New York Life is sending someone to re-assess my mother tomorrow.
Keep your fingers and toes crossed for luck, and hopefully we can productively tie up this sad chapter in my mother's long-term-care life.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
I'm selling my car of eleven years.
I'm anguished at the thought of saying goodbye to it. It feels like I'm breaking up with a very good friend.
I bought it brand new, half a year after my husband died. It was the first car I'd ever chosen and bought, totally and completely, by myself.
It's still shiny, pretty, and clean. I've kept good care of it during the 108,000 miles we've shared.
It took good care of me, too. The only time it ever stopped on the road was when I ran out of gas late one night.
It was a cool car for me to have, this white-hot Mustang GT.
It was fun to drive it everywhere.
I feel silly using the word anguished when speaking of a material good. But my emotion is palpable.
Selling it is a must. I'm more than prepared to do that. But feeling such sadness has caught me by surprise.
I almost believe that car has a certain "energy." That energy ingratiated itself into my life, and I enjoyed it.
Now the time has come for me to get to know another car. And to let someone else use that good ol' Mustang GT energy to enrich their lives.
Either that, or some idiot will wrap it around a tree.
That would really break my heart.
I'm anguished at the thought of saying goodbye to it. It feels like I'm breaking up with a very good friend.
I bought it brand new, half a year after my husband died. It was the first car I'd ever chosen and bought, totally and completely, by myself.
It's still shiny, pretty, and clean. I've kept good care of it during the 108,000 miles we've shared.
It took good care of me, too. The only time it ever stopped on the road was when I ran out of gas late one night.
It was a cool car for me to have, this white-hot Mustang GT.
It was fun to drive it everywhere.
I feel silly using the word anguished when speaking of a material good. But my emotion is palpable.
Selling it is a must. I'm more than prepared to do that. But feeling such sadness has caught me by surprise.
I almost believe that car has a certain "energy." That energy ingratiated itself into my life, and I enjoyed it.
Now the time has come for me to get to know another car. And to let someone else use that good ol' Mustang GT energy to enrich their lives.
Either that, or some idiot will wrap it around a tree.
That would really break my heart.
Monday, September 17, 2007
THINGS I'VE NOTICED BY NOT HAVING INSURANCE
Drug companies advertise drugs a lot!
Open a magazine, turn on TV, surf the internet; you'll get bombarded with pharmaceutical ads.
Veramyst, Flomax and Paxil were all featured during a four minute commercial break during NBC News, on TV in the background, while I type this. That combination, and many more, are repeated all during the day.
Drug advertising has convinced a generation or more that you should self-diagnose, go to the doctor, and get what you think you need.
These drug companies are the ones we should declare war on. They are corrupting a nation, one pill at a time.
A Lunesta commercial is on now. Followed by Aleve.
Healthcare costs:
If you have insurance, your costs are mostly your co-pays, deductibles and electives. But do you know how much the procedures, tests and treatments cost in full?
I developed a blood clot in my lower leg that needed immediate treatment. I went to the hospital because I had no doctor.
The attending physician needed an ultrasound for diagnoses and I had to go to the financial office to arrange a payment plan for the $750 test. I got the test for a down payment of $200 and a payment plan.
Four hours later, with confirmation of a clot, I was admitted to a hospital from the emergency room. As soon as I landed on the bed, I was informed that the medical treatment would be a hypodermic injection three times a day.
I was capable of injecting the medicine myself. At my suggestion, the doctor agreed to write me a prescription for five days worth of the medicine, so I could treat myself at home and save the hospital charges.
I immediately discharged from the hospital, luckily with no costs, and went to my pharmacy. Before filling it, the pharmacist informed us that it would cost me $3000.
I went back to the hospital, unfulfilled.
I had to get re-admitted, which I had to do through the emergency room since the office had closed for the day. It took 8 hours to get re-admitted.
The next day, when I informed the doctor why I was back, he was as incredulous as I was at the cost of the drug.
I stayed five days in the hospital which they billed me at over $1000 a day, so someone could give me the shots I couldn't afford to buy.
After leaving the hospital, I was prescribed an anti-coagulant drug. My blood had to be tested ever two weeks for clotting agents, to make sure it was the right dose of drug.
I got three of them done at the hospital at $140 a piece before I found a doctor who would take a patient without insurance.
At my new doctor's office, the same exact blood test for the same exact thing, only cost me $30 a piece.
My new doctor also reduces his bill by 20% if you pay in full each visit. My last office visit cost me $25. He's a doctor in the best sense.
Please support universal health care.
It will stop much of the greed connected to the treatment processes.
It will give doctors and nurses the power to heal you, and take that power away from paper jockeys in corporate cubicles who's financial incentives are to deny as many claims as possible.
Let doctors do what they do best.
Open a magazine, turn on TV, surf the internet; you'll get bombarded with pharmaceutical ads.
Veramyst, Flomax and Paxil were all featured during a four minute commercial break during NBC News, on TV in the background, while I type this. That combination, and many more, are repeated all during the day.
Drug advertising has convinced a generation or more that you should self-diagnose, go to the doctor, and get what you think you need.
These drug companies are the ones we should declare war on. They are corrupting a nation, one pill at a time.
A Lunesta commercial is on now. Followed by Aleve.
Healthcare costs:
If you have insurance, your costs are mostly your co-pays, deductibles and electives. But do you know how much the procedures, tests and treatments cost in full?
I developed a blood clot in my lower leg that needed immediate treatment. I went to the hospital because I had no doctor.
The attending physician needed an ultrasound for diagnoses and I had to go to the financial office to arrange a payment plan for the $750 test. I got the test for a down payment of $200 and a payment plan.
Four hours later, with confirmation of a clot, I was admitted to a hospital from the emergency room. As soon as I landed on the bed, I was informed that the medical treatment would be a hypodermic injection three times a day.
I was capable of injecting the medicine myself. At my suggestion, the doctor agreed to write me a prescription for five days worth of the medicine, so I could treat myself at home and save the hospital charges.
I immediately discharged from the hospital, luckily with no costs, and went to my pharmacy. Before filling it, the pharmacist informed us that it would cost me $3000.
I went back to the hospital, unfulfilled.
I had to get re-admitted, which I had to do through the emergency room since the office had closed for the day. It took 8 hours to get re-admitted.
The next day, when I informed the doctor why I was back, he was as incredulous as I was at the cost of the drug.
I stayed five days in the hospital which they billed me at over $1000 a day, so someone could give me the shots I couldn't afford to buy.
After leaving the hospital, I was prescribed an anti-coagulant drug. My blood had to be tested ever two weeks for clotting agents, to make sure it was the right dose of drug.
I got three of them done at the hospital at $140 a piece before I found a doctor who would take a patient without insurance.
At my new doctor's office, the same exact blood test for the same exact thing, only cost me $30 a piece.
My new doctor also reduces his bill by 20% if you pay in full each visit. My last office visit cost me $25. He's a doctor in the best sense.
Please support universal health care.
It will stop much of the greed connected to the treatment processes.
It will give doctors and nurses the power to heal you, and take that power away from paper jockeys in corporate cubicles who's financial incentives are to deny as many claims as possible.
Let doctors do what they do best.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
New York Life vs little old lady
New York Life has refused to reinstate Mom's long term care benefits. The nursing home staff submitted documents which should have cleared up any confusion whether Mom needs the care. Her doctor submitted documents outlining her chronic illnesses.It doesn't matter to New York Life. They are willing to turn a 75 year old woman out on the street. She gave up her home and contents based on the policy, which promised a life time benefit.
She's happy in her little apartment, but New York Life is putting her out on the street in less than 30 days, presumably so her health fails enough for her to qualify, according to them, for the the benefit again.
Mom is incontinent, forgetful, unable to cook, clean, do laundry, take her medicine or drive. She has CHF, diabetes, high blood pressure and some dementia. But New York Life has ruled her unqualified for the benefits for which she's been paying premiums for many years, because she appeared happy and content to their appraiser.
We are starting formal appeals.
The stress is already showing on Mom.
Perhaps that's part of the insurance method. They'll stress out the weak people and hope a heart attack kills them. The insurance company will miss the premium paying capabilities of their clients, but never have to worry about paying them benefits.
I'm sure that makes sense to New York Life executives, don't you?
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