Dealing with my hubby's learning disabilities, mental illness, and VaD isn't as hard to deal with as the other stuff that happens. I've handled the bankruptcy and getting the Legal Guardianship, and the interfering relatives. I've rolled with the craziness of OTs and PTs and Social workers coming in and out, and the need to change Drs. because we do medical things as they are event driven, not just because we can. I've rolled with increasing bills--budget for gas was upped by $19 a month; and I lost my little bitty at home job ($400 a month take home gone). When the escrow evaluation on our mortgage escrow account was done in Oct. they want an added month' cushion, and because they posted last years shortage paymewnt to the priniple instead of the escrow, the shortage this year is way bigger. Can't pay it in a lump; can't afford to have it divided and added to the monthly. Sooo, I wrote and told them to cancel the escrow account, as I was told could be done. I'll do the taxes and insurance myself. They are only authorised to take the mortgage payment , effective Dec.1,2008. Made sure I mailed it in plenty of time and verified that it was received. I was even told they'd gotten it the 17th and it usually only takes 10 days to process. Checked the checking account today---They took their proposed payment including the increased escrow amount and the portion of the shortage. Of course it's Saturday and I can't call anyone until Monday. I am sooo smoked!
I know I'll handle it. We'll be okay, somehow. I told a friend that the way I keep rolling with all this junk is probablty why I'm so round.<grin> But, man am I tired of this unnecessary crap.
Anyone wanna top me? I know I'm not the only one hassling with these stupid things.
Carosi-this is kinda funny. Got a bill from the VA for Bill's meds. I pay on line and don't owe them anything. I called them and my info didn't jive with the computer menu so I got a real person. I was asked the usual verifying questions without problem until I was asked what branch of military service. I answered army and was told their records said air force which was wrong. What do I need to do. Bring a copy of his discharge to a facility far from home to clear it all up. My reply-no way Jose. The young man I was speaking to quietly said there is another way-next time I am asked to say he was in the air force. I can live with that. If you can't fight them join them.
When DH died, I wanted to cancel his HMO, wrote & told them, sent death certificate, but they cancelled BOTH of us. Tried to re-instate mine, pmt comes from my checking acct, but was told I had all sorts of hoops to jump thru & I just asked the bank to call HMO. Well, the line at the bank only takes incoming calls, they can't call out, so they can't call the HMO! Asked the HMO to call the bank, but they couldn't because my insurance was cancelled. Long story short -- months-- to get it straight because the bank & HMO couldn't talk to each other! I didn't do anything wrong!!!! Yes, it is all the other stuff--like just making a simple phone call. Oh, is there such a thing as a simple phone call anymore!
No Betty-there is no such thing as a simple phone call anymore. When I needed help from Bill psychiatrist it was easier for me to drive to the office than to deal with their phone menu-and I think I'm sane (or was then anyway). When I was still working it was sometimes easier to drive to the next town to get doctors' orders signed.
Bettyhere's problem reminds me of a problem one of my patients had. His wife was collecting social security on his number. When she died, the feds, in their ultimate wisdom, cancelled his social security as well. This was his only source of income. When he came in for his usual medical visit and I found out about this problem, I immediately called the office of our representative in DC (it happened to be Bill Cohen) and told them I wanted this problem solved IMMEDIATELY. They responded and he got his checks, including back payment.
I don't know if your representative can help, but in Betty's situation I would go directly to the president of the bank and demand that the bank and insurance company talk to each other. I would be helped in that I deal with a small-town bank where I know personally most of the officers.
Actually, I once wrote the Pres of another bank because the teller had been rude & nasty (treated me like a silly old woman--had no idea I'd been working & had much more experience than he did since before he was born), and, of course, I was right in this case. Got a letter back from the Pres & actually some money! and was treated like a queen every time I went in the bank from then on. Don't know if the twit was fired, but he got a much needed lesson about dealing with the public--and none too soon.
Another time I bought a fancy microwave oven that made outrageous noise. The store & manufacturer rep wouldn't respond. I'm in CA & I called the Pres of the mfg in NJ, said, 'Listen to this' held the phone up to the microwave and within days I had a new replacement. I could tell you stories about an aunt who was a real firecracker about such things, I'm a pussycat compared to her. She was a good example to follow--no one tread on her.
A fellow I worked with told this story about his 90+ year old grandmother who was as sharp as a tack. She lived alone and when she received her electric bill, it was way out of line. She called the utility company and got the menu deal and when she finally got ahold of a live body, she was 'put down.'
So, she called a cab, went to the electric company, and demanded to see the president. Well, to shut her up, he came out and looked at her bill. It was definitely in error. He had it fixed immediately, took her to lunch and called a cab and took her home.
In the meantime, her family couldn't get ahold of her, she wasn't home, didn't answer the phone, etc. They put out an APB on her--police, radio, tv, neighbors. Everyone was really surprised to see the president of the electric company bringing her home in a cab. He told her to call him personally if she ever had any more problems with her bill. And, she never did.
Funny story. Her grandson was just shaking his head. He said she was a real 'pistol' and no one in the family messed wit her.
I was the person who dealt with letters to the president of our mortgage servicing company. The FIRST thing I did was write the person a letter telling them that I was investigating their complaint and that I would write back to them in 2 weeks or less and made sure they had my name and phone number. It was always less than two weeks.
If they had a case, and in almost all cases they did have something to complain about, I told them what I had found, what I was going to do to make them whole, and what I was going to do to make sure that NO ONE ELSE ever had the same problem.
And THAT is what you are supposed to do with that kind of complaint. When I started doing that job I was one of the Executive Secretaries. Later I was an Assistant VP and Office Manager. But basically, when I was done with the complaint I generally got either a phone call or a letter thanking me for taking care of them.
On a couple of occasions the person making the complaint did not have a reason to complain. In one case they were a month behind on their bill because one of their checks (18 months earlier) had never gotten to us or cashed and they knew it. Made them mad as hell that we knew it too and even knew which month was missing, and their bank agreed with us about the check never being cashed. And in another the person who complained that the Customer Service manager had not called him back had fought with another manager on the phone the same day and then left an obscene message, with no contact information on the Customer Service manager's voice mail. She couldn't call him back because she had no idea who had left the message.