It seems criminal to me that the insurance companies can get away with systematically denying people of the benefits that they are due and paying for, and yet, Jeff Pressman, the founder of Off Your Desk, a company that helps individuals file insurance claims, says that a full 40% of insurance claims can be improperly processed. That number should blow my mind, but it doesn't because it fits exactly with my experience. It just makes me angry (and a little sad).

Off Your Desk is a new service, based in New York city, that helps individuals submit their insurance claims and makes sure that they get paid to the full extent that they should, even if it means pushing back on the insurance company for you if a claim is denied. Having a company file your health insurance claims may seem like a luxury, but for parents, the elderly, or people with a medical condition (whether ongoing or one-time), having professionals who can make sure you are getting fully reimbursed for your health insurance claims could be the smartest money decision you can make. When getting reimbursed for any medical claims feels like a full time job and potentially thousands of dollars are at stake, it's time to call in the experts.

I don't usually write about too many products or services here, but I met with the people from Off Your Desk and I was very impressed with what they are trying to do. Since I know from my own personal experience how hard I have had to work to get most claims paid, I am happy to see that there is someone making sure that people are getting the money they are due and making sure that the insurance companies aren't getting away with not paying people what they are owed.

I think of Off Your Desk as insurance for your health insurance. You have your health insurance to protect you from medical fees and unfortunately you need Off Your Desk to protect you from your insurance company. I hope that sometime in the future Off Your Desk will be out of business because people won't need to fight to get their claims processed, but until then they can help people who are under a pile of medical claims.

Off Your Desk has several plans depending on whether you need ongoing help filing insurance claims or just need help getting out from a stack of bills. Their Catch-Up Plan seems intriguing. They will process a stack of claims for $295 ($195 if you sign up for Ongoing Support) and they say they generally recover over $2500. Seems like a pretty good return on investment. Find out more about Off Your Desk at offyourdesk.net.