77953319
from the “out of the frying pan into the fire” dept.
Well, tonight I have a company meeting, so I don’t have time to type much. Today was pretty fun. We’re practicing a skit to be performed at our user conference on Friday. Naturally, I get to be in it and play a whole bunch of roles. What fun. However the company meeting is tonight at 6:15, so I have to change and go. But, we get free food, which is good! Mmm…. Barbeque.
77904692
from the “provider number, please…”
Today’s gripe is directed toward the Illinois state Medicaid agency. I’m always amazed at how these poeple don’t understand the words I am speaking. Here’s an exerpt from the latest conversation.
Me: “Hi, I’d like to speak to someone regarding electronic claims.”
Him: “Which department?”
Me: “Hospice and Home Health.”
Him: “Those are two different departments, which one?”
Me: “I’m looking for help with the bills, they both bill the same format, right.”
Him: “They are two different departments, which one do you want.”
Me: “I understand they are two different departments, but they both use the same bill, right?”
Him: “You mean the 1440Q bill.”
Me: “No, I’m looking for help with an electronic claim.”
Him: “Which department?”
From here, you jump hack to the top, and continue until you are sick of reading the stuff.
So, I finally got to leave my name for someone who was in a staff meeting, which means that there is a fat chance of getting a callback, if not even having the message being forwarded to them at all. So, tomorrow, I guess I’ll have to try the provider relations people again, if I don’t get a callback. Argh…
In other news, I get to participate in a skit on Friday, which will be fun. I’m playing the part of the melodromatic narrator. I get to be silly in front of a whole group of users at our BeyondNow user conference. That will be great. I can’t wait. Until then, toodles.
77889904
from the “two is better than one” dept.
Yay! I finally got my other laptop back. Now, I’m back online with my corporate Outlook connection, and my infrared internet connection to my palm. Plus, I’m connected via Trillian to all the four major IM clients - AOL, MSN, ICQ and Yahoo. If you want my ID on any of those, just email me, and I’ll get them to you. TTFN.
77860960
from the “harder than a diamond”
Illinois medicaid has to be the most vague specification that I have seen. I can’t believe how crazy this spec is. It’s like they just assume that the reader of the spec is able to understand exactly what they want. Absolutely amazing. I’m having to take lots of time to just decode exactly what they say. No explanation - and I really can’t call them, because people who work for Mediaid agencies know close to nothing and have an IQ that matches their height. So, I’m forced to figure out what they are trying to put on paper. So, if you live in Illinois, I’m sorry if you have to deal with their Medicaid program.
Really, for the amount of taxes that we pay, you figure that the government could afford quality people. But, I guess they have to settle for other people, because they are cheaper, or maybe they are just understaffed, overworked and underpaid, much like the rest of the world is. Either way, they should still be able to answer a question, or figure out how to pick up the phone.
There is one thing that I give the Medicaid agencies an A+ for being able to do - and that is giving a person the run-around. Characteristically, they are able to reproduce that familiar “I don’t care what the heck you want, I’ll just forward you to some other peon” feel to their tone of voice. They get an A in my book for being able to effortlessly give people the runaround. 
But, really, this griping is just meant to be funny. At least I’m getting paid to do this stuff, and deal with these people. If I was having to do this as a class assignment, I don’t think it would be worth it. But, hey, I get money for dealing with these people. And, since I’m paid by the hour, it doesn’t matter if they give me the runaround. That means I get paid more for dealing with them. A nice way to look at that.
77751573
from the “mmm… Macintosh” dept.
Today, was a little bored at work, and started browsing the web. Suprise there, right. Well, my eye keeps going back to the Apple web page. Every time I see a mac, I want to buy one. Why? Because they look cool, they work well, and they have the best looking operating system that I have ever seen (not to mention that it is not windows, and it runs UNIX). Absolutely amazing. Really, if money were no object, I’d love to have one. Unfortunately, with my small and petty student’s budget, I can’t, and since I already have one computer, I’m perfectly fine with using that. I don’t need to purchase something else just for the “Wow” factor. (Although, it would be pretty darn cool.)
It’s finally Friday! Yes, that’s right, it’s the weekend, and as I mentioned before, it’s definitely time to take a nice step back and celebrate Father’s day. I can’t divulge on this website exactly what the present is, just in case my Dad is actually reading this. (Hmm… Does anybody really read these news posts, or do I just put them here for my own amusement? If you actually read these, send me an email.) But, if no one really reads these, it’s no big deal, at least it keeps me occupied, and gives me something to do. That’s about it from me right now.