It's a new record--I filed our taxes on February 1st. That is the earliest I have ever finished! I used TurboTax this year, and it was FREE, thanks to State Farm Insurance. If you're a State Farm customer, you can use this service through their website; you have to first sign in at the State Farm website and link to TurboTax Online from there. I liked the TurboTax interface, probably because I am a long time Quicken user. Importing my husband's W-2 made the process even easier. Last year I paid $16 to e-file, and this year it was FREE!
We should receive our state and federal refunds by February 15. We are getting back about $2,400 this year, combined. Yes, I know, change the withholding. We have done that, and for regular income, we are right on target. However, my husband receives a substantial bonus each year, and the taxes deducted from that income account for the majority of our refund money. Does anyone have any ideas of how to change the W-4 so they don't overwithhold for an "extra" paycheck?
Showing posts with label Insurance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Insurance. Show all posts
Monday, February 4, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Insurance Issues - Update
In a previous post, I detailed two issues I was working to resolve with our health insurance company and doctors offices. We received the $27 balance that the specialist owed us, and now that matter is completed!
The other issue didn't come out in our favor. The office manager from the optometrist's office sent me an updated bill with corrected codes, but our insurance company still denied the claim. At this point, I'm tired of going back and forth with the doctor's office, so the fee will have to be an expensive lesson to us.
From now on we will not pay doctors upfront; we will wait until our insurance company processes the claim. This is the only way that we can be certain of what we owe, and it also gives the doctors more incentive to help us with any issues that arise with the insurance company.
The other issue didn't come out in our favor. The office manager from the optometrist's office sent me an updated bill with corrected codes, but our insurance company still denied the claim. At this point, I'm tired of going back and forth with the doctor's office, so the fee will have to be an expensive lesson to us.
From now on we will not pay doctors upfront; we will wait until our insurance company processes the claim. This is the only way that we can be certain of what we owe, and it also gives the doctors more incentive to help us with any issues that arise with the insurance company.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Insurance Issues
I spent about an hour today trying to resolve a claim from my husband's visit to the eye doctor in October 2007. He went to a new doctor because the doctor we've used since the mid-90s could not find the cause of his headaches and vision issues. Because he was unsure of our insurance coverage, my husband paid the full fee of $199, and we filed the claim ourselves. The new doctor coded the visit as an annual exam instead of a problem-focused (ah, the irony) exam, and the insurance company denied the claim because my husband had already had his annual exam in 2007. Now I have a problem to focus on!
After talking to the insurance company, I called the billing manager to ask him to change the codes so that we can resubmit the claim. The billing manager told me he would speak with the doctor and call me back. Five hours later--still no call back. On Monday, I will call again because I would like to get back at least some of our money.
In addition, the eye doctor referred my husband to a specialist for another $75. On my husband's second visit there, we were overcharged by $9--it was on the bill, and my husband overlooked it. Then after the insurance company processed the claim, our part of the bill was reduced. Balance due to us--$27. I will also call this office on Monday, unless a check arrives tomorrow.
Have a great weekend!
After talking to the insurance company, I called the billing manager to ask him to change the codes so that we can resubmit the claim. The billing manager told me he would speak with the doctor and call me back. Five hours later--still no call back. On Monday, I will call again because I would like to get back at least some of our money.
In addition, the eye doctor referred my husband to a specialist for another $75. On my husband's second visit there, we were overcharged by $9--it was on the bill, and my husband overlooked it. Then after the insurance company processed the claim, our part of the bill was reduced. Balance due to us--$27. I will also call this office on Monday, unless a check arrives tomorrow.
Have a great weekend!
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