That took an in-person visit from the attorney only he went to the regional office which was over the local branch we were dealing with. Anyhow, we finally got the accounts closed after several months of fighting with them. I will bad mouth WF at every opportunity I get.

  15. 2 hours ago, Kirk W said:

    They do not keep your money and federal banking regulations also require that the customer be notified before such action is taken and if there is no response that is satisfactory they then must notify you that your account is being closed. Most also address the way for you to receive your funds. Banks are very much regulated and monitored by the federal reserve.

    Wells Fargo, however, tends to skirt the law, pushing the envelope until they get caught. 

    Wells Fargo Ordered to Pay $3.7B for Array of Violations

  16. 14 hours ago, Ray,IN said:

    While on the subject, SST knives are not a good choice, it will not sharpen or hold a sharp edge nearly as well as heat-treated high-carbon steel.

    Absolutely! Our kitchen knives, while being the magnetic stainless 😁 are NSF certified, but they are terrible for keeping sharp. I am constantly having to hit them with the knife sharpener it seems.

  17. 4 hours ago, amarie1 said:

    Chalkie, thanks. I followed the link, and it appears they have two types of Zero-G, one for residential, one for RV/Marine. I can't see a difference between the two from their site. 

    Is yours an RV/Marine one?

    In case I haven't been clear, I need this for both filling the fresh tank AND (more frequently) for hooking up to city water, so it'd be under pressure for days. Yes I do have a regulator that keeps the pressure 45-60 psi.

    AM

    I got mine at Lowe's so I am thinking it must be the residential type. The only thing I can think of that might differentiate the two is that RV one is blue, otherwise they seem the same. I would not worry about keeping them under pressure as I have done that for months at a time when we are stationary. Unless the city water is really high like over 100 psi I think it would be fine.

  18. I would never use one of those pocket hoses because they are not certified for drinking water. I have used Zero G hoses now for several years. When they are drained of water they are very lightweight and flexible, and best of all, they are safe for drinking water. You can find them at Lowes and other places. Here is a link from the manufacturer: https://www.apexhose.com/lightweight-hose-zero-g/

  19. 11 hours ago, mike5511 said:

    I'm guessing a person that just did one hitch during peace time, wouldn't meet the qualifications for their definition of veteran?  EDIT: I checked it out and I'd qualify!

    A veteran is a veteran, if you served one hitch or half a dozen is all that matters. That you did one is one more than it seems most younger folk today are interested in. 

  20. 18 minutes ago, Ray,IN said:

    True SST is not magnetic.

    That is not entirely true as it depends on the type of stainless steel. For example, 430 stainless is magnetic while 304 or 316 stainless is not magnetic yet all of them are "true" stainless. My father-in-law who was a master machinist once tried  to explain the differences of all the different stainless steel compositions. I know I must have given him the deer in the headlights look. I do remember in his job he mostly used the 304 or 316 because the machinery they fabricated was used in a caustic environment and those blends had a higher resistance to corrosion. 

  21. On 1/23/2024 at 10:42 AM, Friz said:

    Which has better WiFi reception (distance), An Amazon TV or a generic TV with a Fire Stick plugged in?  Also, is there and extender that will move a Fire Stick closer to a window?  Thanks

    First, while some newer parks have better WiFi, generally speaking most RV parks probably will not support streaming which is why there is so much discussion about internet access (Starlink, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.) on the road. As far as an extender goes just get an HDMI extension cable. 

×
×
  • Create New...