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The Uncanny Valley of Customer Service
Feb. 24th, 2011 01:39 pmI had one of the most bizarre health insurance customer service interactions I've ever been a part of yesterday. I was calling to find out what, if any, pre-natal classes are covered by my health insurance or are considered eligible to be paid with our FSA/HRA. Allina Hospital offers a dozen of them: baby CPR, baby sign language, preparing for labor, all about babies, etc. The insurance website had Lamaze classes listed as covered, but it wasn't clear about childbirth classes in general. So I call in and I talk to this lady, and it's like I'm actually talking to an automated system that's looking at the same sheet I am and doesn't have any independent judgment.
"So are general childbirth classes covered?"
"We judge by whether it is considered a medical necessity."
"Right. So is it considered a medical necessity?"
"We judge by whether it is considered a medical necessity."
"I'm looking at the list on the website--"
"That is the same list that I am looking at."
"So you can't answer my question?"
"No. Just that we judge by whether it is considered a medical necessity."
Commence banging of head. In the end, I think it comes out to childbirth classes might be, but childcare classes aren't. I'm still taking the "All About Babies" class. I last babysat babies when I was a teenager, and that was a long time ago. I mean, I know that you don't shake 'em, don't drop 'em, don't let their heads hang loose, and don't put 'em to sleep on their stomachs, but there's gotta be more to it, right?
I also started looking into refinancing under the HARP program (thanks for the recommendation, Laura!). A lower interest rate and smaller monthly payment would be good soon. Looks like we're eligible, and they've got free federal counselors to walk us through all the options and responses, so that goes on my to-do list.
Mostly, I spent yesterday writing. Given how annoyingly bureaucrat-infested the other things I dealt with were, I'm glad of it.
2/23/11, Wednesday
Circus of Brass and Bone Writing Log
Total
Episode 10
New words: 1,091
Total words: 59,138
Overused word: street
Gratuitous word: fly-bit
Type of scene: The city as it is.
Challenge(s): Balancing dialog and description. I've got a lot of explanatory dialog here. Hrm.
Which line is it anyways?A light dusting of snow gilded the wrought iron balconies and fire escapes.
Researched: Mostly I used the research I'd already done.
Notes: I didn't realize I was that close to my preferred episode length (5,000 words = 30 minutes). So far, it's more of a Point A to Point B, with interesting setting details. I wouldn't call it a "stuff happens" episode. Still, I could stick a hook on the end and call it done soon. Hrm. Also, I think that is a tracking thing I should keep track of.
Other writingy stuff:
* Posted freewriting and writing log.
And there was delicious and easy black bean soup for dinner. I'm trying to make something cheap with beans weekly as a cost-saving measure, but one bag of beans cooks so many--I've made beans and rice, black bean soup...and there's still beans left over.
"So are general childbirth classes covered?"
"We judge by whether it is considered a medical necessity."
"Right. So is it considered a medical necessity?"
"We judge by whether it is considered a medical necessity."
"I'm looking at the list on the website--"
"That is the same list that I am looking at."
"So you can't answer my question?"
"No. Just that we judge by whether it is considered a medical necessity."
Commence banging of head. In the end, I think it comes out to childbirth classes might be, but childcare classes aren't. I'm still taking the "All About Babies" class. I last babysat babies when I was a teenager, and that was a long time ago. I mean, I know that you don't shake 'em, don't drop 'em, don't let their heads hang loose, and don't put 'em to sleep on their stomachs, but there's gotta be more to it, right?
I also started looking into refinancing under the HARP program (thanks for the recommendation, Laura!). A lower interest rate and smaller monthly payment would be good soon. Looks like we're eligible, and they've got free federal counselors to walk us through all the options and responses, so that goes on my to-do list.
Mostly, I spent yesterday writing. Given how annoyingly bureaucrat-infested the other things I dealt with were, I'm glad of it.
2/23/11, Wednesday
Circus of Brass and Bone Writing Log
Total
Episode 10
New words: 1,091
Total words: 59,138
Overused word: street
Gratuitous word: fly-bit
Type of scene: The city as it is.
Challenge(s): Balancing dialog and description. I've got a lot of explanatory dialog here. Hrm.
Which line is it anyways?A light dusting of snow gilded the wrought iron balconies and fire escapes.
Researched: Mostly I used the research I'd already done.
Notes: I didn't realize I was that close to my preferred episode length (5,000 words = 30 minutes). So far, it's more of a Point A to Point B, with interesting setting details. I wouldn't call it a "stuff happens" episode. Still, I could stick a hook on the end and call it done soon. Hrm. Also, I think that is a tracking thing I should keep track of.
Other writingy stuff:
* Posted freewriting and writing log.
And there was delicious and easy black bean soup for dinner. I'm trying to make something cheap with beans weekly as a cost-saving measure, but one bag of beans cooks so many--I've made beans and rice, black bean soup...and there's still beans left over.
