Sometimes it feels like BEING BLACK IS A TREND because everyone’s APPRECIATING our FEATURES now. But it’s FRUSTRATING because we’ve ALWAYS BEEN BEAUTIFUL.
Positively Purging-I welcome your feedbacks in the comments and your likes and passing the real life wisdom on to others as I embark on this new venture of “positively purging“, as I know each of these pieces represents something…
Amid COVID-19, supply chain issues and the labor shortage, prices of everything from housing to groceries have been rising in Seattle over the last few years.
But with inflation now at a 40-year high. How has inflation affected you and your household’s eating habits in everything from grocery shopping to cooking and dining out?
Positively Purging-I welcome your feedbacks in the comments and your likes and passing the real life wisdom on to others as I embark on this new venture of “positively purging“, as I know each of these pieces represents something…
Finding yourself repeatedly needing to buy items like vitamins, skincare, paper towels, and cleaning products, she knew there had to be an easier way.
“You can get on a subscription basis for anything now, so set these recurring purchases up and check it off your list for good,” she says. Other items to add automate: laundry detergent, cat litter, skincare products, toilet paper, or all of the above.
The headache: You don’t have the time you suspect it will take to untangle the thorny billing issue you are facing.
Who can help: A patient advocate.
The solution: You share your information with a medical billing advocate and they take over, researching options for reducing your bill and doing much of the legwork. Some nonprofits offer this service for free; there are also for-profit advocates, such as those listed in the AdvoConnection Directory. Some corporate benefits packages include access to companies like Wellthy, which offers patient advocacy services
The headache: You opted to pay for a procedure out of pocket—but it turned out to cost way more than you were told.
Who can help: A government arbitrator.
The solution: Under the No Surprises Act, which took effect at the beginning of 2022, if you pay out of pocket for a service, you should be given a good-faith estimate of its cost in advance. If the bill comes in more than $400 above that estimate, you can submit a claim to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (see how at cms.gov/nosurprises/consumers), and an arbitrator will determine what’s fair.
The headache: The bill is correct, but more than you can afford right now.
Who can help: The hospital billing department.
The solution: You’ve got options depending on how out of reach the expenses are. Some hospitals offer a “prompt pay” discount: If you can put the whole thing on your credit card on the spot, they might knock off up to 10 percent. And if you have a deeper need, most hospitals offer payment plans or financial aid for patients under a certain income threshold. Application details should be on its website.
I owned a small laundromat called “The Laundromat” on Fire Island. Carol walked in with musty sheets and towels from her share house. I quoted her $48.50 (this was in 1976). “I’m from the Bronx,” she said. “I don’t pay $48.50 for laundry. I’m going to the other place.” She left in a huff, returning only an hour later, all disheveled, hot and annoyed. “There is no other place,” she said. “I know,” I replied, “but I couldn’t tell you because I know you wouldn’t have believed me.” And that’s how I met my dear wife of 43 years. — Rick Kushner
