Staying healthy can make you crazy
 

Just a little rant as we close out Medicare enrollment season and wait to see what's coming next.

A year ago, I had out-patient surgery, performed by a Villages Health specialist at The Villages Regional Hospital. Since I have the only kind of Medicare plan that Villages Health accepts, I was required to make a co-payment of 20 percent, which amounted to more than $800.

Then, the other day, nearly a year later, I got a hospital bill for an additional $350 for the same surgery-related hospital stay. Central Florida Health, the parent company for The Villages Regional Hospital, told me my Medicare plan did an audit and found they had paid the hospital too much and wanted reimbursement. So I had to give the hospital the amount they refunded. Of course, I had to call them to ask about all of this. They just send bills; not explanations.

Adding further insult, I went to the Central Florida Health website where I was informed one could arrange to pay by credit card on-line. I entered my invoice data. The system said my account number is invalid.

These people make staying alive damned confusing!