we're all sickos on this bus

the recent kerashes incurred by this computer has set it’s configuration and stuff back a few years and security settings and all sorts of stuff have changed, which is very frustrating since all the cookies I’ve allowed are gone and the downloads for updating Win98 and other stuff (which are no longer available) are also gone... so I am noticing a lot more ads and cookies slowing the computer down and more glitches and crashes (the way it was before I set the browser security on high and selected individually sites that could talk to my computer)...

sucks, really...

for most of the evening I couldn’t log into blogger and learned that allowing blogger.com to put a cookie on the machine is not enough, the specific https:// login site must be added as allowed... the real pain will be when I try to access my utility and credit card accounts online again and find hours must be spent trying to get back to where I was before the crash... the computer is also making registry changes every time it boots up, trying to get the default settings back... and the home page in the internet options is grayed out so I can’t change it... all in all, the computer is a slower than ever mess because all the tweaks I’ve done to speed it up over the past two years are gone...

sucks, really...

so having nothing better to do than grumble about the unfairness of poverty in our capitalistic greed-driven me me me culture, I decided to to get serious and stir up controversy (as if I have such powers and abilities) after noticing Michael Moore has a blog on myspace... yes, I wrote a comment/letter to Michael Moore tonight after reading his latest blog entry at myspace about his new film Sicko because it relates to my recent experiences in this life in RealTime™... never let it be said that myspace is just an egocentric social scene for empty-headed drama queens (or that that this blog is completely narcissistic and mundane details, aye)?... boingboing and daily kos, eat your heart out (wait, I’m supposed to be serious... nevermind)...

Dear Michael Moore,

Due to a buyout of the facility in which I work, my health insurance changed to a BCBS company and though I've now been insured by BCBS for almost a year, I am still receiving "This is not a bill" letters telling me I owe my provider for services "pending review of pre-existing conditions."

This would be for bills submitted by doctors and for lab tests ordered as a direct result of office visits, tests clearly included in the BCBS coverage according to their policy.

While "This is not a bill" is stamped on the page, the letters give the appearance of an itemized bill and clearly state "Amount you owe your provider" with a dollar amount. The pressure to pay the provider is apparent and less informed consumers probably fall for the method used in the BCBS statement.

I wonder if it is possible that, when changing an insurance company, suddenly the new insurance company can put the costs of health care on the individual because all health conditions suddenly become pre-existing to the new insurance company.

Can health insurance payments for ongoing treatments suddenly be denied simply because a person changes jobs or a company changes insurance companies?

If this is the case, it seems it would be in the insurance companies interest to encourage corporations and individuals to shop for health care and change companies regularly, therein giving insurance companies reason to deny claims and corporations lower insurance costs. In the end, the individual loses coverage and must pay for on-going medical care.

Those without the means simply stop receiving care or medication and die?

As with any business that becomes this big (noting the recent ATT moves to reinstate the Ma Bell monopolies of the 70s and prior decades), it is confusing for consumers to understand the legal loopholes and technicalities woven into service contracts. The business is naturally looking for ways to cut costs and increase revenue because that is the nature of business.

Consumers need advocates like you to distill and clarify information and contracts drawn up by clever high-priced lawyers that, like it or not, must take an adversarial position with consumers in our current culture.

Thank you for your dedication to investigating and providing the information we, the people, need to protect us from existing and potential usury and abuse in this adversarial relationship.

Ric

watch out, I could be heading for another bout of civic duty like I almost did back in the days when webbot was speaking out in newsgroups and online forums... ah, the old newsbee days, who knew me when... somehow I don’t think I’m heading there again anytime soon, but one never knows where my mind might wander next...

speaking of wandering, if you've just wandered in here recently, I've kind of introduced my current readers in a comment response to the previous blog... maybe I should have included it as a blog entry, but I wouldn't want to be accused of rambling on too much, ya know?... if you are not amused, you probably are not one of my current readers, so nevermind...

meanwhile, in the daily life, I interviewed for the PI position today and I think it went well, but the two interviewers are the two most unpredictable people in the facility so I’ll wait and see what happens... no formal offer yet, so no salary discussion... Precious is healing and the show must go on (she’s been doing lights for a local production of All Shook Up the past two weeks... Raspy and I plan on going to see it tomorrow night)... I called the phone company back and gave them more grief because the manager who promised to call me back didn’t... he apologized and gave me some credit on the current bill and 100 free text messages a month for the remainder of my contract (until October 2008)... all in all, another fine day in this life as I know it... not spectacular, but fine :)

hope you are enjoying yours too :)