I love my coverage, it plus Medicare means Hubby nearly never has to pay for anything, and he just had a CT of his head yesterday. All the surgeries, tests, stuff, and thingies, covered. God bless our doctors, 99% of them have been stellar.

May the insurance drones who decide not to give him his drugs and change their minds on whether a surgery is "elective" burn in hell.

Yeah, the fact that I can't tell you how much my surgery was because I never got a bill? Priceless.

Who were you working for and can you write me a reference?

I have fab insurance too, but I've switched employers enough (even without switching jobs) to know that it could end tomorrow.

I also have wonderful coverage. Paid for most of my IVF costs, which many people tell me is unheard of.

Texting is not for conversations

It's for writing several thousand words of drawerfic while you're bored and in transit.

...

Ask Cass. She knows.

I can't even begin to tell you how baffling I find this whole debate. I am so far to one side of this debate that I can only sit in the corner muttering, clutching my single payer health care close, and not even thinking about medical expenses.

You and most of Canada.

I am merely Legally Canadian, and I'm in a constant state of o.0 right now.

Huh. I didn't realize Sargent Shriver was still alive. Or that he was a Lieutenant.

Who were you working for and can you write me a reference?

NYU. Between the fact they are the biggest employer in NYC and exploit much of their teaching staff, I guess they have the resources for fabulous healthcare.

Not only did I not see a bill for that surgery, but they overcharged my sister when she went to pick up a prescription for me (I was still in the hospital) and (unasked!) recognized their error months later and refunded the difference.

I also have wonderful coverage. Paid for most of my IVF costs, which many people tell me is unheard of.

Is that one of the things mandated by California? I know when I worked for a MA-based company, a whole lot was covered that normally wouldn't be because of state law, including IVF. My sister knows someone who falsely claimed MA-residency for said coverage.

You know why we can't finalize my dad's estate? Because Dad's Medicare supplementary insurance and the hospital have been in a pissing match over $400 since February. The hospital keeps sending Dad letters asking him to discuss the matter with the insurer. I (the executrix) keep sending the letters back saying a) Dad's no longer discussing anything with anyone, as he died in their fucking hospital and b) the insurer has denied the claim six times so they need to move on and either eat the charge or bill the estate. I don't know how much work time the back-and-forth has taken, but I doubt either side is doing it for free.

I suspect the end result of all this is $40 Tylenol tablets.

I actually have a health insurance question for you guys. My friend's mom is in NY state. She is battling cancer, which has spread throughout her body. She has finally realized that she can't go back to teaching college this fall, but her health insurance will end either 30 or 60 days after she resigns. I've heard y'all talk about COBRA insurance after losing a job. Won't she qualify for COBRA? And can they disqualify her from COBRA because she is so sick? Considering how sick she is (cancer in her brain, lungs, skin, and arms), does it cost more? She is very sick, but nobody's really sure how much time she has left. My friend's wife is due to give birth in about 3 weeks and they think she is holding on until the baby comes.