Yesterday turned into a clusterf- of computer issues. First with work. Ever since they changed where all our shared company files are and how to access them, it's not working for me. A different IT guy worked on it all afternoon, but it's still not fixed. (and he's the guy that knows what he is doing LOL). I had tried to call my mom a couple times before this, but then never got to try again in the afternoon as either I was on the phone with our IT guy or waiting for him to call back.
Just before all this started, was my lunch break and I decided to try again getting my mom's medicare advantage plan to a different plan, with the same Blue Cross/Blue Shield company. I had tried a couple weeks ago and could never get past the first page or two of the application online. I got about halfway through the application, going fine, and then it asked her her medicare #. In all her hiding of the stuff in her wallet a couple years ago the medicare card got lost, but I had a photocopy of it (she must have made the copy years ago) in her files/paperwork, so I entered that #. It wouldn't work. I thought I requested a replacement card before....get logged into her SS account and yes, I did a year ago. Where's that card? I don't even remember getting it now. I call Medicare to see if I can get her #. Nope, they don't show me authorized (even though I am registered as authorized with SS to talk to them). And the #'s changed back in 2015 away from a SS# format.
Then I decided to try to call BlueCross/BlueShield. Obviously I had given them her Medicare # back in 2020 when I signed her up. They must have it on file. They did and gave it to me. Whew. Then the IT guy called and I switched over to my work screen. By the time I got to go back to work on the insurance site, it had timed me out. Tried to restart it and the website wouldn't even open "bad gateway". So, I switched to a different browser. Ok, going along and then the IT guy calls me back, LOL. Same thing happens with this browser. I try a 3rd and get all the way to submit the application and nothing would happen. I tried to start over, same "bad gateway" with this browser now. I ended up clearing my cache and was able to get back into the website and started over and finally got the application to submit. Like 10th times the charm, I guess. I do not know how an elderly person handles all this - I was about to give up dealing with it and leave her on the same plan as she's been on. While I was logged in SS, I did request another replacement Medicare card.
Today I have some laundry to do and I need to clean out the fridge a bit and throw away some old stuff. I also need to get a few gifts ordered that dh likes to give our delivery drivers and garbage man each year at Christmas. I try to change it up so it's not the same thing every year. I haven't decided yet this year, but thinking maybe some giftbox of "gourmet cookies". I usually do something a little nicer for our UPS guy - we see him the most and dh always talks to him, plus he's always so good about texting dh to let him know he'll be to our place in a few minutes.
I have a Walmart grocery order in my cart, ready to order when dh thinks it's "ok" and "safe" to go to the city. Don't even get me started. He's really getting ridiculous and I just told him give me a good 8 hours advance notice, as I seem to need that with Walmart to reserve a pick up time for the size of our orders. Supposedly some "huge" snow storm this weekend, so we can't be out driving in it (you know - with a big truck and snow tires, on roads that will be plowed, etc). I did have to remind him that, other than the milk I got at Costco on Black Friday, we haven't gotten groceries in 3 weeks now, so ya....I'm getting a bit low. Funny how it works that way...
Hard to believe it's December already and this year only has one more month to go.
I am older and still have my wits about me, but those kind of computer problems with her insurance drive me crazy. I was told to enter a 15 number code. I did not count the letters, but entered all the letters in the code. Well, obviously I need to count letters, and there are only 13! I do it over and over and there are still only 13. So, I quit. That was six weeks ago. Yesterday, I remembered I still need to do this. Sooo, it is back to the phone to see what is wrong. I am not sure how they can give me two more numbers, but I will try.
ReplyDeleteI would be glad he was careful, but it does sound like your vehicle can handle the roads. In conditions like that, I worry about what other people will do to endanger me.
I really feel you on the computer issues but since most of my stuff isn't urgent I usually go away for 24 hours and it works for me then. I think the computer can feel my frustration, but you're right - how would your mom handle that on her own????? And after days and days of rain, where we had a lot of flooding, we finally got snow here. Not much admittedly, but first time driving on the snow (or the ice, more precisely) I'm nervous too, even though I have snow tyres!
ReplyDelete