We covered this topic before in a more political sense, but this one is for bitching. How is your insurance? Do you hate your HMO? Do they give you the run-around, or do you have no problem getting the treatment you need?

I especially love Kaiser horror stories. Tell me about the time you almost died because your doctor misdiagnosed your brain tumor.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2001

Answers

Well, I haven't almost died, far as I know, but I really really really hate health insurance policies. With a purple passion. What 20/20-vision-having perfect-hearing no-good pencil-necked paper-pusher is it that has decided that the ability to see and hear are unnecessary? Not one of the health plans I've had in the last 6 years or so covered corrective lenses or hearing aids. Most of them also don't cover the exams for either.

Every time I change insurance plans, I call and make my point that most reasonable people to consider the abilty to see and hear pretty darned important. Heck, even if they covered just one of them, I'd be less irritated! Their actual response:

"While we understand your personal frustrations, we feel that corrective lenses and hearing aids fall under the category of convenience items. Neither is medically necessary, as their absence does not cause a medical impact on a patient's life."

Ahem. Yeah.

When asked whether they'd be happy to pay out on their disability policies when I can neither see nor hear and therefore can no longer work, the disability rep noted that "No, they'll just sue the insurance carrier to cover the corrective devices."

Yes, well...can I just point out that it doesn't really make sense to (and in some, if not all, states, you can't) sue YOURSELVES?

So (even with the 'you have stupid insurance' discounts), we're putting almost five grand in our medical savings account to cover glasses and/or contact lenses (for both of us) and hearing aids (for me). Insane.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2001

I'm almost afraid of typing this, like I'll jinx it, but I've been very lucky with my insurance. I've had Cigna for the past several years and I've never had them give me a hard time about any tests, surgery, etc. In 1995, a few months after I joined Cigna, I was diagnosed with melanoma, and I remember worrying that they wouldn't cover the expenses, but they did. I've heard many horror stories, but I'm happy to report that I don't have one (yet).

So far so good.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2001

I'm in Canada so they cover a multitude of things on Medicare. However, some things are not and even my health insurance doesn't help me out much. I need to see a dentist. George just went, and the price he paid out of his own pocket was ridiculous. The insurance didn't cover much in the end.

And i would really love to go see a therapist/psychologist about a certain issue that i'm having - however my insurance only covers $300 per year. That gives me roughly five or six visits based on the prices i've been quoted.

Not too helpful.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2001

My insurance will pay for lots and lots of visits to Dr. Idiotic Orthopedic Surgeon and Dr. Insensitive Jerk GP, but decided that chiropractic care was a luxury, so I'm going to have to foot the bill for most of that this year.

I had a nasty leg-pain problem for nearly a year, and after the Drs. Dumbo did all kinds of stupid things, including PT and an MRI, the chiropractors figured out the real problem and took care of it in about three weeks.

But you know, if it doesn't have a damn MD after it, it doesn't count.

*grumblegrumblebitchgrumble*

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2001

Until they were forced to by state law, my old insurance decreed that they would cover Viagra, biofeedback, and abortions, but not the pill. That made me so mad. What kind of message is that sending to women? "We will pay men to get it up so they can knock you up, and you could get an abortion every month, but no sirree will we pay for Evil Birth Control pills!" Lame.

My new insurance covers the pill after my huge monthly copay, so I save oh, gee, four bucks a month. Thanks! And they don't cover the generic for the pill I am on now, so I have to pay more. Great. (Luckily I am off this pill soon, I think).

Mundane stuff like this makes me really dread something bad ever happening, and what I would go through then. I see horror stories on the news all the time, and this is petty bitching compared to that stuff. I feel dumb mentioning it, but it irks me.

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2001

I deal with insurances on a daily basis. I honestly don't think people complain enough. People are letting these insurance companies who dont know jack about much dictate their lives. Insurance companies that limit the number of anti-imflammatory pills u can have a month, how many pain medication pills you can take..

RIDICULOUS I TELL YA!

-- Anonymous, March 09, 2001

Kieca, and any other gal on the Pill--

Have your OB/GYN write out the prescription to "dispense three packs". My gyn told me just about any insurance will do this. They're allowed to specify quantity, see. And then you get three months supply for one co-pay. This way, it only costs me $5 a cycle.

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2001

I broke my arm last Thursday, and our stupid insurance apparantly won't cover the cost of a hot young man in a loincloth to follow me around all day, opening things for me, and taking dictation, while I heal.

What a crappy healthcare system this turned out to be!

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2001

Damn. Isn't there some kind of appeal process, Kristin? You should get a lawyer. A lawyer in a loin cloth!

-- Anonymous, March 13, 2001