I spend a lot of money on health care. And going by my
current status, I will be spending most of my savings on it. So, when I receive
some insurance money, it just makes me feel overjoyed!
This incidence happened with the receptionist at my physiotherapy
centre. Under my current insurance plan, I am supposed to get atleast ten physiotherapy
sessions. Given that I take more than fifty sessions a year, I try everything
to get that money. It seems that insurance companies have recently made the process
harder since, I believe, covid must have increased the number of claims.
Anyway, so this receptionist, lets call her M, was to give
me the details of all my last sessions so that I can claim them. She also had
to give me a filled-out form. I went to her three times but she kept delaying
the process. It was December, she had some end of the year work and possibly an
upcoming vacation. She kept saying that she needs me to get a doctor’s
reference for the form without which I will not get any money. I kept insisting
her to give me whatever she can give me from her side and I will see what I can
do next.
The third time that I went to her, I found her attitude
extremely rude. I was requesting and she was giving me excuses. I came home and
wrote a gentle email to the centre requesting them for the same.
I received my documents the next day, without the filled-out
form for which M demanded a ‘reference’. I anyway submitted whatever I had to
the insurance company. Oh, by the way, I have been going to this centre since
last four years without any reference!
As expected, the insurance company rejected my claim but they
did send me an email citing their reasons. I reverted to them after which they
asked for the ‘doctor’s reference’!!
I wrote another gentle email. I told them I do not visit
doctors on a regular basis (which saves them money!). I told them I have been
receiving physiotherapy ever since I remember, and I have been claiming ten sessions
every year. I attached ‘doctor’s reference’ from 20 years ago.
It has been twenty days since that email and today 142
Bahraini dinar (INR 28000) was credited to my account.
I am proud to say that I was very polite during all my
interactions. The only time I got angry was when M spoke rudely to me. It was
her job to give me what I needed and she was being a pain. However, I was very
cordial with her (more so because I have to see her face twice a week!). Maybe
she did get a mouthful from her boss after my email, but that is their problem.
This amount of money is miniscule of what I spend. But it is
about principles, kindness, ethics and doing the right thing. I am glad I won
this small battle!