Having recently adopted a new health insurance plan, we were somewhat flustered by having been charged the female rate of an additional $19. When we called customer service about this error, we asked for the standard male rate “unless the surgery would be covered.” We think we even detected a slight chuckle from the other end before the opposing voice processed our request.
Despite all this, however, we just received the bill, sent out a week later, which remains at the female rate. While initially considering the possibility that the surgery was, in fact, covered, we can only assume that this is another example of attempted buggery on the part of the American consumer services industry. To wit--
