I’m having an panic attack here. I found out this weekend that I have somehow been signed up for Medicare Part D, which is their prescription program. I got hit with a co-pay that, although small, seems to contradict the info I have from MassHealth.

(Because our health care system is compassionate, MassHealth ensures that my co-pay should be what it always has been–it’s a state law.) Well, apparently not, at least in the computer.

So I have to get on the phone. I finally broke down and got a Bluetooth earpiece, which has reduced the hyperactivity-induced phone anxiety–but I’m not looking forward to this. 😦

Evil people (and you know who you are), don’t get in my face about health care reform until you end up with your life completely ruined as mine was–because my fall into an insurance lacuna wiped out my medication. And yes, I was, in fact, actually insured with a private company–they were excellent when we lived past 495 (a Bostonism meaning “getting to the boonies out there, ain’tcha?”) Unfortunately, they didn’t have a good network of providers here. The peachy irony is that the ensuing crash’n’burn ended up in being poor enough to get MassHealth itself. Heh.

My MCO, Network Health, did an excellent job of finishing up figuring out what My Deal was–and I’m getting better–but I’ll be on $1000 per month of medication for the rest of my life.

But even Part D would allow me to keep eating after their co-pay. (I’m guessing there, but I bet it would.)

Here’s the thing: Would America really be better off with me dead? I’m pretty harmless; both my excellent kids adore and highly value me. All three of us are in the arts; and, really, that’s important (especially as we’re good at it). I paid into my SSDI for my entire working life–and someday I hope to be able to have to cough up once more. But I’ll never do that if I stay sick–or die. And that’s what accessible health care means.