The Brattleboro Reformer has this story (Clerical error closes LeFevre) discussing the closing of a local ambulance service. Apparently they weren’t able to make payroll much less pay anything else.

The owner said the company had to begin using a new Medicare number for billing purposes, but they hadn’t received it yet … so they couldn’t bill.

Okay, that is a problem … but the reason for not getting the new Medicare number:

National Health Insurance Company, the Medicare Part B carrier for Vermont, has not sent LeFevre its new number, LeFevre billing supervisor Katherine St. Martin said, due to a broken fax machine in the insurance company’s office.

Couldn’t transfer a number because of a broken fax machine? FAX MACHINE??

Have I slipped back to the 1980’s?

Is this really just a Star Trek re-run?

Is this why we pay so much for insurance?

FOR A FREAKIN’ FAX MACHINE?

In other news Louisiana Entergy has said they intend to spin their Entergy Yankee nuclear power plant off to a newly formed church ala Scientology. “We’re truly a holy place,” said the spokesperson, “and obviously we’ve miraculously located underground pipes that weren’t there.”

According to the Governor’s office, Douglas supports the plan saying it’s important to our energy future and jobs that The Church of Enterology be moved forward post-haste. “In the end,” said Douglas, “It’s all about having faith in them, isn’t it?”