Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bureacracy

I really need to solve this.

visual mechanic — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:35:13 -0800

Help me finally put an end to my former insurance company's autobilling and get a refund! I previously lived in Maryland and was enrolled with Carefirst Bluechoice under an individual healthcare plan because I'm self-employed. Then I got into grad school at UCLA, and they had a healthcare program that I enrolled in in 9/2007. I sent a letter to Carefirst Bluechoice saying I wanted to terminate coverage as I would be covered at UCLA.

I got billed again. I was set up with autobill on a credit card. So I called my customer service number. They said they can't take care of that, but send another letter. So I sent another letter. I continue to be billed. This is over $900 a month! I have sent 4 letters in total, emailed countless times, been on the phone countless times, been given more numbers of direct supervisors who I leave messages for and get no calls back from.

Yes, it's been a full year of trying now and I still get billed. I've not submitted any claims to them. I'm covered elsewhere!

I also disputed the charges with my credit card company and sent a copy of all my cancellation letters as proof. But my dispute was overturned by the credit card company. (They aren't there to protect you, people!)

My question is....

WHAT CAN I DO? It has occurred to me recently that I should have cancelled the credit card. The date expires this month so that is water under the bridge.

I can't find a number or an address online that will give me someone who can solve this mess for me. Please, any advice would be greatly appreciated. I need to get this money back.

How do you manipulate the system?

JimmyJames — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:44:00 -0800

What sorts of code words, specific language or techniques are used in your industry, profession, or area of expertise that can be used to manipulate the system? Or, what sorts of tricks have you found that work in similar ways? Recent events got me wondering about professional secrets, codewords, specific language and passwords. My mother was recently in the hospital with a broken leg. Her friend (whose father was Chief of Staff at a major hospital) explained that when asked how much pain she was in to say "7" because seven was the supposed threshold for the admissions doctor to consider administering drugs.

My good friend called into work saying he was sick with "explosive diarrhea" and was told to under no circumstances should he come to work.

My uncle put added the fact that he is a Reverend of the Universal Life Church to the front of his drivers license and now gets treated differently every time someone asks for ID. These can't be the only time or place that specific language can help in navigating the endless bureaucratic systems of life. I'm interested in the tricks that you've learned in your life to help game the system.

Don't confuse me with her. Please!

GIRLesq — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:14:06 -0800

How do you set yourself apart from a boss/mentor who is not well respected? Let's say you thought you landed your dream job replete with mentor, only to discover shortly thereafter that your new mentor was recently demoted twice and is widely sneered at for the following reasons:

(1) Spends 95% of her time trying to be teflon (i.e. tries to get people in other departments to sign off instead of her so she doesn't risk any blame even though it's not the other person's job to sign off and it takes weeks of email exchanges);

(2) Isn't focused on "making it work" and instead focuses on shooting down anything that involves any risk whatsoever no matter what the business cost.

(3) Wants to be the go-to person for something she knows absolutely nothing about so she tries to get a download of information from you and pass it off as her own knowledge;

(4) Is horribly disorganized and scattered so things are always falling through the cracks so she spends a lot of time trying to prove that it's not her fault something fell through the cracks.

The best solution is to get out from under this person by moving into another department, but how do you distinguish yourself from this person without further exposing their shortcomings (something which would no doubt get you fired)?

Keep in mind, if you make her look too good she'll never approve a transfer.