FINAL NOTICE

Dear Logic,
Where have you gone? Why is it now that you seem to elude everyone? Now, I am not sure if you are directly linked to common sense, but in my mind I believe you are both gone - but not forgotten.
Love,
Sara


As part of my degree I am told to be aware of my personal faults and areas on which I need to improve. I realize that I may not be the most logical person and that some people are just not blessed with common sense; however, I truly think that being in the age of computers and technology logic has just been lost. I understand that computers may make our life easier and allow for more work to be done by fewer workers; however, the computer does not notice anything other than what you tell it to. Computer programmers are smart - at least to me - they do something I could never do nor have I ever wanted to do, but still, there is something missing.

What brings all this about are Trenton's bills. It is now more apparent to me that computers are faulty in some matters. The Ellis Family proudly (ha!) owes 1 hospital, 4 payments, directed to 3 different locations. Logical? probably to them, but to me and my checkbook - nope. I understand that every institution has a way of doing billing, but really do we have to waste resources by mailing me NO bills, but expecting payments to an unknown address?!? In fact, when I called this morning and spoke to one of the places they said, we mail bills, but you are required to make your payments regardless. Really? Has our world come to that - i didn't receive the bill, so it must be paid off? I guess so, it is like customers who call and are curious how their account became negative. Typically, it is because you spent more money than you had. Returning to medical bills, why do I have the largest payment to the place I owe the least? Are the anesthesiologist in a much higher need for money? I appreciate all that has been done for Trenton and how blessed we have been to be in an area with such great medical care, but why can I not just owe one big sum to one place with one payment? The doctors are amazing, but insurance and medical billing is not an easy thing to master.

Maybe it is becuase it doesn't hurt as much to write the check when it is broken down. I tend to not cry as much when the check amount has only 2 digits as opposed to 3 or 4. Still, I digress from my other BIG frustration.

Yesterday I went home and checked the mail only to find a bill from MCG. Well, I was expect one every day, so this was no surprise - until I opened it. FINAL NOTICE was written across the top. HMMM...final notice for something I have been paying? But wait, this one is in Wes's name. So, I read on. We are severely delinquent and they are threatening collections. I laugh now because I have straightened it all out, but here is the deal. They mailed us one bill in July to the wrong address. I never received the bill, so I never called, nothing. I don't know that I owe it. Everything else is in my name, but this one is not...odd. Also odd...wrong address. How is it that we go to MCG weekly (I exaggerate a little), verify our address, but one bill is sent to the wrong place?!? Fortunately our neighbor has the same name as my husband, so the postmaster guessed put the bill in their mailbox and it got to us since they are such nice people. Oddly enough it was to an address that does not exist, but somehow never made its way back to MCG.

So, either the computer system is not sophisticated enough or the employee that entered the information did not care to double check or the people who work in billing did not feel the need to check the address. I am frustrated, but I also find this humorous. What is even more ironic is the debt that was close to being "bad debt" was only $300. Now, my child has been through more procedures in his first year than any mother wants and we are making payments on what we owe, but really, do you really think the $300 will be what I skip out on? Yes, Wes and I talked about it and we have decided to just pay the large amount and not worry with that $300...worth ruining our credit for that!

My main point is that somewhere something has gone wrong. Blame it on computers? Who operates those - people. Which department deserves the blame? I have been hit with enough insurance and billing problems to last a lifetime and yesterday it just hit me where I was most exhausted and I cried. I broke down and cried because it was a lack of communication and/or a lack of caring that made me come home to a FINAL NOTICE.

I blame my generation for a lot of it. We are definitely (all, but some) a generation of 9-5. We work the hours we are told, get our paycheck, and go home. But if someone would just take an extra minute to make sure it was all correct, I would really appreciate it. It doesn't take a lot of effort to be aware...maybe it does.

Mom and Dad raised us so that we were observant of our surroundings. Maybe I am too observant? Maybe I care too much? I am trained to be aware of my surroundings and subtle cues through my graduate degree, but it doesn't take a graduate degree to make you go the extra step. It doesn't even take a degree.

So, logic/common sense I miss you. I enjoy you when I find you, but recently you seem to be missing. I am hopeful that someday you and the billing department will reunite. If not, I will keep calling and making my concerns be known.