Medicine
I will put a warning tag up here as I plan to get somewhat descriptive in a medical problem that I had. I will try to use words that will go over young-uns heads, but I don't plan to put up pictures or anything.
Back in late 2002 I developed a problem. I had a recurring feeling like someone had punched me in the groin. It burned when I would urinate and had to go much more frequently than I had in the past, to a point where I HAD to go (no option) about every hour. I realized that I should get some sort of medical help, but the basic diagnostic tests were over $300 - a bill I could certainly NOT afford.
Now I was working some different jobs, I hopped around a bit and never stayed long enough to get medical benefits or if I did get them, left shortly there after. When it got terrible, I was working for select comfort and I was planning on going to the doctor the week I was fired from there. So I went the afternoon I was fired and got checked. Rather than do the best thing and check the things that were likely (urinary infections, blockages, irritations) they first, FIRST did an STD test. I could have told you I didn't have any from the fact that my girlfriend had a week before had her own test as part of her yearly check up, and as much as I protested it was the first thing they did. I had to force them to do other tests knowing the result would be negative.
After a fair amount of protest, the doctor gave me a mild antibiotic thinking that it might be dried soap inside my urinary tract and that it could be dislodged with the prescription he gave me. It didn't help and I was without insurance so I was stuck again until I got insurance. I went through 2 more jobs before I landed at my current one where I finally took the time to go to a specialist. He basically talked to me about my previous experience (1 year prior) and asked if he could look inside. Numbed me up and took at catheter sized camera and shoved it in. I had a growth in my eurethra and needed surgery to open it up. Great, slicing meat around there is just what I wanted. So I had the surgery and as the different insurance reports come back, the total cost for this very minor, out-patient surgery was over $10,000. Luckily insurance picked up most of it.
Now during this time I tried several things. I tried to look at it in a cash cost basis. Almost the same, maybe about $2000 less, but that is still a huge chunk of change. State or Federal sponsored insurance. Being Male and making more than $12,000 per year I didn't qualify. If I had let this go on I could have died because the blockage would have become so severe that my bladder would have exploded and kill me. Apparently since I am a White Male, I don't qualify to live. There are however 3 different services that the only qualification is that you are female for 2 of them or a woman with a child for the 3rd. A man with a child qualifies for none of them, unless they are of a minority. If you are a white male, or the child of a white male, a big middle finger up for you!
Now, my problem is coming back so I will need to schedule a second more extensive surgery to correct the problem for good, but with more risk and a higher cost (of course!). There are 3 problems with this whole story. One of which, is mine. My problem was waiting so long to get things done, more so I didn't have the cash to do so and this is and isn't my problem.
The second is that there are no programs for men. No programs for white men. You have to be unable to live anywhere to qualify for state aid. The third problem is that medical costs have gone out of control. Insurance has ruined family practice and most medical treatment centers. The abolishion of the insurance business in ALL fields is a good solution to this. Car insurance is not a need. Mandate a savings account for your car rather than insurance. Good drivers are rewarded with the interest they earn, bad drivers have to pay until they can drive. Health insurance will reduce the moron moms bringing their child to the emergency room at 1 AM because their child sneezed....Once.....Yesterday (true story unfortunately).
I will probably be taking a week or so off in early September for my next surgery and will post more about it when it happens.
End of the rant for tonight
Back in late 2002 I developed a problem. I had a recurring feeling like someone had punched me in the groin. It burned when I would urinate and had to go much more frequently than I had in the past, to a point where I HAD to go (no option) about every hour. I realized that I should get some sort of medical help, but the basic diagnostic tests were over $300 - a bill I could certainly NOT afford.
Now I was working some different jobs, I hopped around a bit and never stayed long enough to get medical benefits or if I did get them, left shortly there after. When it got terrible, I was working for select comfort and I was planning on going to the doctor the week I was fired from there. So I went the afternoon I was fired and got checked. Rather than do the best thing and check the things that were likely (urinary infections, blockages, irritations) they first, FIRST did an STD test. I could have told you I didn't have any from the fact that my girlfriend had a week before had her own test as part of her yearly check up, and as much as I protested it was the first thing they did. I had to force them to do other tests knowing the result would be negative.
After a fair amount of protest, the doctor gave me a mild antibiotic thinking that it might be dried soap inside my urinary tract and that it could be dislodged with the prescription he gave me. It didn't help and I was without insurance so I was stuck again until I got insurance. I went through 2 more jobs before I landed at my current one where I finally took the time to go to a specialist. He basically talked to me about my previous experience (1 year prior) and asked if he could look inside. Numbed me up and took at catheter sized camera and shoved it in. I had a growth in my eurethra and needed surgery to open it up. Great, slicing meat around there is just what I wanted. So I had the surgery and as the different insurance reports come back, the total cost for this very minor, out-patient surgery was over $10,000. Luckily insurance picked up most of it.
Now during this time I tried several things. I tried to look at it in a cash cost basis. Almost the same, maybe about $2000 less, but that is still a huge chunk of change. State or Federal sponsored insurance. Being Male and making more than $12,000 per year I didn't qualify. If I had let this go on I could have died because the blockage would have become so severe that my bladder would have exploded and kill me. Apparently since I am a White Male, I don't qualify to live. There are however 3 different services that the only qualification is that you are female for 2 of them or a woman with a child for the 3rd. A man with a child qualifies for none of them, unless they are of a minority. If you are a white male, or the child of a white male, a big middle finger up for you!
Now, my problem is coming back so I will need to schedule a second more extensive surgery to correct the problem for good, but with more risk and a higher cost (of course!). There are 3 problems with this whole story. One of which, is mine. My problem was waiting so long to get things done, more so I didn't have the cash to do so and this is and isn't my problem.
The second is that there are no programs for men. No programs for white men. You have to be unable to live anywhere to qualify for state aid. The third problem is that medical costs have gone out of control. Insurance has ruined family practice and most medical treatment centers. The abolishion of the insurance business in ALL fields is a good solution to this. Car insurance is not a need. Mandate a savings account for your car rather than insurance. Good drivers are rewarded with the interest they earn, bad drivers have to pay until they can drive. Health insurance will reduce the moron moms bringing their child to the emergency room at 1 AM because their child sneezed....Once.....Yesterday (true story unfortunately).
I will probably be taking a week or so off in early September for my next surgery and will post more about it when it happens.
End of the rant for tonight
posted by Haximus at 6:41 PM
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