My Insurance Sucks!!! Sorry!

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     Laughing, as I read the New York Times headline Senate Backs Bipartisan Bill to Speed Drugs and Avert Shortages by Robert Pear published: May 24, 2012, I coughed and tried to get something more out of my inhaler.

     “Oh for goodness sakes,” I cried out, “it’s wonderful to get more meds out and I’m glad they’re being approved faster but come on!” I understood how important it was to have these drugs available, but what good did it do if they were available and you still couldn’t afford them?

     What they considered affordable really wasn’t; worse my doctor kept telling me there weren't generics available for most of my meds; if and when a generic was available I still couldn’t afford it.

     Dumbfounded, I still couldn't believe how much my medications were! Month before last I’d paid out over $2000 for thirteen medications and I’d finally put my foot down. The allergy meds I used, while under my insurance had been expensive, but somewhat affordable. Now that same medication had been made an over the counter med and believe it or not, was now so expensive I couldn’t afford it. I was due to get it again this month and I had to decide whether to buy my meds or pay bills and buy groceries.

     My insurance was supposed to help, but after the recent changes brought about by the latest bill that had been passed, I was paying more for everything, including emergency room and doctor visits. The doctor’s office had called me several times to remind me of appointments I needed to make. They couldn’t understand why I said I couldn’t afford it. Once again, I went through the long explanation; eight hundred dollars a month could only go so far and using $500 of it on doctor appointments didn’t leave much room for groceries, utilities, etc. Their response? Can you borrow the money? What the heck!!?!?!?? If I don’t have the money to buy medication and etcetera, what the heck makes them think I can afford to borrow and pay back?

     I thought about the $200 I paid for my medical insurance and for a moment I wanted to cancel it. What good did it do me to even have insurance?

     Oh well, life is life and I knew everyone else was going through the same thing. I stuck my tongue out at the NYT article on my laptop and with a sharp motion closed it out.

     Even though I’d been griping I hadn’t forgotten that God would provide as usual. He always did. I took as deep a breath as I could; gasped and coughed a bit and finally decided what to do. This month I'd buy groceries and maybe next month I'd have saved enough to buy one month's worth of medications. 

     Walking out of the kitchen I stopped and leaned against the fridge trying really hard to catch my breath. After resting for a bit I headed out the door. Hopefully someone had an extra inhaler I could have.

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Written for JP At Olive Garden Poetry Picnic Week 36 at: http://gooseberrygoespoetic.blogspot.com/2012/05/poetry-picnic-week-36-online-media.html

Thanks again for the opportunity! Blessings.