New rant cycle.

I’m not exactly mad, just slightly annoyed. I’m well aware of the current political climate and its impact on medical insurance. So this rant is mainly a personal venting on a few things that personally annoyed me this month. Especially when I originally planned to start drafting the new Grocery Sprint article, but this annoyance requires a moment of acknowledgment.

I already accepted that this year I was now starting to pay a small amount for my medications. reasonable. I had paid for such things back when I lived in NYC and was under HealthFirst medical insurance. I do not expect to pay nothing in our private medical system compared to global free healthcare. I have always paid co-payments in NYC, with amounts as low as $20. Granted, I’m sure that would be closer to $25 on the low end by now. Last I checked in NYC, the highest co-pay for primary care doctors, that wasn’t urgent care, is roughly $35. Completely reasonable because they at least inform you from the moment you walk into any clinic.

So I was very shocked during the first 4 years of living in Grants Pass, Oregon, to not be paying for medication and co-pays. All i could think of was where was the money coming from that Oregon public insurces was able to pay for such “luxuries”. To me, it was a dream to not pay a cent on medication and copays. So when I started to have to pay a sum on my medications again this year, I felt a sense of normalcy. Yes, I recognize that is a very strange comment to express. I live in the United States of America; I don’t expect things to be free. I expect hidden costs everywhere due to trade, the distinction between public and private investors, and the way economics works. Technically, I started paying for medication roughly late last year.

When my insurance informed me last year that they would be heavily implementing referral protocols, I thought nothing of it. They already have a strong referral protocol. My only issue through the years was that I didn’t know when referrals expired or didn’t go through until the last second, when I found out through an outside source. I expect some level of being informed when a system requires my attention to act on such important matters. I’m used to a city-wide system that doesn’t like bottlenecks to the point that the insurance is proactive alongside you. So I’m not sure if this is a small-town problem or an overall operational issue on the insurance part.

Most of my major complaints are on the operational side of the whole ordeal. Plus learning that my eye care clinic updated their referral policy. The policy isn’t the issue. Which is that I didn’t know about the changes until I came into the office to make my annual appointment. What would have happened if I had gone through their automated system? Clearly, I would not have been informed of such changes until the last second. Then there was the notification that I would have to pay a $45 co-pay. EXCUSE ME! That is a PREMIUM level co-pay! I am on a low-income, disability, public assistance level of insurance. So if I have to pay any co-pay, it would not be anywhere near $40.

Besides going through the process of settling this ridiculous claim, I also have to go through the hurdle of handling insurance coverage for a new medication. The medication situation is actually much more reasonable. That’s due to the type of medication, dermatology, and it’s very new to my plan. So it’s likily a drug name issue where i might have to get the gerntic version for insurance to cover it. Simple enough.