Life, Interrupted

Elizabeth Moon has pulled together a fine post on the senseless death of uninsured writer Melissa Mia Hall. Melissa died of an undetected heart attack. She felt horrible, she was in pain -- but did not go to a doctor or to the ER because she could not afford to pay for a visit, and was afraid that adding anything to her credit debt might jeopardize her house.

I'm one of those people who has been pushed toward medical bankruptcy. I hope to return to work in the next few months, but I've spent most of my savings while trying to get well. There may be no retirement for me.

American insurance is already rationed, and Americans are senselessly dying instead of living productive lives and adding to this great country. Take a look at Elizabeth's post -- and then pass it on. Maybe your friend will hear her when s/he has not heard anyone else.

I will not watch another friend die because they could not afford health care. I support the Affordable Care Act, and I vote! #ForMMHall

So, I find out I can save $180 a year on auto insurance. I need that $180 elsewhere, so I decide to change -- the company is good, should be no problem. I even add back in PIP, since in Texas that can help with loss of work, and if I can secure some help with that for people in my car, should there be an accident, right now it's money well spent. So, $158 saved, painless, pleased.

I get the final bill showing me what I'm buying and what I'm paying for it. And there's this line:

"Your total policy premium includes a policy expense of $140.00"

This has got to be a typo, right? Because surely they're not adding more than, say, $40 tops for fees -- and if it's because I was going to pay it over several months instead of all at once, I can pay all at once, I just am greedy with the interest right now.

So today I call. And guess what: Not only is the amount correct, but it has nothing to do with doing payments. It's really already included in my price quote, so I am still changing companies. Turns out it is the company's cost of doing business in Texas, and is added to every policy.

I have no memory of this fee with the last company. But one would assume that statement was there somewhere. Because this means the cost of this policy is REALLY low. Making the previous insurance REALLY high.

I used to think auto insurance made more sense and was easier than health insurance.

Maybe not.

Well, well, well.... Once again, travel with a whopper injection every three days is a PITA.

The people in the Tucson, Arizona hospital urgent care have not been ignoring me -- they have been wending their way through the land mines of American health care -- IE my health insurance.
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The nice person at the hospital suggested I try the grocery stores -- some are opening stations with nurses for patrons to take care of minor, non-emergency stuff. So...calling Frye's and Ike's groceries. My father may end up doing these (or starting them -- and then someone with stronger hands can finish) but the nurses at Urgent Care really tried, so they should get cookies or fudge. It will be arranged -- unless I can't get these shots and don't go. I need to see if American will credit me for tickets another time.