My turn at wellness

All my happy positive Pollyannaing is slipping away as I deal with health insurance.

Tracy paid health insurance for our family out of his own pocket for all our married years until ALS.

In 2009, since he never ever went to the doctor and didn't actually even Have a doctor he chose to drop his disability insurance to save money when times were tough.

Well, we all know how that turned out.

But- my post today is about the craziness of our health care system. 

My only experience with insurance and the medical world started when Tracy was diagnosed.

I felt that the insanity of that situation would be separate from those of us not dealing with catastrophic illness.  

So I have a really bad gut ache.  How serious?  Dunno.  I have stuff to do tho and can't.  Do I wait it out or get it checked?

I have a time line.  If I gamble and it doesn't go away then I am traveling with it. I am missing the tiny little bit of work I do have.  I guess I need to have a doctor anyway since I'm getting older, not younger and I really should practice BEFORE something serious happens and I am stuck trying to figure this out while having a heart attack.  And so it begins....

I look on my paper health insurance card that says-  for identification only- not proof of eligibility.  I call and say- isn't an insurance card's purpose to show you have insurance?  They say- yes but it doesn't prove you've paid your bill.  So....what do I do?  They check- oh- you've paid your bill.  (this I know).  Ok.  So the people I show this to will be ok with it? yes.  Then why...huh...never mind.  

Now I say I've never used my insurance before.  I would like to go to an Urgent care but when I call they don't take my insurance.  They politely give me one that isn't too far away but say you should call your doctor.  I see the name on the insurance card and agree and they give me the address.  They then give me the hospitals I CAN go to which turns out to be several in this area. Good.

I call the doctor to get a "leave a message" message without any information as to whom I am actually leaving a message with.  No call back. (now remember I am feeling bad enough that I am debating between Urgent Care, ER or Doctor).  I recall in an hour to find out that it's a pediatricians office.  I call back the insurance company who has been really wonderful actually and they are embarrassed and give me a choice of a couple other doctors but now it's noon and the offices are closed so we can't verify anything.

I call after 1 to find out the office doesn't open until 1:30-5pm.  (hate to get the doctors out of bed early).   I call back to have them say the soonest visit is 2 weeks at least but I can do a walk in. 

If they are booked up and I am sick why don't I go to the Urgent Care who doesn't book so I would actually be first come first serve?  Except I have to pay more for Urgent Care but at this point I con't care.  So the only time I would see my doctor is if I am well or if it's a check weeks after someone else has seen me in an emergency. 

This day makes it clear that my only real option is to stay well.