My Monday morning found me sitting, bright and early, in an ENT’s office. I’ve been having some sinus issues that my doctor felt warranted a closer look, so there I sat. For an hour. When they called my name, I gathered my things and headed for the door, but then realized my name was coming from the office window, instead. Our conversation went something like this:

Mrs. Garman? We need to collect your copay before we take you back.

I’m sorry, but I don’t have a copay on my insurance.

Yes ma’am, you do. We’ve verified your insurance and you have a copay.

I don’t mean to be difficult, but my plan has an HRA and an FSA, which don’t require a copay at time of service.

No ma’am, I’m sorry, but your plan doesn’t have either of those accounts. It’s a basic account with a copay.

Um, we specifically signed up for those accounts, and they debit our account for the FSA. Respectfully, could you check again?

I waited, until she came back and told me that it was just as she had thought, and please, could she collect that copay?

Dumbfounded, I thought for a minute, knowing that if I continued with the appointment, there were going to be tests involved, that I was sure would be quite a pretty penny. Did I really want to move forward not having a clue, now, what kind of insurance I actually had?

No. No, I did not.

After politely cancelling the appointment to go haggle it out with the insurance company, I drove back home. What if it was really true? What if we were signed up for some terrible insurance and didn’t know it? We already had significant changes to our plan this year, just like everyone else, but what if we were caught up in the ridiculous health insurance vortex, never to have even decent coverage again?

My mind, left to my own devices, started generating terrible “what if” scenarios that left us bankrupt from out of pocket costs and the astronomic, always out of reach deductible.

It was a LONG ride home.

Mentally exhausted, I called the insurance company. They checked the phone log and notes from the call from the doctors office, and found where a new employee had given the wrong info. I had exactly the plan I thought I had, with both the HRA and the FSA, and NO COPAY. She was very nice, and reexplained how everything worked, just to make sure it was clear.

Relieved, I sat back and shook my head at how worked up I’d become, starting to believe something that, in my heart, I knew wasn’t true. But it’s easy to believe another’s lie, even if it was unintentional. Even if you’re pretty sure it’s not the truth, just the tiniest bit of doubt can work its way into your mind and cause it to spin off into “what ifs” that might just start making a believer out of you.

It’s a good thing we have a constant Source of Truth at our disposal. There’s something so comforting in knowing that the Word is THE WORD when it comes to separating truth from lies.

It never waivers.

It never fails.

It will never steer you wrong, or make you wait for an hour for a copay you don’t owe.

It’s the real, honest truth. And THAT, you can believe.

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17 ESV

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 ESV

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 ESV

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6 ESV