The first win of 2022

 

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!