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Friday, March 11, 2005

I got the most annoying computer phone call yesterday. That is something I normally hang up on, but this was from the pharmacy that fills my mail-order prescriptions. The computer voice, which required voice responses from me, was annoyingly perky. There was even a hint of a giggle when it said "Thank you". If ever a computer deserved to be slapped . . .

I sent in my scripts and they wanted to confirm that I was willing to pay the co-payment - like I had a lot of choice: $190 total. Hey, if it keeps me off the gas pipe and out of the ICU, why not? But it made me a little nostalgic.

It used to be that one good benefit of being in health care was that you were a part of the family and that meant excellent health benefits. I'd get a discount rate from my physician, hospitalization in my hospital of employment at no cost, cheap prescription coverage. Little by little, year by year, that all eroded. There has never been a year that I didn't have to pay more, seemingly, for less. I expect the same is as true or more so for those outside health care.

The co-pay was what brought it home this morning - $190. It doesn't seem that long ago when I could take my insurance card to the K-Mart pharmacy and pay only 12 cents co-pay. Twelve cents! It was supposed to be $2, but they wanted the business. Now the insurance companies have forbidden stores from discounting the co-pay. I guess it won't be too many more years before I'll be deciding whether to buy meds or food, just like a lot of other Americans who suffer under "the world's best healthcare."

and then . . .

I was helping a nice, but sickly, older gentlemen into the bed yesterday so he could be examined by the doc. As I knelt down to unlace his shoes, his sweet wife, in her eighties, short, and sharp as an ex-wife's tongue, made conversation.

"How tall are you," she asked.

"Six-four."

"Really? That's wonderful." a pause . . .or two . . .

". . . I wish you could give me four inches. I would be so-o-o happy!"

I can't help it. I'm an ED nurse. My mind went south and I busily, quietly, concentrated on my work, eyes focused on her husband's shoes. I stole a glance at my colleague, but she wouldn't look at me. All I could see were her shoulders lightly shaking as she single-mindedly concentrated on untangling the monitor leads. I wanted to ask her if that meant I'd have to do it twice, but I just coughed instead, trying to remember that not everything requires a response.
12:15:33 PM

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