The battle begins. Again!

Yesterday, I began the arduous and seemingly impossible task of collecting benefits from my cancer insurance. Less the 24 hours into the war and I am already contemplating admitting defeat and slipping away into the void.

I thought, innocently enough, that I would try the online process. I even watched the tutorials they posted on their website. My god, it looked easy as pie. And they say they will pay within one business day and deposit directly to my bank account. I was heady with confidence and excitement. I plunged into the course with glee and self-assurance. I knew this time was going to be different, I wasn’t going to deal with the frustrations and disappointments that I encountered last time around.

The claim started with some simple questions: a true/false portion and a multiple guess portion. The true/false part was fairly straight forward, and I’m pretty sure I aced it! Lordy, was I feeling buoyed. I was damn near cocky. The multiple choice portion was a little more daunting. For a number of the questions, there was no answer that fit my circumstances. I began to lose my poise, but I pressed forward. I answered as close to the facts as I could. But I knew this wasn’t going well.

I then began to scan the 22 pages of documentation to attach to the online submission. At page 12 my scanner died. This is the same printer/copier/scanner/fax machine that had already decided not to print or copy. This is the machine that is now in the back of my car awaiting a trip to the recycling station.

As much as I try, as many facts and realities as I distort, the demise of my scanner is not the insurance company’s fault. It is just a tragic coincidence.

I have two critical messages from the insurance company in my in-box this morning. They are so critical and vital that I don’t know how to open them. I remember this from last time: there is some trick you need to know, but I don’t remember what it is. It may include sacrificial goats. I do recall that last time, after repeated efforts to get it right, I finally gave up before it was accurate.

Supreme Being, give me strength and courage to navigate the seeming impossible web of an insurance claim. I need divine intervention.