At Ask Metafilter, creatrixtiara asked (in part)
Many fascinating replies on resetting one’s expectations and doing a good-enough job. In particular, Jane the Brown responded (at epic, entirely-worthwhile length) ( two snippets totalling 300 words )
Folk singer Jesse Welles hellswelles wrote a great song about why companies like United Healthcare are horrible:
You paid for the paper,
you paid for the phone,
you paid for everything you need
to deny what you’re owed.
Play on YouTube or stream it ( here )
I grew up in the 60s, when protest music was played on commercial radio. In the 70s, I played rhythm guitar and sang alto in several protest bands. We played at rallies and on picket lines, as well as small clubs in my town. Sharing a song with a crowd feeds my soul.
Any protest music that’s speaking to you right now?
On 8 July, I got a cortisone shot in my middle finger, in hopes of warding off surgery for yet another trigger finger. The PT handed me an oval-8 splint to wear that would help the synovial sheath swelling to calm down.
In the mail today, I got a notice from my pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) one of four profit-making entities that I buy health care from. This EOB notice comprised six sheets of office paper, mailed flat in a 9"x12" catalog envelope with a custom window. On top was the single-sided cover sheet with my and their addresses (to fit the window) as well as a boxed definition of "explanation of benefits" (EOB).[note 1] Next was another single-sided sheet with that actual explanation (details below). Then there are four more pages printed both sides explaining how to appeal (in type too small for me to read). These six sheets were mailed unfolded in a catalog envelope from Connecticut (although Navitus is headquartered here in Madison). For personal mailings, six sheets folded in an envelope costs $0.74 — sending flat sheets increases the cost 230%. Commercial postage is less but too confusing for me to calculate.
In the end, the EOB informed me that I might need to pay $1.20 for the oval-8 splint — more than it cost to send me the notice.
I know that many, perhaps most EOBs document important (nay, oppressive) amounts of money. Yet and still, this system is borked.
Players in my health care team, or, places to duplicate info and mishandle data:
Note 1: (I’m not going to attempt to spell out what an EOB is. A handful of places try to explain in plain language: https://www.carepartnersct.com/wellness/how-read-your-explanation-benefits-eob
Note 2: I’m super lucky that MyGuy spent 20 years working for #1; he does a great job analyzing the EOBs, among many other skills.
Yesterday SLATE published Dahlia Lithwick’s insightful and helpful essay on self-isolation "How to Spend the Time." It discusses the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic and a mindset approach that is helpful for me.
https://slate.com/human-interest/2020/03/how-to-spend-time-quarantine.html
( Juicy quotes that I hope aren’t triggering and still behind a cut )
She references Marge Piercy’s poem "To Be of Use," which I love so much it was part of our wedding ceremony, two months shy of 40 years ago.
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podcastjoy community
An Arm and A Leg is a podcast focused on the cruel cost of U.S. health care. Experienced radio producer Dan Weisman personally crashed into this issue, looked around for help, and realized this was a beat that needed covering. He does original reporting and boosts the knowledge of dedicated fact-hunters and advocates from around the U.S.
Even though the topic is dire, the show is funny and well-edited. What If This Podcast Were A Musical is indeed a musical about the cost of health care!
The Why Are Drug Prices So Random episode turned on a very bright lightbulb for me re pharmacy benefit managers. PBMs are the 41 for-profit companies which determine how much U.S. folks pay for a prescription, no matter whether we have health insurance.
I’ve poked Dan about his wanton use of "crazy" as an all-purpose negative adjective and the lack of transcripts for An Arm and A Leg, and he promises to do better.
In the meantime, a sober evaluation of PBMs from STATnews:
Nasal rinsing (also called nasal or sinus irrigation) is a long-standing practice in Ayurvedic medicine. In this tradition, the "neti pot" is the tool to have.
Yes, I do. My friends are amazed at what I eat and I do 2 hours of health-maintenance work every day.
I can’t imagine it now, but I’m sure it will come up.
Snack-snack-snack-snack. I have to eat at least five smaller meals anyway, and then I snack between them.
When my computer software (Rest) enforces a ten-minute pause.
I have no idea what that means.
You too can play if you follow thefridayfive
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There is a new conflict in town: employer-sponsored wellness programs and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). On several occasions the EEOC has sued employers for allegedly forcing compulsory and intrusive wellness programs aimed to improve the general health of employees. Is there a possible compromise for employers to foster employee wellness while avoiding unlawful medical inquiries?
quote ends
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