"Worry Never Changes the Future"

Dr. Wayne Dyer said in one of the many self-help books I read about forty years ago, "Guilt never changes the past and worry never changes the future".  I had forgotten that quote for a couple of
days.  Shame on me.

If you read the previous post, you know I was coming unglued worrying about the insurance situation, how to handle it and what would happen.  My surgery was already scheduled and I was hoping that somehow I would be there for it.

Seriously, ever since I was awakened by my brain at 1:30AM on Sunday morning, worry has been my middle name.  By this morning, after reading all of your emails and comments along with all my ruminating, I still had not made a decision how to handle the issue.  That is not like me.
Usually I make a decisive decision and go forward.

I got up at 7AM this morning ready to tackle something, somehow.  First I called the Baylor Orthopedic clinic which connected me with insurance verification.  I spoke with a very kind, efficient, woman named Michelle.  I told her the situation, gave her the information that she asked
for and I requested, well pleaded, for her to find out and call me back.  She said they usually did not handle it that way.  I told her that I had not slept for two days and she said she would get back with me.

She did.  The news was not good.  With the information that I had given her, she was told that I was no longer a customer!  Oh my.  She said I would probably have to find another insurance company and apply and try to get a new policy somewhere for supplemental insurance.  Okay...........

Then I called the bank to see what they knew, which was exactly nothing about the fact that the premium deductions had not been paid since 2016.  She said I had to talk to the insurance company.

As I dialed that number I felt like I was calling "the devil".  I'm seldom scared but I was quite stressed and a bit scared.  I told this to the young man that I reached on the phone.  His name was Tollis and we probably talked for at least 30 minutes!  First of all, I had inadvertently given to the insurance verification woman a number that is no longer used at this company as a member group number. 

It seems that in 2016, the company changed their systems and "lost the information on quite a few
customers".  I was one of them.  I was still in the system as "active".  I could not believe my ears when Tollis told me this.  You see, he took enough time while talking to me to ask me which membership card I was using. The "old ones" or the "new ones".  Since there was no issue date on either that I had, I had no idea.  Once we resolved that and I found out that the info was different then what I had provided to Michelle.  That information was what elicited the info that I was no longer an active customer.

Now Tollis reassured me that I would not have received a notice of a premium increase if I was not still an active customer.  THAT fact allowed me to pay the back premiums for all of 2017 and all the months of 2018 plus December of 2016 so I could be current.  My insurance has been reinstated
and I'm now exhaling with relief.

I can leave for Texas knowing that we can proceed with the doctor's appointment and the surgery in mid-March.  No worries.  Whew.

Thanks to each and every one of you who cared enough to comment or send me an email or called me with suggestions.  I SO appreciate each and every outreach.  It is wonderful to have such great
support.

I'm off soon for another "great adventure".  As Helen Keller said, "Life is either a great adventure or nothing at all".  Amen.