Finding Healthcare for a Diabetic

I'm a Type I Diabetic (insulin-dependent). For ~14yrs I have given myself insulin injections daily to meet my insulin needs. Throughout these years I have encountered some of the most inane physicians and incredibly few credible doctors. In Wisconsin I met with an great Endocrinologist (Dr. Paul Reber) that told me I was on an archaic regiment. Later - after Dr. Reber had left my clinic - I struggled and had to frequently change my Lantus dosage and timing. Now, after five years of trying to get insurance to help pay for an insulin pump AND to cover a percentage of supplies to USE the pump, I have succeeded. My control is AWESOME! The first 3 months and my HA1C dropped 3.5points.

In truth, the quality Healthcare is what I depend on to keep my quality of life high. I am also well educated in biology of life systems (a Biochemist PhD and now PostDoc at Johns Hopkins Radiation Oncology). I know exactly what is out there and what can really be fundamentally good for my health. Unfortunately, health is another one of the areas where the rich get better "things". Good health has a price and rarely does it depend on 'knowing' whats best. It depends on if you can AFFORD what's best.

That insulin pump... that exact company and model... has been available for a little over 15yrs. I JUST GOT IT. My HA1C has always been high for the past 14yrs(Medtronic Paradigm). My sugars fluctuate daily and throughout the night. With mis-education and out-of-date therapy I was trapped in a circular decline in health and generally being treated as a problem and not a victim. Being able to precisely control injections and the frequency of injections would certainly have helped improve my health and in fact - IT DID IMPROVE MY HEALTH!!! I simply couldn't afford it until now. So my government and country let me rot in my own disease, which I did not cause, because I didn't have the money that others did. Money - unlike my mother's motto - really could buy happiness and it was exactly the kind of happiness I wanted.

So sitting here, I wondered what would happen to me without any insurance at all. Up to this point I complain like a war veteran. Speaking honestly, I have a very cushy stress-free life compared to most. I have job in a nice building, a beautiful wife, a clean and furnished apartment with food and water. And on top of it, I have Healthcare and Dentalcare. I am sitting on a gold toilet and pooping silver... what could I complain about?

Well.... what if I lost my job?
What if my next job didn't have Health Insurance?
What if I die and my job doesn't have Life Insurance?

So I went to find some answers. Just as a precaution. The story with Healthcare in the USA is stereotyped atrocities riddled with horror cases. Is it true or just hype? After watching "Sicko" and listening to the GOP rant about government control, who knew? I wanted to see what an educated, motivated, and technically savvy person could find online and on the phone. I went online first and then to the phones. What I found (our rather didn't find) was actually WORSE than I thought. The maze of confusion and ill-given direction was mystifying and boggling. What's worse was that everyone wanted to know my info (which I refused) and once I said diabetes, they really didn't care... "Oh........... you have diabetes.............. well then...... it really doesn't matter because you'll be declined."

I decided to write this down and to try and find some answers so that others might benefit. For myself, I hope to always have company provided Heath Insurance until I go on Medicare/Medicaide. But the future isn't destined. It just happens.

So follow as I post what I found and what you do if you find yourself without Healthcare. And while you read... consider how you could help relieve the stress by supporting the efforts to have a Public Option available to people who have a tough time finding Health Insurance. So many politicians are against that change because of the vast monies involved. And truly.... maybe we all would do the same! I mean really, the reason I'm pissed is because I can't afford what I need. If I could afford it, maybe I wouldn't care either?

I hope you do care. And I hope you follow, comment, and share your feelings.