Dear So and So

[withm]

Just heard from my insurance company about how much the dog bites is going to cost me....worse than I feared. Sigh....

Going to go ride some of this stress off on my bike. I could almost purchase another bike for what this will cost me, so am VERY glad I already have the mountain bike

OMG! Is your health insurance really denying your claim for emergency room treatment???? On what grounds? How much money are you going to have to pay for this? I'd call the insurance company and go to a higher-up person to explain the circumstances of the accident and make them re-evaluate the claim.

Then after they pay, I'd negotiate with the provider for any balance due, but they may be convinced to accept whatever the insurance covers. If your insurance is really bailing on you, you need to find a different insurance plan.

Everything is negotiable. Even if you went "out of plan" for your treatment, you can almost always negotiate the bill somewhat, and then work out a payment plan. I wouldn't be selling any bikes just yet - you'll never get back what you paid, and it will cost even more to replace later. You can probably work out a plan to pay the hospital/doctor/radiology etc at $50/month (or less) if you have to.

[indysteel]

Catrin, don't give up hope--and your LHT just yet. The whole situation really sucks, but as others have said, try to get the providers to work with you on lowering the bill and working out a payment plan. Hang in there!

[OakLeaf]

This is a stretch, I know, but what about applying for crime victim's compensation? I'm just browsing the Indiana code. It's a stretch from my reading of the statutes - it's only available for victims of felonies and class A misdemeanors, and dog at large is a class A misdemeanor only if the bite resulted in "serious bodily injury" to you, which seems to mean "extreme pain" or "serious permanent disfigurement." Still, it might be worth putting an application in, or at least talking to an attorney who knows something about it.

[indysteel]

This is a stretch, I know, but what about applying for crime victim's compensation? I'm just browsing the Indiana code. It's a stretch from my reading of the statutes - it's only available for victims of felonies and class A misdemeanors, and dog at large is a class A misdemeanor only if the bite resulted in "serious bodily injury" to you, which seems to mean "extreme pain" or "serious permanent disfigurement." Still, it might be worth putting an application in, or at least talking to an attorney who knows something about it.

Interesting idea, Oak. The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute manages the compensation fund. Here's a link to their website and some additional information:

http://www.in.gov/cji/2348.htm

I would note that "serious bodily injury" is defined by the Indiana Criminal Code as “bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death or that causes: (1) serious permanent disfigurement; (2) unconsciousness; (3) extreme pain; (4) permanent or protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member or organ; or (5) loss of a fetus.” I'd have to dig around a bit more in the case law to see if the courts have offered any guidance as to what "extreme pain" means.

It seems to me that there's no harm in filing an application for compensation. It seems to me that you don't have anything to lose. If I remember correctly, you did file a report with the police. Did you happen to take any photos of your bites?

[Catrin]

My insurance didn't deny the coverage, I have to pay 20% of the bill and a $500 deductible... It works out to my owing close to 35%, rather than the 20% that I was expecting. Yeah it su*ks but is better than no insurance at all...

My auto insurance won't cover it since no cars were involved at all. I just spoke with them. My next step will be to call my rental insurance company when I get home from work. I agree that I likely wouldn't get enough out of my bike to make it worthwhile - and I put a LOT of money in my LHT to make it rideable for me.

I DID, finally, think to take a picture of the bites a few days to a week after it happened. It wasn't pretty even then...I will follow up on Oakleaf and Indysteelas well. I did, after all, file a police report.

Thanks for the encouragement! I am less depressed today, last nigh I couldn't even sleep because of this. I wish my hoo-haaa would finish healing from the fall so I could ride tonight for the stress relief but will go to my club and toss weights around instead Perhaps tomorrow night!

[tulip]

Catrin, that sucks!

Dear master's program and financial aid system--
Your whole intent is to leave me broke, isn't it? $12,000 a year, not including books and living expenses. I don't have that kind of money. Unfortunately, my parents were far too conscientious about saving money for my education. So it's not like I have no money...meaning I get no financial aid apart from federal loans, and will graduate with a master's degree, no money, no real job prospects, and in debt. (I wonder what would happen if I blew all my savings on a car...)

For my end goals, this is probably the best thing to do. It's not the smart thing to do.

Owlie, can you go to an in-state school? It's very much worth it to not end up in debt after graduation. In the end, it doesn't so much matter where you went to school as much as it matters what you can do for your employer.

Also, they cannot count your parent's income since you are an independent student (all grad students are considered independent from parents for financial aid purposes. At least that's how it worked when I was a financial aid counselor at a large university).

[tulip]

Catrin, arguing with insurance companies and hospitals is no fun, but it really is worth it. I find that if I put myself in the position of advocating for someone else (i.e., pretend I'm calling for someone else--like it's my job), I can stand up for my "client" (moi) a whole lot better than if it's just little ole me. Might work for you, too.

At the very least, whatever you owe the hospital, you should be able to work out a payment plan that will work with your finances. $100 a month or whatever--better than losing money on your bike, not to mention losing your bike.

[Owlie]

Tulip, this is a state school, and I count as an in-state student. It's not even a big state school. Ohio has expensive public universities compared to some. I looked at California students' outrage over tuition increases and went "Huh? Even with the increase, that's less than OSU's!" (Granted, Ohio is much cheaper than California to live in...)

I'm filing my FAFSA anyway, but the money in question is in my name, not my parents'. (Well, one is joint, which is where it gets weird.) This was not my first choice of plans (thanks, federal grant situation!), so while it may put me in a better place when it comes to PhD admissions--they like academics--the fact of the matter is that in the long run, it's probably not a good idea. And frankly, I'm not even sure at this point that the PhD is worth it. Not enough jobs.

I should have been an engineer. (ha!)

[indysteel]

Owlie, I know you've probably mentioned this in past thread, but what do you intend to study and what's your intended career path?

[Owlie]

Owlie, I know you've probably mentioned this in past thread, but what do you intend to study and what's your intended career path?

Toxicology or pharmacology and toxicology. As for my intended career path, that's all sort of up in the air at the moment. Academia isn't a great option because academic jobs, especially tenure-track ones, are so scarce. Industry...I could go into the food or consumer products (toothpaste, cosmetics) industry, as much as I don't like the idea. Pharmaceuticals, while probably more suited to my interests, isn't in a good place because there's nothing in the pipeline at the moment. And the only other places I can think of that would hire me are the EPA, FDA or NIH, and that's not an option for the next couple years, at the very least.

[tulip]

I have a friend who got her bachelors in toxicology and works in the state medical examiner's office doing forensic toxicology. Paid very well and she loves it. She's been doing to since waaaay before CSI, Bones, and the like. No graduate school needed in her case (but I have no idea about the particulars and job advancement opportunities).

[Becky]

Don't forget state environmental agencies. I can think of at least one that would kill for a toxicologist or two.

[Owlie]

Dear certain part of Dayton, OH--
Wow, you suck. You seem to have one grocery store, no sidewalks (next to a college campus!), the only things to eat come from Wendy's or Taco Hell, and there's no bike shop. Go more than a mile away from campus and there's convenience stores selling live bait? The Starbucks is a mile away from the campus? What sort of place is this? And you mean I have to live there for two years? *cringes*

[bmccasland]

Dear certain part of Dayton, OH--
Wow, you suck. You seem to have one grocery store, no sidewalks (next to a college campus!), the only things to eat come from Wendy's or Taco Hell, and there's no bike shop. Go more than a mile away from campus and there's convenience stores selling live bait? The Starbucks is a mile away from the campus? What sort of place is this? And you mean I have to live there for two years? *cringes*

Owlie - welcome to the real world. And there are more rural places! Or places where they remember 40 years ago (older than you) when the economy was good. I've lived in some of them. Get yourself a stove top Italian espresso pot and you'll survive. Some of the best espresso I ever had was made in one of those pots at my neighbor's house on a fish hatchery, at the end of 9 miles of dirt road, 17 miles from "town".

[Owlie]

Owlie - welcome to the real world. And there are more rural places! Or places where they remember 40 years ago (older than you) when the economy was good. I've lived in some of them. Get yourself a stove top Italian espresso pot and you'll survive. Some of the best espresso I ever had was made in one of those pots at my neighbor's house on a fish hatchery, at the end of 9 miles of dirt road, 17 miles from "town".

Cleveland has spoiled me. And I never thought I'd say that. Everything I needed on a daily basis (bank, mini post office for stamps, small LBS, two grocery store, 3.5 Starbucks and an independent coffeeshop, restaurants galore) within walking distance (~1.5 miles) and everything else (Target, Wal-mart, Whole Foods, yarn shop, more restaurants) was a short bus trip. I hate driving, so this is...culture shock, to say the least.
You'd think there would be more surrounding a university. Unless it's primarily a commuter campus, I have to wonder what the heck the undergrads at this university do for fun. Drink, probably.