Allowed Amount – Medical Billing Terminology

Hello and welcome to another issue of my blog!  Just as a reminder I have 4 kinds of blogs and you can find out all about them at the bottom of this post. 🙂

This post is for my medical billing series.  Whether you are in the medical industry or not, this post IS FOR YOU!!  Everyone visits doctors – either because they are sick are trying to prevent sickness.  Either way, this series is to help you understand the crazy world of medical billing.  I will be posting on everything from billing terminology to crazy diagnosis codes.

Today, I am discussing something that many people do not understand – Allowed Amount.  What does this mean?

If you read my post, How to Read Your Medical Bills – Is it Even a Bill? then you may already understand what this means.  (And if you haven’t read it, you should grab a cup of tea – or coffee if you aren’t allergic to the bean like me,☹ find a comfy spot and read it.)

However, whether you have read it or not, I

Welcome 2018

Ok….so I’ll admit… I’ve been kind of MIA.  It’s a crazy thing when your children start getting older and your days start getting busier.  You tend to lose, well… yourself!  That is what has happened to me.  There are days when I wake up with a start, and my brain screaming, and my mouth uttering something along the lines of, “What day is it?”  Usually, it’s those days, when I actually have no obligation to be anywhere anytime soon – which is really irritating once I realize that.  Once I have tumbled out of my sleepy stupor, the fact that I woke up so confused also really irritates me.

I want out.  Not out of being a mom or having a crazy schedule.  I actually love that and can’t imagine my life “simple”.  I want out of the bit where I can’t find… me!!

Last year I posted a challenge on Facebook to my friends and family to comment with a #OneWordResolution.  I chose the word “Laugh” and I really think I stuck to it.  At the end of 2016 I felt frustrated – almost as if I had woken up in that sleepy stupor every single day.  I did not want that for my 2017.  So I laughed.  And laughed.  And laughed.  When times got me down, I laughed.  When I felt like my buttons were being pushed, I laughed.  When people cut me off on the freeway, sat through green lights, drove toward me with their brights on and rode my tail end, I laughed.  When co-workers pulled me down, I laughed.  The more mad things would generally make me, you guessed it, the more I laughed.  And I’m happy to say… IT WORKED!! My 2017 was actually light-hearted and joyful – mostly.  So, I decided to make it part of who I want to be and will carry it over to 2018 and every year following.  I realize there are some things you can’t laugh at, but it helps in a lot of situations.  It’s hard to remember that you can’t control everyone and everything, so sometimes you just have to sit back and laugh.

Moving on to 2018, I decided to get crazy and go with a whole phrase!!  So I again challenged my Facebook friends and family, but this time to comment with the quote or phrase they want their 2018 to model.  Originally I chose, “Have Less, Do More”.  While that is definitely still the plan – it’s more of a personal goal.  I have come up with another that I love and I think it is really going to help motivate me.  “Just get up and do it.”  (I’ll tell you where that came from in a few minutes.) So moving in to 2018, those two things will be my “live by” words.  I feel like 2018 is just the beginning. 🙂

So… where did I come up with “Just get up and do it”?  Well, I’ll be honest – it didn’t come from this momma brain.  I heard it on TV.  When I have some downtime and can do something for me – I like to watch HGTV.  My three favorites are Fixer Upper with Chip and Joanna Gaines, HomeTown with Ben and Erin Napier, and Property Brothers with Jonathan and Drew Scott.  (Clicking on those links will take you to their twitter feeds, but all of their social media links are listed below – make sure you follow them if you don’t already!)  Anyways, I watch them as often as time allows.  I’m super excited about Drew’s upcoming wedding to Linda Phan, Chip & Joanna’s #5 baby on the way and Ben & Erin’s new little bundle of joy, Helen. ♥ In one of the most recent Home Town commercials, Erin looks right at the camera and says, “Just get up and do it.”  Those words really spoke to me (Thanks Erin!!).  So that’s what I’m doing!  Getting up and doing it!  #everyday

Here are my plans: (There are a lot of them – don’t fret – I’ve got this!)

• Re-launching my Usborne Books & More business.  I enjoyed this so much when I started it in 2011.  I let it slip through the cracks because other things got in the way and I lost sight of my passions.
• My daughter Alli and I, really plan to grow our photography business this year.  Both, the personal – Calli Brooklyn Photography and corporate – Shutterbug & Co sides have taken a hit this year with my “schedule” going wonky.
• Continuing my path on my medical billing journey.  I enjoy medical billing so much!!  I plan to add at least 1 more comma to my credentials this year as well as get my medical billing/training business going.
• Working on my YouTube channel!!  We are revamping WAHMCat!!  I will be doing regular videos and Alli and Liam are both going to have segments that they are really looking forward to.  Maybe I’ll even get Blake to chime in a time or two. ☺  My channel will be unboxing from our favorite subscriptions AND we will probably be trying a new one every month.  I will also be doing recipes, DIY’s, tutorials and so much more.  I’m even planning to do a storytime segment for the little ones.  I am so stinkin excited.  I currently have 50 subscribers and need 100 to set up my custom URL.  So… wanna help a girl out? Subscribe here. 🙂
• Blogging every day!  I need to get back into my rhythm.  I’m looking forward to some of my blog plans.
• #KnowledgeIsPower – I want to learn… a lot in 2018.
• I would like to travel at least once this year – somewhere – anywhere.

2018 is going to be amazing.  So for those of you that have been a subscriber, thank you!  If you are new, welcome!

Here are the links to my favorite HGTV stars:

Property Brothers: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
– The Scott Brothers Website
– Jonathan Scott: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
– Drew Scott: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
– Linda Phan: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Fixer Upper: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook – Couldn’t find an official Twitter feed, but here is a fan site: Fan Site
– Chip Gaines: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook – Couldn’t find an official Facebook account, but you can search his name on Facebook and find other people that enjoy his humor too!
– Joanna Gaines: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook
– Magnolia Market: Instagram, Facebook, Website – I have personally ordered from here and can’t wait to order again!

Home Town:
– Ben Napier: Twitter, Instagram
– Erin Napier: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook – this Facebook account is for Ben & Erin.
– Laurel Mercantile Co. – Their website – And Erin’s journal, which she is taking a break from.  However, it is really interesting to go back and look at their 2017!

Stay tuned and I’ll do a post later this month with my favorite YouTubers, Vloggers & YouTubers! 🙂

Here is where you can find me all over the internet…. I’m kind of all over the place – both literally and figuratively…lol.

– My blog. 🙂 – I know you are here, but this will take you to my home so you can subscribe. Currently: 1,550 followers ♥ 2018 Goal: 3,000 followers

– Youtube – Come see me! 🙂  Our YouTube channel is going to grow leaps and bounds this year.  We would love to share our videos with you! 🙂 Current: 50 subscribers & 2,427 views as of today ♥ 2018 Goals: 1,000 subscribers & 50,000 views. #FingersCrossed

TWITTER ACCOUNTS:
– Twitter – I post my family stuff and fun things I want to share with the world.  This is also the Twitter account I use for Usborne.  Currently: 388 followers ♥ 2018 Goal: 1,000 followers.
– Photography Twitter – This is where you can find some pics from our photo shoots.  From both our Calli Brooklyn Photography and Shutterbug & Co. sessions!  We are just getting it started though. Currently: 2 followers ♥ 2018 Goal: 1,000 followers
– Medical Billing Twitter – I tweet total Medical Billing stuff here.  If you are into medical billing at all – you’ll want to follow!  This is pretty new too. Currently: 14 followers ♥ 2018 Goal: 1,000 followers

INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS:
– Instagram – I use this account for my family photos, Usborne, photo shoots, and just random photos we take out and about.  We started another Insta for our photography business, but honestly, we post just about everything here.  Currently: 427 followers ♥ 2018 Goal: 1,500 followers
– Usborne *FreeBookFairy* Facebook – Not only do I post specials and book reviews here, I will post the links to my story time videos, special events and interesting facts about literacy, as well as fundraising tips and ideas.  And of course, I’ll tell you how you can get free books. 🙂  Currently: 224 followers ♥ 2018 Goal: 3,000 followers (I know – that’s a big jump – ☺)

WEBSITES
– Free Book Fairy Website – This is where you can go to order books, or contact me to set up an event for your home, school, church, library, etc. One of my most favorite websites.  *As of today 01/07/18 – the site is under construction, but will be going again soon.  I’ll make the link live when it’s working again. ♥
 – Calli Brooklyn Photography & Shutterbug & Co. – This is our site that showcases our gallery for both Calli Brooklyn Photography & Shutterbug & Co.  Calli Brooklyn Photography is for personal photos like family, engagement, maternity, new baby, senior and birthday type photos.  Shutterbug & Co is for corporate events like corporate holiday parties, corporate headshots, daycare photos, etc.

Ok, so that’s it.  I’ts a lot… I know.  Again, I’ve got this. 😀

 

Love,

 

My Sunday Photo

 

Touching Strangers

You can usually tell a lot about a person…just by watching their body language.  People watching is one of my favorite hobbies.  I love to sit in a food court at the mall and watch people and hear little tid bits of their lives as they walk past my table.  I guess maybe it goes back to that old “What is the meaning of life?” and “Why are we here?” type thinking.  We all play such a big part in this world.  Strangers – they intrigue me.

I suppose that is why I am so into Richard Renaldi, an artist out of New York.  He takes photographs of people…lots of people.  His artistic eye captures people in a way that gives the viewer an opportunity to write a story about that person the instant they look at them.

Richard has several different projects that I love like “Manhattan Sunday” – a series of black and white photos depicting people on the streets of Manhattan in their own light.  These photos put me in Manhattan.  I can see myself sipping on a warm cup of Earl Grey in a little café watching these people walk by – can you imagine their stories?  I also love “The Grand Show” – photos from all over the United States that portray scenes of beauty and chaos and history.  Just lovely, really.

My favorite project has been getting publicity lately…which is actually how I learned about him.  A friend of mine posted a link on Facebook from CBS News that was featuring his project “Touching Strangers“.  She is very artistic herself and said, “This? I love. Adore.” and posted a link the article.  I read it and had to find out more!  So google bound I was…  The interesting thing is that I love Richard’s artistic vision – but I love the idea behind this series of photos.  He asks complete strangers to pose with each other.  Awkward is the first word that would come to my mind – but I think I would probably do it.

With so much history behind us – we all tend to live in a world of our own of sorts.  It’s like we have are our own city, allowing those that we enjoy to live in our city.  We know that there are billions of other people out there but they need to live in their own city.  Lets face it – it is hard to let people in.  I am a touchy-feely, affectionate kind of gal – which makes some people very uncomfortable.  I often refer to people as doll, hun, sugar, sweetie – you get the idea.  I once had a man tell me, “My name is Marshall, not hun.”  I was a little taken aback.  First because I was offended, but then because I felt guilty for making him feel uncomfortable or maybe disrespected?  At any rate – I still see this man from time to time in business and since that day it is always, “How are you today, Marshall?” and “Thank you, Sir”  He seems appreciative – even shocked me the other day by offering me some discount coupons at a local buffet because he knows I like to eat out with my kiddos.

That is the way of the world – we don’t want to let anyone new in.  In this series of photos, Richard asks random people on the streets of New York to pose together – as if they know each other – and to touch in some way.

Some of the photos suggest they know each other intimately…

Tari, Shawn & Summer

Some photos you can see the awkwardness…

Alex & Carlos

In an interview done by Joerg Colberg, Richard said, “I decided I wanted the images to explore how notions of trust, love, social conventions, and taboos are expressed through body language.”  I would say he hit his mark.

A few of my favorites…

Alfredo & Jessica

Michael & Kimberly

The photo below is my absolute favorite – probably because I was able to read the story behind it.  Richard said he approached a lot of people that were not willing to be photographed with a  stranger – much less touching them!  On this day Julie was in the park taking her wedding photos.  Richard approached her and explained his endeavor and in his words, “Thrillingly, she was game.”  He began searching for the park for someone to photograph her with.  When he found Xavier, he knew it was a perfect match.  Her family and the wedding party watched on as the wedding photographer recorded the events and this photo was the result.

Julie & Xavier

Remember, I like to create stories while watching people in their normal day-to-day lives.  These photos give me the opportunity to imagine things on a grander scale.  Not just, “Who are these people?” and “Where are they going?” but, “Who were they?” and “How did they meet?” – “What is their story?” I think it is simply fascinating.

When the photo shoot was done – did these people just walk away?  Did they become life long friends.  Did they keep in contact at all?

When asked something very close to those questions Renaldi said, “As far as I know, no one exchanged phone numbers.  But I do try to email the subjects their pictures, and I include both email addresses so they could theoretically get in touch with each other…”

And I think that is kind of awesome.

Here are some links if you would like to find out more:

Richard Renaldi’s Website

Richard Renaldi’s Blog

Follow Richard on Instagram

Richard Renaldi on Facebook

**Note: The project titled “Hotel Room Portraits” is a collection of photos of Richard and his partner Seth in some of the hotels they have stayed at during their travels.  A few of these pictures show full frontal nudity.  They were all very artistic and tasteful photos – however – in case you are viewing at work or in a public area, I wanted to give a heads up.

Related articles

• Touching Strangers: Photographs by Richard Renaldi: NYC publisher Aperature seeks crowd-funding support to bring the photo series to print (coolhunting.com)
• Total Strangers Who Have Never Met Pose Together In Intimate Portraits (razaky.com)
• Photography Bringing People Together (meamblings.wordpress.com)
• Intimately familiar photos of people who are strangers to each other [14 pictures] (twentytwowords.com)