Health Care Insanity ~ Hypnosis For Stress

On Tuesday I really experienced health care insanity with my Mom’s medical coverage. Thanks to hypnosis for stress, I kept my sanity (at least I think so anyway). Years ago Dad and Mom chose to sign over their medicare coverage to United Health Care, Secure Horizons. Mom’s residence is in Colorado and over the years I have heard the positive and negatives of this coverage. Mom had a electrical fire in her house and December 6 and flew back to Washington with me on December 8 to live with Marilyn and I for the 3 to 4 months until her home repaired. On December 8 mom fell and then had emergency room visits on December 9 and 10. She has had 2 follow-up medical visits with an MD here. Mom also was taken to the ER on December 6 for smoke inhalation. The bill for the ER was $6,000.00 of which she only had to pay $50.00.

We had Mom scheduled today for another check on her fracture and to have her ears cleaned with a MD on Bainbridge Island that accepts Secure Horizons. But on Tuesday, we found out from Secure Horizons and United Health care that they will not cover anything but the emergency room while she is out of the State of Colorado. So, instead of driving 4 miles for a $200.00 medical visit the insurance company wants her to go to the ER which is 60 minutes away to be checked and to have her ears cleaned! Most likely, she will have to sit and wait for hours just to be seen. United Health Care was quite clear that they would pay $6,000.00 for an ER visit to have Mom’s ears cleaned but they would not pay $200.00 to an MD. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

The full impact of this insanity really hasn’t sunk in for me yet. I still have my jaw on the floor in disbelief thinking that someone higher up will authorize payment. Mom isn’t on a vacation, she is here with us as an alternative to having to move into a care center. We are saving the system money with this arrangement and yet they won’t cover necessary health care outside of an ER.

I know that I can’t just let go of this, I have to take action. I am uncertain what the action will look like. Right now the thinking is a written letter of appeal with copies sent to both Washington and Colorado State representatives. I may copy in the White House and Senate and House health care committee members. Certainly the Colorado and Seattle newspapers, TV stations and radio will also be contacted. We’ve even talked about writing to Ask Jesse at Seattle’s King 5 News.

The old rebel in me wants to yell, scream, protest and change the health care world. The wiser part of me says to be patient and communicate so that I can be heard. While it would be great to get a policy change for Mom, I really only hope to call attention to the insanity.

Any time I have thought about this situation or have talked with some one or begun to compost a letter, I have felt tightness and tension within me. The good news is that I have self-hypnosis, the stress reduction response and other tools for stress management.

What about you? Are you having to deal with insurance companies or other bureaucracies in your life? Are you trying to find your way through the health care system? If you are, I am so sorry. But, you can learn hypnosis and discover that you can find your way through the bureaucracy without the negative affects of stress. With self-hypnosis you can maintain peace within you.

I’d love to hear your insane health insurance stories. If you have a story to share, please comment on this post.