I am a rule breaker. I believe that the best way to know how something works is to learn how to cheat, at least medically speaking. Listen to the “rules”, test them, and then figure out something that works better for you. That’s how I learned how my body works with each diagnosis. I suspect that most chronic patients do this.
Read moreWhere Do We Stand in 2019?
The short answer – on shaky ground. While having a two-party government instead of just one party in charge will slow what damage this administration can do to healthcare policy, it also means that unless there is some kind of revolt in the Republican party, very little will be passed on the Federal level. In the meantime, the administration can change things through the agencies (like cutting the advertising budget for Obamacare (a.k.a. the Affordable Care Act so fewer people will sign up) and the states will go their own ways.
Read moreDoes your Chrismukkah suitcase sound like you’re carrying a pharmacy?
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, the holidays are here. When I travel home, we don’t have any more tension than the average dysfunctional family. There’s no yelling or alienating political discussion (we all know what to expect from the others). There are small celebrations to suit a small family. Sometimes I even forget to light Hanukkah candles. Because I forget it’s Hanukkah for all eight days. But, I do enjoy the time with my family, usually at Thanksgiving.
Read moreGobbledygook
I am blessed to have some really close friends on whom I can count for unconditional support. One is basically a copy of me, just with different anatomy. We even share a birthday. Although, maybe he is slightly rougher around the edges. Last time I saw him, he told me he was going to have back surgery in March. This is progress – I usually don’t hear about these kinds of things until after the fact, which drives me nuts. But this time, he needed my help. He had no idea what was going to be covered by his insurance plan or how much it would ultimately cost.
Read moreLest We Forget
George H.W. Bush was nothing if not a flawed man and politician. As someone said this week, he would be the second to admit it, right after his wife. But he is also our most recent one-term president, in large part because he approved raising taxes when he said he wouldn’t – doing what was right for the country even knowing that it would end his political career. We have heard a lot about his accomplishments and failures this week as the country eulogizes and mourns him, but one thing I have not heard mentioned in any of the news coverage is the accomplishment that impacts me the most -- the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).
Read moreOpportunity Costs
There are lots of costs to consider when choosing a new health plan. It’s not just premiums, or even deductibles or co-pays or coinsurance. It’s also the cost we pay in time. Calls to the insurance company checking what’s covered, figuring out what happened to the prescription we renewed, submitting out-of-network reimbursement forms, and on and on. All of that takes time you could be using to live your life
Read moreGrateful
We had early Thanksgiving this year. It was awesome. I shared a room with my niece and nephews, like a giant sleepover. I was perfectly willing to sacrifice a little sleep when the 2-year-old popped up at six in the morning calling, “Wake up, guys. Wake up, guys. Wake up guys.” Best alarm clock ever!
Read morePyramid
All chronic patients depend on their providers, some more than others. It’s kind of like a cheerleaders’ pyramid. I’m at the top balancing precariously depending on how well I’m doing with my own care. Holding me up are a couple of levels of supporters – providers, family, friends, even my employer. Some are bearing more weight than others, and if something happens to that support, it can bring the whole pyramid tumbling down.
Read moreWhat's It Mean?
It means we did what we needed to do. Maybe not everything we hoped to do – losses in Florida and Texas smart pretty badly – but most. Everyone who voted should be proud of the effect they had on the election.
Read moreThis Is Us
We try to stick to the healthcare lane here at The Patient Advocate’s Chronicle, but it’s become abundantly clear in the last week or so that this election has become much bigger than one policy issue, or even entire policy platforms. Not that we were perfect before, but in the last, say, three years, we have become a place where it is ok to solve perceived problems with violence against anyone perceived as “other”: other than white, other than male, other than the “right” religion, other than from here.
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