So, the US healthcare ‘system’.
Tomorrow I’m going for a colonoscopy. Because of my dad’s early colon cancer and his subsequent death, I am a ‘high risk’ person for colon cancer (yay).
So, my doctor wants me to have a colonoscopy.
Now getting the appointment was about the same level of hassle as in the NHS – but then, because it’s the US healthcare system there’s the added bonus of money. So first I have a discussion about how much it might cost. Then I prepare myself for that. Then, I get a letter telling me to pre-pay; only it doesn’t have a piece of required information on it for their online payment system.
So I call – and it turns out I don’t have to pay… they think… I mean, they have to actually bill the insurance company after the procedure to find out whether it’s going to cost anything (because the ‘system’ does not have a stable output for a given input). And also, if they don’t find anything (fingers crossed ever so much) it’s “preventative” – and thus completely covered – but if they do, it’s a treatment – and thus not completely covered – and there will be a fee.
Which is insane. If I go in for a screening and they find nothing and I’m healthy, it’s ‘free’, but if I’m actually sick then I have to pay for it? What now?
*sigh*
Anyhow, so today I can’t eat. I have jelly (jello) which curiously comes as a powder, not cubes, here. And is crazily expensive (and the shop only appeared to have actual brand-name jelly). And pretty much the only flavours I could have were lemon and lime (because all the other ones have Red-40, which is a dye I’m also not allowed today).
I am currently enjoying a delicious cup of stock. And then in a couple of hours I get to be put off gatorade by having it mixed with laxative. So much fun.
I’m beginning to go off this getting older m’larkey.
