JACQUI'S BLOG

Jacqui

Held to ransom and a lesson in manners.
Monday, September 19, 2005

The good and bad of my day...

I had an appointment at the hospital today, an eye appointment. You know, where they use those feckin' horrid drops that blow out your irises to the size of Texas and then shine huge gigantic lights in them so that if you weren't blind before you certainly are after it. This is a clinic whose appt letter says "because of the nature of our clinic you may face waits of over two hours". So... ugh.

Anthony and I sat there making fun of everyone in and around the waiting room, but mostly the doctors. 'Cause it's their fault we're waiting so long. And, no, it didn't take two hours, only one and a half. *AND* we were the very last people in the waiting room. Seriously. The nurse came out and asked my name, I felt like saying "why? How many more folders are *there*?", but I was nice. I was also fully expecting her to reply "I'm pretty sure you're next, let me go check", because I'm a smart arse and that's what I would have said. But she didn't.

Anyways, after that we went to the diabetes center across the road to drop off the final paper work for my insulin pump (oh, the saga of this. I've had to jump through so many hoops to get this done, it's not funny, that in itself is a whole different log). And she says to me "there's been a problem". Ohhhhhh, this is where I nearly wept. She explained that the insurance companies have now put an official embargo on ordering the insulin pumps because the hospitals want to actually get paid for the service and the insurance companies don't want to pay them. (how dare they want to get paid for their work... the selfish money grubbing thieves! <-- that is sarcasm, by the way, dripping off your comp screen). So... no more pumps for anyone.

That's right, people. HEALTH has been cancelled for the rest of the year. Can't have you people healthy. Noooo. Over some petty pay dispute. Argh.

To which I tell her "but, I've already picked up my pump and it's sitting at my house right now...". I'm nearly sweating at this point and my mouth is all dry, because I finish work next week, without another job to go to and the thought of having to pay $8000 for my pump outright just terrified me. (No way known was I giving this thing *back*! Screw them!).

And then she smiles.

Well, then. That's okay. Apparently, I am one of only *three* people in Victoria who will have a pump installed for the rest of the year. No one else gets one. Nadda. I don't know how many there are around Australia. But we lucky ones already have the pumps and so that is going ahead. But... seriously? Three people in the whole state.

How can insurance companies hold peoples' health to ransom like this? It's extortion. That's what it is. It's easier and cheaper to buy a *car* in this country than health. How is that logical or sane or even remotely *okay*?!?

Argh.



But, no weeping for me, because I'm still booked in on October 11th to have this thing hooked up. Yay me. And... it's purple! So... shiny.

Go look if you're interested --> http://www.cozmore.com/default.cfm/PID=1.2

Then we had dinner with Anthony's parents and his little five year old cousin was there. She's so cute. She has this little My Little Pony doll thing that shakes it's head back and forth when you press a button. And she was asking it questions, which went along the lines of "Is Anthony the coolest?" to which the thing would shake it's head no (it doesn't *do* anything else), when she got to "Is Jacqui the coolest?" and it shook it's head... she whacked it across the nose and yelled "Don't be RUDE!".

heh.

COMMENTS

Monday, September 19, 2005 11:04 AM

REALLYKAYLEE


i LOVE my little pony!
my aunt got married and at the shower her little nephew (5) didn't say anything the entire time but as we left he pointed to the chevy symbol on my uncle's truck and said "like a rock". they's so cute!

Monday, September 19, 2005 3:41 AM

CALLMESERENITY


I'm glad you got your pump and got all that worked out. You'd think that living in one of the world's wealthiest countries would intitle you to decent health care, at the very least, but it never does, does it? We have the same problems here in the US.

And yay on the pretty purple pump!


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