I have just recieved a statement in the mail that has really made me angry. Before I tell you what has made me angry let me give you an understanding where I’m coming from. 71/2 years ago we had great insurance through Corey’s work. It payed for pretty much everything 100%. We had eye coverage and dental coverage. It was a really great plan. He worked for a really big company and I guess because of that they got good deals on insurance. Well after a little while Corey lost his job and we were with nothing. We had to move back in with my parents and had no insurance whatsoever. Our oldest was 5 months old at the time and unfortunately was sick a lot. The doctors were great to give me discounts and free samples to help us out. After about a year Corey found another job but with a small company that had no benefits. We had to get insurance on our own and paid about $300 a month for the bare minimum. Finally he found a job with benefits. It looked promising. It had eye coverage, dental, and health. We had a pretty high deductible but it was do able. Every year since things have gone down hill. First we lost the eye coverage. Then the dental insurance went up. Then they switched dental on us all together and it covers practically nothing. Every year they would take more and more out of Corey’s pay check for insurance. Just recently they switched our health plan to another insurance company. I thought maybe things are looking up. Boy was I wrong. Our deductible is now $2500. No way can we reach that in one year. This is where the statement I recieved comes in. I took Sophia in for her 15 month well baby check (previously covered 100% on our other plan). I recieved the statement today and none of it is covered. All of it goes to the deductible $300 dollars worth. Can you say puke. I haven’t felt this way since Corey was out of work. It seems I can’t take my baby in for shots anymore. I guess I’ll have to start to take her into the health department like I did with Preston when we had nothing. It’s almost not even worth putting all that money in every month for insurance when maybe we could be putting it into saviings and do much more with it. I know, I know, but what if something huge happens like a broken bone, cancer or some dormant disease laying hidden somewhere. I’m tired of this what if stuff. I want the things I need covered now. This is why I’m with the president in health care reform. Something needs to change with the health care system. Especially when those of us who have insurance can’t afford health care despite the insurance. I’ve been there with 100% coverage, nothing, and a little something. I say nothing was probably better than a little something. That is totally and utterly wrong.
Monthly Archives: September 2009
The dreaded phone call from school
Posted onIts 9:30 am and I’m sitting quietly watching TV with my two youngest. Seems to be a great morning and then the phone rings. I look to see who might be calling and I see it’s the school. Quickly in my mind I think okay what is wrong. You see Preston isn’t the kind of kid to get into trouble or fights. He might be the type to get bullied. Many times it’s the school nurse calling to tell me he isn’t feeling well. This is what I expect when I answer. Instead I get human resources calling. What!? Apparently Preston has been telling his teacher we have no money to buy food. Again, what!?
To explain, Last month we went over budget with trips and going out and the recent painting project. Corey and I have been trying to stretch the budget this month to get our money to go a little farther. So we have been putting off going to the grocery store for a week (yes a whole week). We have run out of milk, eggs, cheese, bread. You know the basics. It’s been kind of fun to try and think of new things to cook and see what we can do with what we have. But in the mean time Preston isn’t getting his usuall bowl of cereal in the morning or his usual dinners like homemade pizza. He has sandwhiches at school made with homemade bread (the poor guy). I guess at some point he might have overheard Corey and I talking about how we can’t go shopping for food because we don’t have the money. Meaning no money in the budget not in the bank. This must be another reason you save these types of conversation out of children’s ear shot.
So the resource person calls and tells me that they have means available if we need help with food. I told her thanks but we aren’t starving and are doing fine. It’s just a misunderstanding. Now I need to figure a way to explain this to Preston so we don’t get a repeat call.