After my first OB appointment for my winter pregnancy I started to get paperwork from my insurance company about prenatal programs. I shoved it into a drawer and assumed that I would come back to it when I was ready to investigate hospitals and classes.
Two weeks after I miscarried I got more stuff in the mail from my insurance company. It was brutal.
Three weeks after I miscarried I started getting coupons and vouchers for baby related items from my insurance company.
I stuck my head in the sand on this. The idea of calling someone up and going through prompts and holds and finally finding the right person to explain that I was not going to be welcoming a bundle of joy in the Spring of 2013 seemed overwhelming. I just figured eventually the billing part of the company, the one that had dealt with my D & E would catch up to the, for lack of a better word, promotional part and the mail would fade away.
On the morning of my follow up exam with the OB I was counting down the minutes to drive to the hospital when my phone rang. It was my insurance company. They wanted to know how I was feeling. They wanted to know if I had any questions. They wanted to know if I was interested in signing up for prenatal classes.
ooof.
I explained that I was no longer pregnant.
The voice on the other end of the phone was so kind, so sweet, so thoughtful. She told me that she was sorry for my loss. She told me that she would be thinking of me. She asked if I wanted to speak to a nurse or a grief counselor. It was a hard call to have, but not because of her.
A few days later more mail arrived from my insurance company and I almost chucked it into the trash before opening it.
I am glad I did not. It was a sympathy card. Inside was a sweet and comforting message and cards to grief counselors “so I will have the number in case I suddenly need it”.
There is nothing perfect to say or hear after a miscarriage – but having an insurance company acknowledge the moment in this was was actually pretty lovely and I am thankful.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow….that is really great! Its so nice to see a “human” side to corporations. Hope you have a great day!
Wow, I am really impressed by that. Good for them.
I’m blown away by that!
wow.. that is pretty great! Wish more companies would be that way.
That makes my eyes tear up. Acknowledgement of loss that comes from unexpected places can mean so much.
I’m impressed. What an excellent idea. (Sorry it took so long to get there, though)
That is something I would never have expected from an insurance company, and that somehow makes it that much more meaningful.
Wow! I’m shocked that your insurance company was so sensitive. I’m glad they handled you properly & that they gave you healing options
In retrospect i could’ve used a healing councelor after mu d&c. Hope you are taking care of yourself. Big hug!
Beautiful!
Aww. That’s nice. Human.
So impressed. Wish all insurance companies would learn from them.
Wow. That’s unexpected, and kind of heartwarming.
Wow, that is pretty amazing.
Wow, I’m incredible impressed. More companies should behave this way.
That’s lovely.
I still think they should have paid for the ectopic. That should not have been classified as fertility expenses. Grrrrrr!
I am shocked they did this– but happy for you. I am so used to insurance companies only make bad situations worse. This was nice.
Http://claresays.wordpress.com
That’s amazing.
I got choked up today, remembering the pregnancy I lost 5 years go this month. Makes no sense, as my son M would not be here had that pregnancy gone to term. I guess my heart still hurts for the 5 years ago me who didn’t know there’d be another pregnancy on the horizon, who didn’t know I’g get to be a mother.
I’m sorry for you loss. *hugs*
*your loss
Awww glad someone there finally found their heart!
I have always been concerned about larger corporations and social responsibility. Once a business gets a certain size, meaning larger, they tend to forget about their role in a community, your story has reaffirmed my faith in corporate structure, although it came at your very sad loss. Thanks for sharing that.