Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Under the heading of...

...things I wish I'd known before we had moved.

I'm really not sure what I would have done differently though. It's not like we could move back to Florida, even if we wanted to. That nest egg has sailed, and I'm so friggin' happy here, it's not an option. Searching for office work here, with bennies, is of course the smarter option.

So we're insurance shopping. I knew it would be tricky, but I'm such a wide-eyed optimist about certain things, that it completely blinds me to the reality of them. Thus, as we started getting answers to our questions late last week regarding health insurance, I found myself shocked at our situation.

I had no idea at all that I'd have a problem getting insurance. My mind was entirely focused on getting the Hubs insured, because he's on a specific pain management regimen and needs to see a doc on a monthly basis. I'm Superwoman, so how could I possibly have a problem getting accepted? Besides, I've been insured for years and years by major carriers, so no problem, right?

Big problem, apparently. I've been turned down flat by two outfits now, on account of my weight not meshing with my height. Thank you, Congress...could we please push the rest of Obamacare through NOW?!

After 2 weeks of back and forth, Hubs has insurance and I do not. His policy however, has riders, and doesn't cover back conditions, headaches, and prescriptions. In other words, it's useless.

I actually don't look at it that way, because I'm the wide-eyed optimist...at least, if he gets hit by a train, we only have to pay 30% going in. You have to look at things that way, when the reality is so bleak. And his Rxs are generic anyway.

We'd be completely screwed if said train hit me though. That said, I'm ridiculously healthy, only catch the flu every 15 years, and the conditions I have (fibroids, polycystic ovaries, social anxiety, arthritis, and occasional nerve pain) are under control.

Note: Federal and state funding for high-risk insurance is already spent for the FY. I'm betting it gets spent somewhere around week 2 of January. I could engage in a high-risk policy, such as Blue Assurance through BCBS of NC, but the premiums are more than we can handle right now. Click the link and scroll down to Rates for a good laugh. That's monthly, folks.

I loved the safety net that insurance provided, the well-care it affords when you're insured under a good plan. It has allowed me the knowledge of my conditions and their symptoms, and I listen to my body well. I pray nothing exacerbates in the next year, because it'll take that long to lose the weight, and then some.

I'm still not going to go all Biggest Loser on the situation, just because some private company has it in their head what my proper weight should be for my height. Hell, my initial goal weight still puts me above their charts...I've always said I want to shoot for 175 lbs first, because I was happy and fit at that weight, when I thought I was heavy at the time. Then if I want to lose more, I can.

So I'm trying to get Hubs a better insurance plan and am looking at pain management docs in the area who will accept self pay. There's a headache center in Asheville that looks promising. As for me, I got an appointment with a gold mine here in town, an integrative family medicine practice that mixes Western medicine with Eastern and makes a point of keeping their rates reasonable for the underinsured and uninsured. There's a monthly program there that I will probably buy into, that will get me access to their classes, a nutritional overview, labs, and other goodies.

I haven't gotten back to exercise yet; that's the biggie that still needs to happen. I use the excuse of work or the weather these days. Today was bitter and soggy, and it's been lightly snowing all day. SFW! Like I don't enjoy being out in that weather! Gotta get back on the horse...

The juicing is still occurring, I'm studying inflammation, trying to keep my meat intake to once a day, rather than 3. This weight loss thing is still going to happen, and the blankety-blank insurance companies have nothing to do with it.

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