2019: I didn't know I qualified for part-time health insurance until nearly the last minute, so signed up.
2020: Pandemic was in full swing, and only used my insurance when I had my right leg examined, resulting in a compression wrap.
2021: I not only broke my left arm but had to have emergency gall bladder surgery. IU Arnett wrote it off; GSH sent me a bill for $51K. They also informed me that had I NOT had health insurance, the billing office could get me a larger discount. Since I'd already signed up for 2022, that was that.
2022: Applied for assistance, and was afforded a whopping 25% discount, which dropped my gall bladder surgery down to $49K. I still can't afford that. It's more than we paid for our truck!
2023: I had dropped the insurance, and the following month, fell down while at the Indy Christmas Show.
2024: Knee was still swollen, so went to the ortho doc. Since I was now self-pay, I had x-rays and an MRI, which resulted in I just needed more time to heal. Fortunately, I was able to make payments AND move some of it over to my zero-interest medical financing. I also discovered that since I'd dropped my health insurance, I could no longer get the VISUAL testing I needed, since they run it through MEDICAL, something I'd investigated before dropping it, only to be told the wrong info. In October, I signed up again.
2025: All was fine until August (last month!) when another wound opened on the back of my right leg, as a result of my scratching an itch. I went back on the compression. Three weeks later (Aug 22nd), I noticed mild pain in that foot, and attributed it to maybe my new shoes were the issue, and switched back to the old ones. More comfy, though I did notice a rash developing where the pain was. Three days later, that rash became a wound, so I made an appointment with the podiatrist. Over the next week, the pain would get worse, and on Aug 29th, was mock-begging my boss to cut my foot off. Had the next day off, then Sunday the 31st, asked if I could work while wearing one of my house slippers, and Keri told me to wear both of them, which I did, only due to no arch support, my LEFT calf was in agony. Decided to wear one shoe, and one slipper, only I wore my newer shoe, NOT the old one. BUT, I was in so much pain, I was nearly in tears at the end of a 6 hour shift. Sept 2nd, I called in, due to the pain (I had begun taking Tylenol Arthritis 660 mgs every 6 hours, which was hardly touching the pain). After some research, I discovered Aleve or Advil was more advisable for Achilles Tendon pain, so took 4 Aleve at 2pm on Wed Sept 3rd, and by the time I had choir practice, I could walk normally again.
Had my appt on the 4th, and cultures of the wounds were taken, plus tests set up. I managed to make it through my 5 hour shift on Sunday Sept 7th, then was very gratefull to have the 8th off. I also got a phone call from the Wound Care center, saying my precertification for that appt was denied. I could only get PREVENTATIVE appointment, not something possible coded for surgery, of which I had zero knowledge. I was also informed that if I have the tests done on Friday (blood flow assessment and vein echo), I would be responsible for the entire bills; insurance would pay zilch.
SO WHY THE HELL DO I HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, FOR OTHER THAN MY EYES????
Makes NO sense! United Health Care for PART TIMERS SUCKS!
And no, I don't qualify for Medicare for 5 more years, and we make too much $$ for me to go on HIP. So my choices are to keep working part time; give up my other job to go full-time (which at the moment won't work due to my foot); quit and piss off the spouse by having to pay my $1000 every month expenses (bill pay $610, credit card $200; credit card $100; streaming services $17; cover art $200/50 until paid; Patreon $5); keep my job and divorce my spouse (at least on paper!) and qualify for HIP, and continue paying my own expenses.
Or win the damn lottery......
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