Health Insurance in 2012

Let me start by saying that this post is not meant to spark a debate on whether you agree/disagree on Obamacare, instead this post is to document how health care is affecting me today and sharing this story with my daughter (which is why I write this blog, it is her virtual baby book).

I didn’t give health insurance much thought until I didn’t have it and couldn’t get it. I was always covered as a child, covered while I was a student in college, and then covered by my employers. When I became self-employed in my late twenties, I entered the world of individual health care. And this is where things started to go wrong for me. I was thrust into the hell of “pre-existing condition”. I was rejected for individual health care from all of the major companies due to my pre-existing conditions. So I turned to the insurance of last resort: state health insurance. But when I turned 30, my already expensive state insurance increased in price just because I turned thirty. It was horrible enough to turn the big 3-0, but now they were penalizing me for it! At that point my paycheck was just barely covering my health insurance and my rent, and so I quickly had to get out of being self-employed and got a full-time job with health insurance benefits.

I had company health insurance until leaving my job in 2010, and then I qualified for 14 months of COBRA, which is what I had while I was pregnant. You retain all your coverage with COBRA so I was well covered during my pricey high-risk pregnancy, but it was very expensive ($850/mo). When my daughter was born it shot up to $1050/month! The COBRA ran its course and then because I am currently unemployed, I had to get state health insurance for me and my daughter. Each state runs their own plan. I'll simplify what my experience has been: Alaska is good, Illinois is bad. Insurance companies are a business, they are there to make a profit, and I understand that. I just hate that my health care is at the mercy of a money making company.

Is health care coverage a privilege for those that can afford it, or a right for all that need it? I don't think there is an easy solution, or a solution that will please everyone. I just wonder if the people that are so up in arms about health care reform are even looking around to see who is being left behind right now. I think that many people are coming from a place of have, and they just don’t see how screwed up it can be for the have-nots. I get it, I was there, when I had group health insurance the concept that getting covered as an individual was totally not something I comprehended.

I wonder what the state of health care will be when my daughter is an adult.

Where the F*ck is that Truck?!

"What is the status of the moving truck?" I asked the moving company, again, today. Apparently my stuff has been sitting in Montana since Tuesday of last week. She tells me to check back with her next week and hopefully we can narrow down a date. Excuse me? That's all the explanation I get? I have reached my breaking point living in limbo land. Not in my wildest dreams did I think 4 weeks after moving that I wouldn't even have a moving date set?! What upsets me the most is that it doesn't look like I will even have a moving date before my daughter's birthday party which I'm hosting at my house which has NO FURNITURE. I jokingly said when I mailed out the party invitations that if my stuff hasn't arrived yet then we can have the party at the park nearby but I wasn't serious. This just sucks.

Strolling Around

We enjoyed a couple long walks around the new neighborhood today thanks to a borrowed stroller. The stroller we traveled here with requires the carseat so she didn't like to spend any length of time in it.  I own two other strollers but they are on the moving truck. I'm really enjoying the sunny, warm weather, I just wish it was like this all year round. 

Watching Cartoons

I was watching the news this morning and when it was over cartoons came on and for the first time she was mesmerized by what was on tv and even laughed a few times. It was so cute.

And yes, the tv is on the floor since my furniture has not arrived yet. 

Really?!

It has not been a good week. My cousin lost his 58 year-old wife last week to a blood clot following knee surgery.  She also leaves behind two daughters and several grandchildren. It's just so unfair.

Oh, and what else?  For the past couple days I've been homebound with a very sick little girl. She has a nasty case of Hand, Foot, & Mouth (HFM) disease which is a common childhood illness caused by the coxsackie virus. It normally starts with a fever and sore throat and then two days later you develop a rash and blisters in and around the mouth, on the soles of the feet, and the palms of the hands. It isn't dangerous, it's just really gross. It's been miserable for her, and to be honest it's been miserable for me too. After two days of bottles only, she finally ate some solid food today, not a lot, but I'm hoping she's on the upswing as the sores are starting to scab over. Poor thing. I just hope she starts sleeping thru the night soon. I am sooo tired, but I can deal with being tired, I just hope I don't get it too! I have washed all sheets, towels, clothes, etc. in hot water, and I've lysol'd every surface. All in all it isn’t too bad and she looks sick much longer because once the blisters scab over they take time to go away.

I think the worst has past but I can't go to the funeral tomorrow because we're contagious. As much as I wanted to offer my condolences it is probably for the best that I can't go as the loss of my parents is still very raw and a funeral for someone their age will be incredibly sad and difficult. My heart goes out to them.

11 Months

There is no question that she's going through a growth spurt; even with moving to a new place, and sleeping in a pack n play [instead of her own crib], she’s eating just about everything in sight and is sleeping through the night and for longer periods of time!  She is blossoming into a little person with her own personality. She's so close to crawling, I would say it is any day now that she crawls across the room.  She is more work now than she ever has been, but still she is such an easy, sweet baby. It's so exciting to think what developmental milestones she will conquer next!

Busy Weekend

We kept very busy this weekend; had fun with friends, went to the Botanical Gardens, had dinner with Grandma, did a little shopping, and basically enjoyed the very warm, sunny weather. Oh, and most importantly I got an offer on my Alaska condo and we're under contract, again.

Buyers Remorse

Since I left my car behind in Alaska for my brother to sell I needed to buy a new car. I test drove two sedans; one was too small, the other was just right but more then I wanted to spend. And then I test drove a minivan. Yes, a minivan. I was between the larger sedan and the minivan, and in the end it came down to price and practicality, so the minivan won. I wondered as he wrote out the paperwork if I could change my mind. If I should speak up now. Or now. Or now. Until it was too late. I drove off the lot unsure of why I hadn’t bought the car I wanted. I’m pretty sure there is a lesson to be learned somewhere, but really I’m just annoyed with myself. And the minivan. To me, minivans aren't uncool (ok maybe a little uncool), just kinda ugly.  The compromise in my mind is that when I graduate from school in a few years I can treat myself with a new car.

In other news, unfortunately I spoke to soon about the condo, it is back on the market as of yesterday, my buyers backed out during the inspection process. Very disappointing of course, but it is what it is.

We Have Arrived

We arrived in Illinois last weekend and we're slowly settling in. It's been a crazy two weeks...after fourteen days on the market I got a great offer for my condo in Alaska and we are under contract! We still have to get through the inspection and appraisal so I can't get all excited just yet, but OMG what a relief to have a deal done before we moved!

I cried saying goodbye to my brother and sister in law. This was it, I was leaving family again, just as I did to move to Alaska in the first place.  I was able to calm down once we got settled on the plane. My friend/babysitter traveled with us, there's no way I could do this without her help. We (me, my daughter, my friend, and the cat) all arrived safe and sound.

As soon as we arrived we headed straight to the rental to get the cat settled.  I had only seen pictures of the rental so I was anxious to see it in person. I wasn't disappointed, the rental is great. The plan is to stay with my grandma until our stuff arrives from Alaska but if I can move into the rental sooner I'm going to try. In the meantime I have a few things to do like finding child care and buying a car. It doesn't feel real yet that I'm back to stay, I feel like I'm visiting still but I'm sure it will feel real when we move into the rental and we are settled into a routine.