Goodbye, small source of anxiety

[laceblade]

In October 2011, I signed up for the program through my work where they take pre-tax money out of your paycheck & set it aside to be used to pay for health care stuff.

I added up how much I would spend during 2012 based on the medical appointments & medications I'd been taking, and decided on an amount, & signed up.

Unfortunately, you can only sign up for the year in October, & once you decide how much to contribute, you can't change it.

When I signed up in October 2011, I didn't know I was going to be having surgery in January 2012.
The surgery ended up changing my body (eventually) so that I didn't need most of the medications I'd been taking.

I was able to continue spending the money until March 15, 2013. BUT. I ended up losing hundreds of dollars (almost $1k?!) that I'll never get back, simply because my estimation turned out wrong, because the needs of my body changed.

I also feel annoyed that I could not use the money to pay for the St. John's Wort I buy & take on a regular basis (actually my most expensive pill!).
I did get a massage done at GHC to help with my upper back pain, but I could have only gotten reimbursed for that if I had procured a doctor's note?

Guess who loathes doctor's appointments & interaction with medical professionals?! THIS GIRL.


Anyway. I'm glad it's over. I lost money, but now there's not someone in a room judging whether my payments are "real" or not, whether they count or not toward this $$ that was already set aside.

And I'm really fucking excited to go to acupuncture today & after the receptionist asks, "Do you need a receipt?" I can say, "no."
GOODBYE PAPER.
Once I get my last reimbursement via check, I'm really really looking forward to recycling ALL of the paper bills I've got lying around, just in case I need to ~prove~ anything.

It makes me think a lot about health & how it's paid for & who's guilted for what. Even with some of the things that could be covered, like the massage - in order to get reimbursed, it was all, "Oh I'd better have an appointment to have a doctor confirm that my pain is real & that a massage would actually help so that they'll reimburse me!" Fuck that. I booked the appointment anyway.

My provider's having some kind of thing where I could get $100 for getting a blood pressure screening & talking with someone about ~health issues.


I'm starting to figure out that sometimes, even when things might eventually save me money, it's better for my anxiety about my body & conversations about my health to say, "no, thanks."

Comments

[were_duck]

Sounds like a REALLY good decision! <333

[sasha_feather]

My provider's having some kind of thing where I could get $100 for getting a blood pressure screening & talking with someone about ~health issues.

My provider had a similar thing where I'd have to give them my basic health stats in return for money. I felt like it would be selling a piece of my soul. Fuck them!

[wild_irises]

Can I just say "Eeew" about our entire insane health care system, and how much it costs everyone who isn't either an insurance company or a rich doctor?

[wrdnrd]

Omggggggggg, this is exactly why i've never signed up for a health savings account. Sounds like a lot of stress for little gain. Not to mention all the exhausting moral questions it raises like "Who gets to make these 'what qualifies??' questions?!" UGH. Sounds like a REALLY good decision to drop the thing.

[eggcrack]

I'm starting to figure out that sometimes, even when things might eventually save me money, it's better for my anxiety about my body & conversations about my health to say, "no, thanks."

This is wise and true. Sometimes pain and effort just plain aren't worth it.