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Wednesday, April 15, 2015

TIME FOR A CONFESSION

Many of you know that I had to close my venue in December due to health issues, I should probably explain it a bit more because it has a great deal with the consistency of the blog and venue hopping.  In December I slept for about 16 hours, my son arriving woke me up.  When I woke up, my speech was slurred and I was totally confused.  Could not type, could not work my phone, was just so far out there.  My son was able to get my dr's office on the phone, and they actually answered instead of voice mail.  they talked to me for all of a minute and knew exactly what the problem was.  They had me take a dose of medicine every 10 minutes....If I had not gotten a bit better within an hour, I was to head to the hospital, they would have flown me into the university hospital I have me drs at....Thank goodness the meds did the trick and stopped me from going into a coma.  It was time for me to take a med that insurance previously denied.  Two appeals and a call to Aetna's headquarters in CT, got the med approved.  It ran me $72.00 in December, not too bad.  And it did the trick.....Kept me from going back into the sleeping mode....not confused etc any longer.  In January, I called to get a refill....no problem the med was approved, the cost was not.  it is running $900 a month.  Even if I give up the sim, there is no way I can afford another $900 a month.  So back to appeals,  I have gone through the appeal process, the grievance process, the pharmaceutical company.  By the way, this is the only med in the US.  There are no alternatives.  Turns out everything is being stopped because of Social Security....though they approve the med, they will not give a break on the price.  Now I am in a third party over Social Security for an appeal.  If that gets denied it goes to a judge.  I have been taking my meds, but not taking them correctly.  When you see me bouncing around sl, I am taking them correctly.....I get 5 days at a time and that is running me $200.  so I end up spreading out the last few days or skipping a day.  Back to the sleeping mode.  though I am sleeping for too long at a time, it is not enough to send me into a coma, but even the dr said that these meds have to be taken correctly, or I am running that risk. This is all from the failing organ.  It is beating the cancer as to which will get worse first. So I blog when I can take them correctly and hope that this appeal goes through for me.

I will admit that my opinion of Social Security is not high.  It is almost like they are playing God.  I have to wonder, how many people are worse off than me and needing medications that Social Security will not pay for, so they go without or spread them out and take them incorrectly.  I am a fighter....but not many people will follow the avenues that I do to take care of things.  I think it is sad what they do to people.  LOL can't blame Obama care on this one.  It was in place before that.

It has been a couple of months of being on the phone with half the country and all the hours spent on hold.  Though I have learned a few things.  The pharmaceutical business is worse than OPEC when it comes to playing with prices.  I learned that Salix Pharmacuetical purchased this drug from a pharmaceutical company in Italy, and that they hold the patent for only the US and Canada with it.  Salix holds the patent until something like 2024, so no break in price anytime soon, but that Canada also sells the same drug from the Italian pharmaceutical company in Italy as a generic and runs about $300 actually a bit less for two months supply.  I could do that like a drop in the bucket.  Only problem.....it is not in the US and it needs a prescription.  Chuckles as many Canadian friends as I have, I wish one was a doctor....lol.

So my blogs will come and go based on how I am doing.

1 comment:

  1. Hi, Still. I just read this post whilst trying to catch up with you. I feel sad and angry that you are having this struggle with medication and insurance. It seems so unfair to me! Of course, when we are in England or France, we have national health care. I qualify by my parentage in both countries - and then have to put up with the United States situation when "home." When will Americans sort this?
    I hope mostly that you are doing well, Still. Thank you for sharing so frankly about your situation. I am thinking of you and looking forward to seeing you in-world soon!

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