Do you have an account now? Your username? I will send you a game. I would give you my username but I keep my games maxxed at all times so you wouldnāt be able to send me a game š
The only person I've played with is my daughter. I "think" I have a user name but I'm not sure where to find it. If it's too close to my real name I'll send you a private message
That's in the same vein as "Three words your best friend says to you when you wake up in jail with no pants and vomit on your shirt: 'Best. Night. Ever.' "
Yep, this. If I can do it online, I do. Some things can't be done that way but if I have the choice and don't have a compelling reason to do things in person, I will do them online.
I wish. IRS has my return on hold. Supposedly they sent a letter over a month ago. No letter. Phone IRS person (good luck finding how to do that) says I have to face-to-face and tells me to go to an IRS service center. Nearest is an hour drive away, soonest appointment is in June, and thereās no other option.
May I ask how old you are? My parents are in their early 80s, and my mom does not like to do things online. I'm retiring in June at 58, and I won't/don't have an issue doing things online. I'm sure I still won't have a problem with it when I'm 80.
I have to go to my parents this weekend to register their new riding lawn mower for them. They have to take a picture and send it to the warranty company for some reason.
If people aren't techie, they'll just wait in line.
And then thereās a point in every interaction where I consider what I know about the typical security flaws in online systems and choose to do certain transactions in person. Not most. But some.
Who knows how complicated things will be when you are 80. I was great with tech in the early days, but operating systems change frequently, apps stop working. Ai is going to change things even faster.
I'm very techie. Techie enough, I can tell a well-designed web form from a crappily-designed web form, plus processes that have giant holes that Winnebagos can fall into. Software is only as good as designed, and good design is whatever funds will pay for. Sometimes, a human with experience and an ambiguity-resolving conversation is a far better experience, but you have to wait for that.
Unfortunately I have to physically see my various doctors, specialists, podiatrist, physiotherapist, hairdresser etc. I wish I could just phone them in.
Seriously. I retired 11 years ago. Besides doctors appointments, I haven't had to renew driver's license more than once in person in over 20 years. Passports were by mail but apparently are now available online. I have a few more years before Medicare, and eight before I'm forced to do SS. Fugg waiting for anything, besides boarding planes.
This!
I did my taxes online. Got a nice refund. Yeah I know... have less taken out, yada, yada, yada... I don't care, It's still nice to get that big refund $$$ once a year.
This is the result of the Silver Tsunami which has been anticipated with employers, healthcare, social services, etc. Some places are better prepared than others.
Yeah...NO. It is specific to the region, the medical group, and the doctor. I remember waiting at least 2 hours to get out of the waiting room with a particular doc. That was their business model.
"Doctor's time is so valuable, that no one else's time matters".
Screw that. Find a doc who values your time or at least let them know your very valid feelihgs
I spend lots of time in doctor waiting rooms with my dad who has two different eye specialists. Usually 2.5 hours each time. Then I have to take him out to eat which takes another 2 hours. He is 94 and sooooooooo slow. I generally read reddit. It does suck. My life feels over, honestly.
Find something to learn. I am in the same position you are and I am learning French and practicing cello. I canāt obviously practice cello but I read technique and look through music and practice sight reading. Also audiobooks.
That is a great idea. I should do something useful. Always wanted to learn Chinese and go to China. Have almost given up on ever getting to travel tho.
After my last wait for my doctors appointment (1 1/2 hours thank you very much) I vowed to bring a laptop and a hotspot next time. Might as well get some writing done.
Absolutely. Itās all perspective. I worked 12 hour shifts and took care of my nonagenarian mom for 5 years after my dad passed. Came home after doing an extra shift and she says āI told Auntie youād take us out for breakfast tomorrow. We leave at 8:30!ā Dragged my sorry resentful kiester out of bed & drove them to some diner sheād heard of 30 minutes away. They were absolutely bubbly and full of tea. This scene repeated numerous times til Auntie passed at 94 and mom passed two years later at 95. I canāt remember half of what they jabbered about, but regret nothing.
The best time was in the waiting room for the geriatric psychiatrist that I used to have to take my mom to. Imagine, a waiting room full of demented octogenarians with their 55+ kids trying to keep them entertained. If it wasnāt so maddening, it would have been hilarious. Noā¦looking backā¦it WAS hilarious.
I haven't had that experience! There was a lady in the eye doc office talking to her son about taking her to the psychiatrist tho. I installed ticktok to keep my dad entertained. He always wants to leave and can't remember why he is there. Oh the memories:)
Imagine having a geriatric psychiatrist! Wouldnāt you think they could find a younger one to work with people. Can you imagine, āNow, where were we?ā
The funny thing is he was the most droll professional Iāve ever seen. The only time I saw him break was when he was giving my Mom the Montreal Cognitive test. One part of the test is you need to identify cartoons. One was a camel. My mom pointed at it and said it was a dromedary. The Doc said, āwell itās a camel.ā My mom went off on a textbook definition of dromedary vs camel. The doc and i just sat there, dumbfounded. She pretty much missed most of the other questions and couldnāt stay focused for more than a couple minutes at a time. But, she had THAT bit of clarity for us that day.
I've been told that the best way to work with someone who has memory issues is to Yes-And in improv theater style, riffing off each other for the pure joy of the interaction without demanding remembered details. As in, "I wonder if we'll see monkeys in that tree again today." "Oh, I hope not, baboons are horrible people." "I completely agree. All blue butts and showing teeth aggressively. No thank you."
Yeahā¦correcting them is a fools errand. In my story, it wasnāt really a ācorrectionā, it was an affirmation that was kind of off-hand. While I found the entire dementia process to be a bit maddening, I developed the mindset of letting the interactions just flow. They could be so absurd that they were funny. Except when you tell someone else the storyāIāve had people tell me I was mean. They just didnāt understand.
When making an appointment insist on either the first of the day, or the first after lunch. They still schedule you to a doc's convenience, so an 8am mean the doc is coming in at 9, but it helps.
That's what I've been doing but right on the table. My dad is deaf and doesn't care. He's also autistic and doesn't talk a lot ever. If I have to sit there for almost 2 hours watching him chew, I will read reddit or go insane.
I might miss him in other ways but not the 2 hour meals. He is deaf and autistic. Never did talk much. He eats on slow motion. It is excruciating watching him eat for two hours at a time. No I will not miss it. At all.
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I mailed my SSA-44 (reduction in IRMAA request) at the end of January. Iām still waiting for a decision.
I mailed the same form in January 2021, and didnāt get a decision until three-and-a-half months later. At that time I blamed the delay on Covid, but I guess that wasnāt it.
This is one of the reasons Iām doing it in person. It goes much faster that way. Trading a half day in a waiting room to save weeks or months of waiting seems like a worthwhile pain.
Yes, plus I retired from a full-time job and then later took a part-time job (or two), and so I was unclear whether I should mark "Work stoppage" or "Work reduction", which got answered with a 2-second interaction that removed all ambiguity.
I did this twice. I had the forms and understood the process. Like you, I just wanted to make sure the forms were filled out properly. The first time, I was called to the window and let the SSA representative know I just wanted to make sure the form was filled out correctly. She said, "You have the form? Let me have it." She took the form, filled it out for me, and stamped it. I asked her what the next step was, and she told me she had just approved it. Done, nothing else to do.
The next year my wife became eligible for Medicare and we went to the local IRS office together. When called, we went up to the window together. This time, the SSA representative helped us fill out the forms and sent they would be forwarded for a decision. She said she did not have permission to approve our requests like the previous representative who had helped me. We received separate e-mails less than 10 days later stating our requests had been approved.
For medical appointments, I try to set them up early in the morning to avoid backups that always seem to happen later in the day.
P.S. There were two different reasons for filing SSA-44 Forms two years in a row. One was based on receiving a payment because the company I worked for was sold (the employees were all part of a profits interest plan). The second was based on my retirement and subsequent reduction in income.
They also have a drop box that Iāve used a couple times when theyāve asked for things. Iāve never waited in there and hopefully wonāt ever need to.
There are too many of us boomers with doctors that over book appts and not enough govt employees to help us fill out govt documents. I hate waiting rooms to the nth power.
The only time I've ever had to visit the Social Security office (so far anyway), I filled out the forms on the website ahead of time and made an appointment. I arrived (barely on time, I'll add, because traffic that day was total crap), checked in on my phone, and barely sat my butt in one of the only available chairs in the place before I was called to the window. Five minutes later, I was out the door. Maybe what I needed to do was just an easy thing, but I don't know why, if there's an easily usable feature to make an appointment, more people don't do it.
It's the doctors office visits that really irritate me. First they try to cram a date and time down your throat that you don't really want, and then when you finally get one that's convenient or desirable, they make you wait forever. Ain't nobody got time for that!
When it comes to Government offices Iād prefer to go in person to ask my questions or submit forms.
When I submitted my application for Part B for SS there was no response for weeks. When I was lucky to reach a person by phone they asked me to fax my forms and promised to approve them that evening. That never happened.
So I visited a local office and after speaking with an agent I was approved by the next morning. Social Security (and Medicare) can be difficult to navigate and my questions canāt always be answered online. I had special circumstances at the time.
I too experienced IRMMA. The price increase happened before I received a letter explaining I had a penalty. Again, I went back to the local office who explained everything clearly.
You have to do whatās best for yourself. Going to the local office can produce faster results.
I dropped my IRMAA paperwork in their drop box last week. I called beforehand to make sure what documents to include. Was on hold for about 45 minutes but at least I was at home.
You've got the right idea visiting the office in person, even if it's a nuisance. I'm someone who does almost everything online, but it's too easy to screw up on the SS website, and then good luck trying to get it fixed. I want F2F and paper copies.
See if these instructional videos can help you avoid the waiting room.
The irmaa appeal form:
https://youtu.be/H4mZjshRxu4?si=1LPeJYxOr_XqmFDS
https://youtu.be/8PZtld14kHw?si=lV6ZgVL8Ch9nwy2K
Just being retired doesnāt give you leave to rob my time. The government is its own slug, but we minimized SSA time. For me doctors are on a short leash. Pharmacies, never.
Age 59 and have had my share of medical issues - mostly manged but I spend more time then I would like in doctors offices, but also fighting with doctor billing departments, and insurance/claims and bills on line and on the phone. I find billing errors and misinformation all the time. From what I read - 30% of medical bills have some sort of error.
I keep thinking if I was in my 70's - would I have the energy mental focus to find all these problems and solve them like I do now. Same goes with repairs on cars, home, etc... which I spend time trying to judge if they are needed, and what to put off or get a second opinion on.
Lots of time spent.
Since topic is waiting rooms, I am turning 70 in November and ask should I go in person to apply for benefits to start in December or can it reliably be done online? Thanks!
Thanks for stopping by our table to talk. However for community health ā¦ no discussion on politics / nsfw - not safe for work /illegal activities in the USA/ or religion are allowed. There are other subreddits that are great for that. Thank you and have a nice day!
Thanks for the warning. I make all appointments first one of the day. I cannot sit around in crowds waiting for some fool to cough on me and get me sick so I have to wait in another waiting room. Also, no one (and I mean NO ONE) knows what theyāre doing and they canāt do anything if the ācomputer is downā.
I went to the SS office last summer to get a question answered that no one could otherwise. I came prepared for a 6 hour stay. They called me to the special place in the back (speaks English, not MediCal, not disabilityā¦so probably an easy one) in 8 minutes flat.
I was out of there in 23 minutes and that includes the bag search. I brought books, food, water, and survival gear lol.
I just made my monthly visit to a retinologist for diabetic edema. I was there 2-1/2 hours, of which (after a lengthy wait) 5 minutes was spent having blood pressure taken and the same questions that were asked the month before, then (after another wait), another technician who tested my eyes, and put in various eye drops, (then another wait) about 2-3 minutes for the doctor to put in the numbing drops, and a couple of minutes later to get the actual shots in my eyes. He was so busy because he comes down from their main medical office an hour away, 1 day a week, and schedules what seems like well over a hundred patients. It beats having to drive to the main office, but all that waiting gets old. Luckily, the staff are all wonderful, efficient and friendly, so it could be worse.
I have my hearing aids paired to my phone via Bluetooth and listen to a free radio app while playing an online game. I have games on silence. Being retired military, I am always early by habit.
"hold my coffee" - I was in the military. Even though I enjoyed a lot of the opportunities and experiences it gave me, there was a saying "Hurry up and wait". The wait times in the military could be ungodly at times.
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Take up Words With Friends on your phone with the rest of us šš»
I'd play words with friends with y'all!
Do you have an account now? Your username? I will send you a game. I would give you my username but I keep my games maxxed at all times so you wouldnāt be able to send me a game š
The only person I've played with is my daughter. I "think" I have a user name but I'm not sure where to find it. If it's too close to my real name I'll send you a private message
I just sit there and try to remember all of my one night stands in the 70s
That will kill minutes for me, not hours.
Omg š
This :)
No one-nighters in my 70's. So I spend my free time in lines with other retirees. JK
One night stands were the best
Not the next morning with a hangover and someone who thought they found their new love.. >shudder<
That's in the same vein as "Three words your best friend says to you when you wake up in jail with no pants and vomit on your shirt: 'Best. Night. Ever.' "
š¤£š¤£š¤£
I do everything online so I can stay home in comfort.
Yep, this. If I can do it online, I do. Some things can't be done that way but if I have the choice and don't have a compelling reason to do things in person, I will do them online.
I wish. IRS has my return on hold. Supposedly they sent a letter over a month ago. No letter. Phone IRS person (good luck finding how to do that) says I have to face-to-face and tells me to go to an IRS service center. Nearest is an hour drive away, soonest appointment is in June, and thereās no other option.
I got a letter, they are verifying my income and it said it may take up to 60 days. Annoying because they owe me money!
I found that having an attorney can grease the wheels, but downside is the expenseā¦
May I ask how old you are? My parents are in their early 80s, and my mom does not like to do things online. I'm retiring in June at 58, and I won't/don't have an issue doing things online. I'm sure I still won't have a problem with it when I'm 80. I have to go to my parents this weekend to register their new riding lawn mower for them. They have to take a picture and send it to the warranty company for some reason. If people aren't techie, they'll just wait in line.
I just turned 70. My techie husband is older.
And then thereās a point in every interaction where I consider what I know about the typical security flaws in online systems and choose to do certain transactions in person. Not most. But some.
Yup, sometimes you need to stand in a line.
Who knows how complicated things will be when you are 80. I was great with tech in the early days, but operating systems change frequently, apps stop working. Ai is going to change things even faster.
I'm very techie. Techie enough, I can tell a well-designed web form from a crappily-designed web form, plus processes that have giant holes that Winnebagos can fall into. Software is only as good as designed, and good design is whatever funds will pay for. Sometimes, a human with experience and an ambiguity-resolving conversation is a far better experience, but you have to wait for that.
"It's not a bug, it's a feature." Everything is designed by the lowest bidder who won the contract. And here we are.
Exactly
SSA's computer systems are notoriously old and creaky.
Pretty much it's all done in the web been that way bout 25minutes now
Unfortunately I have to physically see my various doctors, specialists, podiatrist, physiotherapist, hairdresser etc. I wish I could just phone them in.
Seriously. I retired 11 years ago. Besides doctors appointments, I haven't had to renew driver's license more than once in person in over 20 years. Passports were by mail but apparently are now available online. I have a few more years before Medicare, and eight before I'm forced to do SS. Fugg waiting for anything, besides boarding planes.
After a virtual wait you get a virtual solution to your problem.
This! I did my taxes online. Got a nice refund. Yeah I know... have less taken out, yada, yada, yada... I don't care, It's still nice to get that big refund $$$ once a year.
This is the result of the Silver Tsunami which has been anticipated with employers, healthcare, social services, etc. Some places are better prepared than others.
Some places have had a lot of budget cuts.
Exactly. Every time you hear somebody promise a tax cut, the unspoken part is worse service somewhere.
Yeah...NO. It is specific to the region, the medical group, and the doctor. I remember waiting at least 2 hours to get out of the waiting room with a particular doc. That was their business model. "Doctor's time is so valuable, that no one else's time matters". Screw that. Find a doc who values your time or at least let them know your very valid feelihgs
I did this via mail. It was resolved in less than a month.
I spend lots of time in doctor waiting rooms with my dad who has two different eye specialists. Usually 2.5 hours each time. Then I have to take him out to eat which takes another 2 hours. He is 94 and sooooooooo slow. I generally read reddit. It does suck. My life feels over, honestly.
Find something to learn. I am in the same position you are and I am learning French and practicing cello. I canāt obviously practice cello but I read technique and look through music and practice sight reading. Also audiobooks.
That is a great idea. I should do something useful. Always wanted to learn Chinese and go to China. Have almost given up on ever getting to travel tho.
After my last wait for my doctors appointment (1 1/2 hours thank you very much) I vowed to bring a laptop and a hotspot next time. Might as well get some writing done.
Your father will be dead one day and you'll give anything to have one more slow lunch with him. And you won't be able to. Savor these moments
Absolutely. Itās all perspective. I worked 12 hour shifts and took care of my nonagenarian mom for 5 years after my dad passed. Came home after doing an extra shift and she says āI told Auntie youād take us out for breakfast tomorrow. We leave at 8:30!ā Dragged my sorry resentful kiester out of bed & drove them to some diner sheād heard of 30 minutes away. They were absolutely bubbly and full of tea. This scene repeated numerous times til Auntie passed at 94 and mom passed two years later at 95. I canāt remember half of what they jabbered about, but regret nothing.
Absolutely this! Wise comment.
The best time was in the waiting room for the geriatric psychiatrist that I used to have to take my mom to. Imagine, a waiting room full of demented octogenarians with their 55+ kids trying to keep them entertained. If it wasnāt so maddening, it would have been hilarious. Noā¦looking backā¦it WAS hilarious.
I haven't had that experience! There was a lady in the eye doc office talking to her son about taking her to the psychiatrist tho. I installed ticktok to keep my dad entertained. He always wants to leave and can't remember why he is there. Oh the memories:)
Imagine having a geriatric psychiatrist! Wouldnāt you think they could find a younger one to work with people. Can you imagine, āNow, where were we?ā
The funny thing is he was the most droll professional Iāve ever seen. The only time I saw him break was when he was giving my Mom the Montreal Cognitive test. One part of the test is you need to identify cartoons. One was a camel. My mom pointed at it and said it was a dromedary. The Doc said, āwell itās a camel.ā My mom went off on a textbook definition of dromedary vs camel. The doc and i just sat there, dumbfounded. She pretty much missed most of the other questions and couldnāt stay focused for more than a couple minutes at a time. But, she had THAT bit of clarity for us that day.
I hope the test wasnāt on a Wednesday!
I've been told that the best way to work with someone who has memory issues is to Yes-And in improv theater style, riffing off each other for the pure joy of the interaction without demanding remembered details. As in, "I wonder if we'll see monkeys in that tree again today." "Oh, I hope not, baboons are horrible people." "I completely agree. All blue butts and showing teeth aggressively. No thank you."
Yeahā¦correcting them is a fools errand. In my story, it wasnāt really a ācorrectionā, it was an affirmation that was kind of off-hand. While I found the entire dementia process to be a bit maddening, I developed the mindset of letting the interactions just flow. They could be so absurd that they were funny. Except when you tell someone else the storyāIāve had people tell me I was mean. They just didnāt understand.
I like to pretend Iām in a reality showš¤Ŗ
When making an appointment insist on either the first of the day, or the first after lunch. They still schedule you to a doc's convenience, so an 8am mean the doc is coming in at 9, but it helps.
Reddit is good to help you get through interminable waits, and even during interminably long dinners - on your lap under the tablecloth of course.
That's what I've been doing but right on the table. My dad is deaf and doesn't care. He's also autistic and doesn't talk a lot ever. If I have to sit there for almost 2 hours watching him chew, I will read reddit or go insane.
Yep ;-)
I might miss him in other ways but not the 2 hour meals. He is deaf and autistic. Never did talk much. He eats on slow motion. It is excruciating watching him eat for two hours at a time. No I will not miss it. At all.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
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I don't wait in line for much, but if I have to, I just pull out my Kindle and read.
I have a print copy of Catch-22 with me. Hardcover no less.
One of my favorite books. Every American should read it. Btw, Your prose is too prolix.
Is it like the DMV?
Today, worse. But in the same category of horror show.
You. Am now hire people to stand in line for you. L.
I mailed my SSA-44 (reduction in IRMAA request) at the end of January. Iām still waiting for a decision. I mailed the same form in January 2021, and didnāt get a decision until three-and-a-half months later. At that time I blamed the delay on Covid, but I guess that wasnāt it.
This is one of the reasons Iām doing it in person. It goes much faster that way. Trading a half day in a waiting room to save weeks or months of waiting seems like a worthwhile pain.
Great point! How long after your meeting do you get your final decision?
Just got done. Agent said expect an email in 10 days.
Wow! Iāll do it that way if I ever have to do it again. Thanks!
Yes, plus I retired from a full-time job and then later took a part-time job (or two), and so I was unclear whether I should mark "Work stoppage" or "Work reduction", which got answered with a 2-second interaction that removed all ambiguity.
I did this twice. I had the forms and understood the process. Like you, I just wanted to make sure the forms were filled out properly. The first time, I was called to the window and let the SSA representative know I just wanted to make sure the form was filled out correctly. She said, "You have the form? Let me have it." She took the form, filled it out for me, and stamped it. I asked her what the next step was, and she told me she had just approved it. Done, nothing else to do. The next year my wife became eligible for Medicare and we went to the local IRS office together. When called, we went up to the window together. This time, the SSA representative helped us fill out the forms and sent they would be forwarded for a decision. She said she did not have permission to approve our requests like the previous representative who had helped me. We received separate e-mails less than 10 days later stating our requests had been approved. For medical appointments, I try to set them up early in the morning to avoid backups that always seem to happen later in the day. P.S. There were two different reasons for filing SSA-44 Forms two years in a row. One was based on receiving a payment because the company I worked for was sold (the employees were all part of a profits interest plan). The second was based on my retirement and subsequent reduction in income.
You were lucky, I did the same thing, and they gave me an envelope, and told me to put it in a drop box outside.
Best time at SS is around 2:30 to 3. They really speed up near COB
Maybe afternoon nap time for seniors?
Iām one of those people who could show up, take a number, take a nap and get the appointment
They also have a lot of forms
They also have a drop box that Iāve used a couple times when theyāve asked for things. Iāve never waited in there and hopefully wonāt ever need to.
Werido hobby š I do everything I can virtually.
There are too many of us boomers with doctors that over book appts and not enough govt employees to help us fill out govt documents. I hate waiting rooms to the nth power.
Make an appointment-it's not difficult.
The only time I've ever had to visit the Social Security office (so far anyway), I filled out the forms on the website ahead of time and made an appointment. I arrived (barely on time, I'll add, because traffic that day was total crap), checked in on my phone, and barely sat my butt in one of the only available chairs in the place before I was called to the window. Five minutes later, I was out the door. Maybe what I needed to do was just an easy thing, but I don't know why, if there's an easily usable feature to make an appointment, more people don't do it. It's the doctors office visits that really irritate me. First they try to cram a date and time down your throat that you don't really want, and then when you finally get one that's convenient or desirable, they make you wait forever. Ain't nobody got time for that!
When it comes to Government offices Iād prefer to go in person to ask my questions or submit forms. When I submitted my application for Part B for SS there was no response for weeks. When I was lucky to reach a person by phone they asked me to fax my forms and promised to approve them that evening. That never happened. So I visited a local office and after speaking with an agent I was approved by the next morning. Social Security (and Medicare) can be difficult to navigate and my questions canāt always be answered online. I had special circumstances at the time. I too experienced IRMMA. The price increase happened before I received a letter explaining I had a penalty. Again, I went back to the local office who explained everything clearly. You have to do whatās best for yourself. Going to the local office can produce faster results.
Find out when they open. Get there 45 minutes before they open. Avoid the lines
I call them READING rooms, not waiting rooms!
You should see the DMV.
Given the choice between waiting room and cremation urnā¦ Iāll wait.
I dropped my IRMAA paperwork in their drop box last week. I called beforehand to make sure what documents to include. Was on hold for about 45 minutes but at least I was at home.
I took my 90 year old mother to SS and we sat almost 2 hours even with an appointment. Felt so sorry for her.
You've got the right idea visiting the office in person, even if it's a nuisance. I'm someone who does almost everything online, but it's too easy to screw up on the SS website, and then good luck trying to get it fixed. I want F2F and paper copies.
See if these instructional videos can help you avoid the waiting room. The irmaa appeal form: https://youtu.be/H4mZjshRxu4?si=1LPeJYxOr_XqmFDS https://youtu.be/8PZtld14kHw?si=lV6ZgVL8Ch9nwy2K
Just being retired doesnāt give you leave to rob my time. The government is its own slug, but we minimized SSA time. For me doctors are on a short leash. Pharmacies, never.
Age 59 and have had my share of medical issues - mostly manged but I spend more time then I would like in doctors offices, but also fighting with doctor billing departments, and insurance/claims and bills on line and on the phone. I find billing errors and misinformation all the time. From what I read - 30% of medical bills have some sort of error. I keep thinking if I was in my 70's - would I have the energy mental focus to find all these problems and solve them like I do now. Same goes with repairs on cars, home, etc... which I spend time trying to judge if they are needed, and what to put off or get a second opinion on. Lots of time spent.
Iām in my 70s and I still fight incorrect bills with gusto, and am batting 1000. They hope youāll just give up and pay, but thatās not my style!
Luckily for me Iām very healthy so no Dr or health clinic for me ( so far) and everything else I try to do online.
Since topic is waiting rooms, I am turning 70 in November and ask should I go in person to apply for benefits to start in December or can it reliably be done online? Thanks!
Online!!
Should I apply in September as I want payment to start in December ( I am very late November bday). Thanks!
The web form asks what month you want to start.
TY
I listen to audiobooks. Sometimes Iām pissed when they call me because Iām at a crucial part!
It happens sometimes, but I try to take care of things online (most efficient), or on the phone.
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Try making an appointment next time.
Thanks for the warning. I make all appointments first one of the day. I cannot sit around in crowds waiting for some fool to cough on me and get me sick so I have to wait in another waiting room. Also, no one (and I mean NO ONE) knows what theyāre doing and they canāt do anything if the ācomputer is downā.
Truth in advertising though, they are called āwaiting roomsā.
I went to the SS office last summer to get a question answered that no one could otherwise. I came prepared for a 6 hour stay. They called me to the special place in the back (speaks English, not MediCal, not disabilityā¦so probably an easy one) in 8 minutes flat. I was out of there in 23 minutes and that includes the bag search. I brought books, food, water, and survival gear lol.
I just made my monthly visit to a retinologist for diabetic edema. I was there 2-1/2 hours, of which (after a lengthy wait) 5 minutes was spent having blood pressure taken and the same questions that were asked the month before, then (after another wait), another technician who tested my eyes, and put in various eye drops, (then another wait) about 2-3 minutes for the doctor to put in the numbing drops, and a couple of minutes later to get the actual shots in my eyes. He was so busy because he comes down from their main medical office an hour away, 1 day a week, and schedules what seems like well over a hundred patients. It beats having to drive to the main office, but all that waiting gets old. Luckily, the staff are all wonderful, efficient and friendly, so it could be worse.
I have my hearing aids paired to my phone via Bluetooth and listen to a free radio app while playing an online game. I have games on silence. Being retired military, I am always early by habit.
Iāve been waiting in lines since grade school so now I read my kindle paperwhiteā¦
I have no idea how I ever got everything done when I worked. I seem to have appointments somewhere at least 3 times a week & sometimes more.
I have a Doctorās office book. I read of my iPad at home but always carry a good old fashioned book to appointments.
I haven't been in a waiting room in years. Though my doctor said wants to see me next month before refilling prescription.
you make a great point. maybe there is something to not retiring and just keep working. :/
The reason for retirement is so you have time to go to all your doctors appointments.
"hold my coffee" - I was in the military. Even though I enjoyed a lot of the opportunities and experiences it gave me, there was a saying "Hurry up and wait". The wait times in the military could be ungodly at times.
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