lost in the land of selecting a health plan........

holy crap cheezits wipes................talk about an overwhelming search!

hub and i are searching for private health insurance. we are too "wealthy" to qualify for the state plan. however, there is a pretty cool program here in our particular state that will pay 50-90% of your monthly premium if your monthly income is below a particular amount. we waited for a year to receive our application. lots of folks in need and hopefully the funding for this program will remain in effect.

so the arrival of the paperwork warranted my search. the endless, annoying, shocking, traumatizing search of a health plan that is both reasonably affordable (a laughable term at this point) and provides a good, fair amount of coverage (another laughable concept).

my god...........the cost..........the unbelievable cost............for so very little in return...........some plans charge $800/month for a married couple. that is half a month's salary for many folks.

i am suddenly feeling very tired..........

i found a plan that seems reasonable. however, it doesn't include vision or dental care, which we are in need of. my glasses are old and heavy and my contact lenses, well, being i don't know exactly where they are, i can only assume they have done their "biodegradable" thing somewhere in the house. and being i stepped on my husband's glasses last week, well you get the picture...........

so fuck. fuck fuck fuck. no reason why our country cannot offer a national health plan. if only people could learn to swallow the term "socialist medicine". capitalist, market-driven, and individualism are terms that are the backbone of our government, our society. funny how so many think we live in a democracy. that would mean the priority is focused upon the good of the collective whole..........

one of these plans states they will not take tobacco users. nothing about having a higher premium. simply that they will not take 'em. another reason for my hubby to Q U I T..... however, that seems rather discriminatory. doesn't feel right to me. what about people who drink alcohol on a regular basis? or what about people who are angry most of the time? or who eat bacon every morning?

then there's the "pre-existing" clause in some of 'em, which is a real bummer to me. i have a deviated septum that desperately needs fixing. i also have a nasal cyst, which has caused me a lot of sinus pain. a simple out-patient procedure will make me all better and i have worked up the courage to get it done. however, it's a pre-existing condition.........if you can call having a crooked inner nasal passage since birth "pre-existing"........

sigh..........oh well, i am sure we will find something that suits our needs. at least in some way........until then, i am off to make some bacon for dinner. better enjoy it now before some health plan decides to exclude those of us who are bacon consumers......