Practice in frustration

Am running late as I went down to the local Fantasic Sam's
Got my finger put in the light socket, so now the hair is curled.
Figure this one should last long enough until August when I
plan on having my hair cut for Lock of Love.

Yesterday was a practice of frustration.
First part of Feb. one of our household
went into the ER and then ICU and then
after release came back for two days of testing.
I can not say enough of how well we were treated.
The staff was excellent.
But their bookkeeping is the pits.

End of Feb. we got the standard bill with
the stamp on it saying this is not a bill, we
are contacting your insurance company.

March, we got a bill. Listing two different codes.
Which is standard, and understandable.
With the two different codes they had a list
of services and the deductions of the insurance
payments. Each code had our share of the bill
listed at the end of the code area. And then
neatly at the bottom is the combo of both
code's and what we owed. We had just got
our state income tax refund (the Lord giveth
and the Lord taketh away), so we paid it in full.
Thinking that the hospital and insurance company
and settled all of the bill. WRONG!!.

3 days later we got another bill just like the one
before except it only had one of the codes on it.
With the same amounts. So I called and asked them
what was going on. The nice lady on the other end
explain, that the second one was suppose to be sent
out first but got crossed in the mail with the first one.
Are you still with me here? So I told her, then (and she
explain to me about the two codes) we are even, right?
We owe 0..right? She said yes.

Jumping forward to April, another bill comes in and looking
like the first one. With a sum owing of $48.88. I get out the
First bill and it looks the same. So I called. After 5 minutes
of conversation sounding like Abbot and Costello's Who's
on First..... she says I should come down and talk to the
other bookkeeper. That she is busy right now, so can't come
to the phone. So I gather up all my bills, I compare all of them
line for line. The new one is almost exactly like the first one.
BUT, in the middle of all these is a new charge. Two of them
actually. I am confused as why weren't these on the first
bill that I paid. The dates are within the first billing. But I
gather them and go down to see the other bookkeeper.

When I arrive, the one on the phone with me before, says
I told you she was with a client for you not to come down
right away. I told her she had told me about the client, but
she didn't say not to come down. The long and short of it
was that the extra charges were the reason why the new
amount. And while I hated that... and the answer to why
they didn't have it on the first one (it just happen that way)
What really got my blood boiling was to be inform, there
was more to come. Why? Seems they are waiting to see
what the insurance was going to pay for the ER part.
EXCUSE ME? That is not on this bill? Why not, it was the
first part of the visit. And they said.....because that is a
different code and the insurance had not addressed that
part yet! What the heck, do the insurance assign a different
person to each code? And if one of their personal is slow, I
get the bill as it comes? I felt like I was getting the old
pea and shell game. Frustrations...of life.
They said they were sorry, as I was leaving. I looked
at them and said, I am still smiling... but I don't know if it
was smiling or gritting my teeth.