Uninsured All of A Sudden

Posted on August 6, 2005 in California Watch Insurance Stigma

My insurance company has decided that I have had enough cure for this year, so they have declared that they are not going to pay out any more benefits. Being in a manic mood, I found this extremely humorous when my therapist told me about it.

“Don’t sit down,” he said, waving his arms in a “get ready to duck” motion. “On second thought, sit down.” He indicated that I should choose the couch. I sat in one of the chairs next to the door.

There’s a chance of appeal under California state law, so I took notes and went home.

In their goodness, the insurance people told Lance that my benefits had been used up about ten minutes before my appointment on Wednesday. Lance was more upset than I was, mostly because I was high on my own dopamines and needed extra lithium. Lynn also evinced her annoyance with the company and wrote them a letter which included the line “My husband thinks this is very funny, but he is manic. I don’t find it funny at all.”

Under California law, they can’t pull this stunt. There’s a concept called parity which holds that because I have a chronic, life-threatening illness they can’t yank my benefits out from under me. I never thought of my mood disorder as life-threatening until earlier this year. Looking back, I saw many times when I took ridiculous risks — particularly when driving. I could have ended up dead and only by a miracle did I never get into a major accident. So, yes, my illness threatens not only my life when I am in an major upswing, but also the lives of family and total strangers.

It is in the interest of the insurance company and the State to keep me in treatment.

So, we’re appealing. So, it looks like we will win. So, we will probably keep me in the treatment that I need. At least until AHnold the Terminator finds out and tries to remove the protection. I am sure that all his social darwinist supporters will think this is just fine until they are bankrupted by a major illness.

Hats off to the bow-wow boys who will destroy America at any price including cutting off their own — is this a family blog or not?