Happy injustice

I am not one to complain. Unless, of course, you read back on these posts, because someone emailed me and complained that all I do is complain. Interesting, right?

Then the email writer said something to the effect that I am an unsympathetic nimrod, or something like that. Which I did not understand. Then, he/she asked if I was fat and stupid, which is also kind of mean, but also proves that emailing person does not read this blog, because anyone who reads with any sense of wonder knows I am both fat and stupid.

That said, a few years ago I had a run in with the American health care system and anyone who has engaged with the white coated monsters knows that they always lose, as did I. I did have a little tiny video camera with me much of the time, to attest to the fun times to be had in waiting rooms, doctors offices and clinics where toxic chemicals flow freely into your body. I am going to dig up a clip from that film and post it here, but suffice to say that in the years that have passed, the decision making process has not changed at all.

An example you say? You want an example? Six years ago I recorded a conversation with an insurance company dip shit who was in charge of my health, in so much as, she could make life changing decisions based not on my health, but on my insurance companies best interest. I will post this clip, but what is interesting about the frustration I felt many years ago is that, this morning, I got to relive the entire experience again.

A doctor, whom I trust, has ordered a necessary test, which I need. The problem is, the test is many thousands of dollars and one of the key things I learned many years ago is, that no matter how important the test is, if the insurance company will not pay for it, and I have to, I will end up broker than broke. So, this morning, with the test lingering already for a couple of weeks (did I mention this is an important test for my long term viability?) I was speaking to an insurance company person and I said, would this test be covered? And she said, I can not answer that right now. I said, when do you think you could answer that? And she said, in a few weeks. I said, but I have already waited a few weeks and she said, she had nothing to do with that. Then I said, if you were in my shoes, knowing what you know, but also knowing this is an important test, albeit expensive, what would you do? She said, she would wait.

So, instead of making an appointment to slip into the radiology department where the nice people put you in a tube and let you stay there for a long time, I am going to put this on hold. Not because the test is not necessary, no one argues that this is a necessary test. What we wait for it funds. This is the American health care system at its most obvious. It will not matter if I live or die, if I am healthy or not, what always matters is who can afford these tests. Insurance companies go out of their way to not pay for anything. Insured people just want to wade through the mess and get done with it and get results, be they favorable or not. The problem is, doctors want to find out what sort of thing they are dealing with, but to get results, you have to dance with the insurance company hobgoblins.

So it goes. I will post the phone call from a few years ago, where some cubicle dwelling robot, with no medical background and no connection to humanity, makes decisions on what should be done and how it should be paid for.