Today, as I got home from work and grabbed the mail, I saw a letter from my insurance company.
"Uh oh," I thought. "This can't be good."
I went inside, dropped my keys and let the dogs out. All the time, I'm wondering if I'm going to be cancelled for having acne? Would Obama have to talk about me at his next press conference?
"There is a Sacramento woman, Ann Silberman, who had breast cancer. She was about to start her treatment, when her private insurance company dropped her over an unreported hang nail. Left with no choice, she performed emergency surgery on herself to remove the cancer. She was subsequently arrested for illegally disposing of medical waste, and died in prison after an unfortunate shanking incident. That's why we need a national healthcare system. We want to make breast cancer care as efficient as riding Amtrak, and as fiscally-effective as the Postal Service".
Quivering, I opened the letter. And here, in part, is what it said,
"Dear Ann,
Today's economy is stressful. Taking care of yourself may fall to the bottom of your "To Do" list. Staying healthy is still important. We want to help
That's why we are sending you this friendly reminder to see your doctor for an important preventative screening. Prevention is the best way to keep from getting sick or to find some diseases early, when they are easier to treat. It's one of the best things you can do to protect your health.
It's important for you to get screened for Breast Cancer (mammogram every two years; clinical breast exam every year.)
Our prevention tips are based on nationally recognized guidelines. For questions about preventative health benefits, call the Member Services number on the back of your ID card.
Sincerely,
Medical Director."
Hokay. I'll get right on that.
I love your post! It had me riveted through the whole thing. I've heard about places that start school in August, seems a little early to me but I guess that's because it starts to get cold mid September here and summer is definitely over.
ReplyDeleteI'm adding a link on my blog for you :)
Thanks for the Link. I need to know where you get your fab colored wigs. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's still 100 degrees here! :)
I hate insurance company letters. Never good news! But I do see the irony here...
ReplyDeleteRight after my diagnosis, I received a letter that was basicly, "Dear Mrs. X, We need to confirm that you are still married to Mr. X and still living with him. Please send a copy of your driver's license, last year's income tax, and rent receipts or proof of property taxes." This was supposedly just routine. It was just a coincidence that after being on my husband's employer's health insurance for 17 years, that they needed to confirm this. No questions about the 2 young adult children still on the insurance. Just little ol' me!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
You ought to have requested your mammogram+biopsy+MRI results and sent them along with a copy of this letter to your insurance company...
ReplyDelete