I HATE HMOs

I just got off the phone with my son's pediatrician's receptionist.
The doctor we had not seen since February because our insurance was all screwed up withheld from my children, and well-child visits were postponed in favor of saving $200. Do you have any idea how hard it is to get insurance when both parents are self-employed? Oh, you don't? Well, I don't have the six hours it would take to write that post. Because I have to go to the doctor in an hour. And she is a 40 minute drive away.
So, while I was on the phone making an appointment for the child who woke up in an extremely bad mood while also tugging his ear, I mentioned that our insurance was fresh and shiny and new and we should make that well-child visit while we were both looking at calendars.
Then she said that before we got off the phone, I needed to talk to billing and give them my new information so that 'there wouldn't be any problems at the appointment, and things would go more smoothly'.
I said that the insurance card was in our mailbox about 1/4 mile away (because I am lazy and have not picked up the mail since last Thursday). She said I needed to call back with the number before my baby's appointment at 11:30.
I got just a tiny bit snippy then and suggested that she was a complete moron should not threaten that my child would not be seen by a doctor, as I had paid cash for every visit in between 10/06 and 2/07.
She then got a teensy bit pissy and sighed heavily.
"I'm just trying to follow protocol here."
(emphasis on 'trying' implies that I am an obstacle in her workday. this now gives me more pleasure than it should.)
Yeah. Whatever.
Seeya at 11:30.

(bitch)