Connecting the dots

[susandennis]

So, as I'm falling asleep last night I finally figure out where my cellphone minutes have gone...  My plan has free calling between 9p.m. and 7 a.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends.  I don't call Mom every day but most days.  And some days she just goes on and on and on and on and on...  When I was commuting, I always called on my way in.  And I was always at my desk no later than 6:45.  So all the calls were free.

Now that I'm here, my routine has been to wake up and read the paper and read LJ and have coffee and kind of work up to the call which then lands it squarely on the money side of 7 a.m.  She seemed sharper than usual this morning so I explained this to her and told her that if I hadn't called before 10 her time, it would be an email only day unless there was an emergency.  She got it.  And even asked if she called me did it count against my minutes.  Excellent question and the answer is yes but I told her no because I don't want her to not call if she wants to. 

Problem solved. 

And we discussed the world's most complicated prescription drug plan.

For those of you in other countries who might not be aware of our federal government's latest attempt...  They have created a plan for offering senior citizens some insurance coverage for prescription drugs.  The plan, created by the federal government, is actually administered by a bazillion different competing insurance companies - which companies and which plans are available varies widely across the country.  None of them are easy to understand.  The application process started yesterday.  If you apply before the end of the year your benefits start in January. If you don't apply by May 15 of next year theree is a substantial financial penalty. 

My current theory is that the entire thing is a conspiracy plot launched by the IRS (tax collectors) in their never ending quest to make it appear as if they are not the spawn of satan.

I saw a guy being interviewed on NBC news the other night about the plan.  He was with the agency that created it.  The interviewer noted that the plan and process were incredibly complicated and that a lot of seniors were confused because it was so complicated.  He said:

Well, life is complicated.  They should ask their pharmacist or their family for help.

Ya gotta love bureaucrats who have never seen the real world.  We have actually had a good bit of fairly good explanatory coverage of the thing.  But so much of the detail is dependent on the specifics in the various regions of the country that what works here is Washington ain't gonna fly in South Carolina.  But I have done my homework.  Mom has a list of her drugs from Mindy, the pharmacist.  And Mindy told her to send me round when we were ready to apply and she'd help us insure we had it right. 

I have a meeting today with a client.  It's on the other side of the lake and not until 3 which means I'll get to make the long drive home at the peak of rush hour.  Lucky me.  But, one time beats the hell out of ten times a week!

Comments

[geordie.livejournal.com]

Coming from a country that has free prescription drug coverage for all seniors and other risk groups I have trouble viewing the US medical system as anything more than a commercial money making scheme. The seniors prescription benefits thing seems designed to cause as much confusion as possible whilst making even more companies wealthy. Perhaps I should abandon my morality and set up a medical insurance company? One short step from being a loan shark or a small time hood.

[machupicchu.livejournal.com]

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Well, life is complicated. They should ask their pharmacist or their family for help.

Wow. What an asshole.

In other news, did you see that I posted another "walk home" entry last night? Can't ever do those anymore without making sure you know . . .
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[susandennis]

I did, thanks! I like the way you laid it out in Flickr. Good work. Hot dog guy was a bit of a treat... what a fun job that must be.

[machupicchu.livejournal.com]

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Maybe it's fun for that person . . . if I were expected to act perky while dressed in a hot dog suit, I think I'd last maybe 15 minutes before I found someone to strangle.
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[roadskoller.livejournal.com]

The fact that the drug companies are running this boondoggle gives me the heebiejeebies. You know there's money in it for them somewhere.

Hmmm. I used the term boondoggle and heebiejeebies in a single sentence.

[susandennis]

I used the term boondoggle and heebiejeebies in a single sentence.

It's a proud moment, indeed.

[gissa.livejournal.com]

Oh I bet the Pharmacists are really thrilled to hear that they should advise and clarify things for a bunch of seniors while the crowd just gathers behind them waiting to get their prescriptions filled.