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Weird, overcast, white-sky, silent world kind of day. It makes me want to take a nap for some reason.
Here are a few update items:
(1) Prospective job. Waiting to find out proposed salary. The person who offered the job did not know the salary b/c it is apparently an HR issue. I had a frank discussion with her about my need to cover expenses. Largely because of (a) our outrageous and grossly upside down mortgage and (b) my expensive student loans, plus other typical household expenses (not even raising the IF issue), the job has to pay enough or I simply cannot accept. She was kind and understanding is working relentlessly to "prove" to HR that I am worth a high salary.
(2) Job interview? When it rains, it pours. I received a call today from a different office, but in the same department as Prospective Job (1) above. You know, when you are looking for a job, you apply everywhere. The woman invited me to interview next week for a job in this other office. Uh, ok. I made the interview appointment, but it feels a little weird. Obviously (1) and (2) are not aware of each other. I did not know what to say. I have not accepted or declined the other position yet, so I thought it was okay to make the interview appointment. Should I have handled this differently?
(3) Insurance. I sent my receipts from the outside monitoring clinic together with a claim form to the very nice insurance representative whom I spoke with last week. She let me know my paperwork is in the queue. In 30 days or so I should know whether I'll get some of the money for U/S's and b/w reimbursed.
(4) FET. In 4 weeks we should be heading to the Clinic for my FET. Ha! I know better than to count those chickens yet, though. Four weeks of every little detail playing out perfectly so that we can drive to the Clinic for the FET....that's what I meant to say.
(5) Clinic. Speaking of my primary Clinic, I'm a little irked with them at the moment too (always a fight....everything always has to be a fight). They require payment in full upon starting stim meds. Ok. So last month they charged approximately $6,300 to my credit card for the FET. The week after the FET was cancelled, I called to ask whether they had credited the funds (minus their $750 fee for services rendered) to my credit card. Here was the conversation:
Financial Person: Oh, are you not going to do another cycle?
Me: Yes, we are, right away.
Her: Well, then either we can refund the money, minus our fee, or we can just leave the money on the books which will be applied to your next cycle.
Me: I prefer to have the funds credited to my credit card, thank you.
Her: [sounding not happy about my election] Ok. I have to get it approved by my manager first. He'll be in the office tomorrow.
Me: Great. Thank you.
Why is she so bent out of shape that I want my $5,600 refunded to me? IT'S MY MONEY. Hello? Yeah, it will be YOUR money again later in the month, but if you had refunded it to me immediately, it would not have already shown up on my credit card bill, and could remain in my bank account whereupon I collect interest. She can't guarantee this cycle won't be cancelled either. Just how long does she think I want my $5,600 posted on their books?
That conversation was a week ago. I emailed her again today to ask about my refund. She responded saying she will check with the office manager when he gets in today. What is the problem????? I'm a little ticked about it. I'm really sorry if this charge on/charge off creates burdensome office work, but paying up front is their rule. I would suggest charging the $750 the day I start the stims and then charge me the rest the day I walk out of the Clinic after my FET. Why would that be so difficult? It would seem to make more sense. But, hey, I'm just playing by their rules.
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Mike got a job and other updates
4 years ago
Posts
2 comments:
HA! Finally something I know a real answer for. I recently got laid off, before that, I worked for a finance company who did small scale transaction processing for stores, clinics, wherever credit cards are used. whenever places run a sale on your card, they pay their processing bank a %age of your sale. It means they are able to attract more customers than clinics that only take cash, but also means they are out that 2-10% of the sale (depends on their volume of transactions, contracts, whatever). When you get a refund, Visa, Mastercard, all the big card guys, have written it into their promise to you, that businesses will owe you what you dont use, and youre entitled to that full refund. They cannot charge you a fee for using your credit card, and they cannot withhold a part or all of your return, especially if your goods havent been rendered (for instance if your eggs are still in the fridge, like now). The federal government designed these guidelines, and visa, MC, amex, discover, all those good buddies like them because it makes them the good guys. The clinic hates it, and wants to keep the money because (especially if they process the return incorrectly, which most small businesses do) they dont usually get thier full amount back, they lose that 5% or whatever. Some contracts allow them to get it back, but usually its the banks day to do a happy dance. If they try to tell you that you have to pay a penalty, for real, e-mail me because I can tell you exactly what codes theyre violating from whatever credit card you used and they cant do that to you. wow. longwinded.
1. i used to work for bank of america in the credit card division and alex p's assessment is 100% correct. they are trying to hold onto that 2% (or whatever %). asshats.
2. i don't like your clinic. they are real asshats about money.
xoxo
~jd
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