Has anybody seen my can opener?

I’ve written and unwritten bits and pieces of things I think about this issue time and time again.

I’m a Southern California liberal progressive (if we’re putting “labels” on things), so I know what kind of eye rolls I illicit when I share my thoughts on Health Insurance outside of the safety of my like-minded social circles.

But my nineteen month old has been waiting for a referral to see a cardiologist for going on three weeks now, and well…I’M MAD AS HELL AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANY MORE.

{In reality, I’m writing this post bent over my keyboard while the health insurance system virtually violates me in my rear — but it’s the thought that counts.}

She’s nineteen months old. When the pediatrician I had to switch to because Blue Shield forgot they no longer offered our program in LA County, and we slipped through the cracks and had to change Pedis mid-treatment for a double ear infection, I rolled with it.

Oh, have I mentioned that at age three I personally had fucking skull surgery thanks to repeated double ear infections? Skull surgery that wasn’t covered by insurance even in 1985, BTW. Good times. So we’re not skittish about this kind of stuff over here or anything.

Then after the 80 year old head-of-practice mortally offends me when he tells me his office policy is that parents must be present at every well visit because “Most good Moms want to stay on top of that information themselves, rather then get a report from the Nanny.” Well, the child’s Grandmother is hardly a nanny (but WHATEVER even if she was) EXCUSE ME for having to work to help support my family.

But Dr. Naz? The younger doctor is the practice? She’s lovely. She’s GREAT with Delilah. She’s patient with my Mom. She had almost undone the damage the “office policy” had done when she paused, asked us to stay quiet, and listened to Dee’s heart for a good five minutes.

And then? Words I think anyone with kids hopes they’ll never hear: Pediatric Cardiologist.

BUT IT’S BEEN THREE WEEKS SINCE THE VISIT AND WE’RE TALKING ABOUT MY BABY HERE AND I STILL DON’T HAVE A REFERRAL FROM THE GROUP THAT GOVERNS THE PRACTICE THAT REFERS TO THE CARDIOLOGIST AND THERE IS SO MUCH RED TAPE I WANT TO RUN SCREAMING THROUGH IT ALL WITH A SAMURAI SWORD UNTIL SOMEONE PERFORMS A PROPER EKG ON DELILAH GEORGE, THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.

We can’t just pretend it’s not happening. I can’t run my mental health care through my insurance because they will flat out deny me coverage. You think that’s illegal? They attempted it last year. Shit is FUCKED UP right now. And our generation is finally eligible to take charge. SO? Are we going to let this continue?

And if you disagree, please TELL ME – why WHY DO you think our system works? Because I can’t see a single way it does, unless you’re on HMO, which I AM, thanks to my 700$ monthly insurance premium…WHICH ONLY COVERS ME.

I’ll let the great Howard Beale take it from here: