21 October 2008

another thing

une pipei have been sent public and private comments about how i handled my ear infection. specifically how i handled in incorrectly.

yes, i realize there are ear, nose, and throat doctors in the world. i also realize they handle these things much better than a GP, an urgent care center, or Minute Clinic ever could. i even went to one the last time i had a throat in infection that kept me in bed for 5 days.

but specialists cost a lot of money.

health care in general costs a lot of money. the kind of health insurance i qualify for as a "young" single female in the state of maryland can be described as either "under insurance" or "$800 out of pocket per month".

to put that figure in perspective, i currently spend as much combined on my car insurance, student loan repayment, and rent every month.

well, some insurance is better than no insurance right? not really. when i had health insurance, i could never find someone who was qualified to call themself a doctor who would actually see me. i didn't have expensive enough insurance to be seen by someone fancy and reputable.

when i went to the ENT, 100% was out of pocket, even though i had insurance.

now, without it, i am the pariah in the corner at urgent care.

i try not to get political or turn my blog into a PSA, but this gets my goat. the faceless uninsured are not just the homeless black children living in the inner city you can readily conjure up in your head when you watch the evening news.

it is also me.
a white woman living in a small hippie town next to the big city. someone with a car, a roof over her head, her own business, a job at another small business, and a terminal graduate degree.

put that in your pipe and smoke it.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

PREACH IT. you are talking about me too, and a lot of people i know.

sadie said...

for years i have felt stuck in a corporate type administrative job that i have hated so that i could have affordable healthcare. i found out a few years ago that i have a condition that makes me uninsurable in the general healthcare market. i would gladly be self-employed, have several full or part time jobs that i actually enjoyed if i could even have the opportunity to pay for healthcare on my own. i can't. it's this way or no way. if mccain is elected i will even lose this.

p.s. i miss the yarn store. Sarah