You're Doctor Will Be in Charge of Your Healthcare and Your Premiums Won't Go Up

Well, we heard our illustrious leader tell us that our premiums won't go up and we'll get to keep our doctor.  Also we were assured that our doctor would be in charge of our health care, not some bureaucrat in an office somewhere....Well, can I prove him wrong or what?

We first got an email from our Insurance company (Tricare Prime) and my insurance premium is getting ready to go up 17%.  It may not seem like much to some people, but my husband has only gotten a dollar raise in 7 years.  The money goes less and less distance every year.  I've seen milk double in price over the last couple years. 

Then, due to my husband's injury, they have sent him to the VA Hospital.  What a joke that place is.  It takes all day (can you say Parkland Hospital...indigent?)  Even when you have an appointment it doesn't mean anything.  He had an appointment for labs at 6 AM, then his primary at 8 AM.  He was sitting out in front of the office, but didn't actually get in until 8:40 or so.  She hurries in and says she only has 17 minutes to do a complete physical.  First of all, he was there, where were you?  And don't drive us through like cattle because some other case took longer than it should.  We had gotten a bill for an earlier visit of $15, when our co-pay was only $12.  Turns out any Vet who walks in has to pay $15 for a primary visit, and then $50 for any other clinic they send them to.  He's been to either 2 or 3 now, depending on if they count the CT scan.  So, not only does he miss a whole day (he didn't get back until a half hour before work was over), but he has to pay $65.

Then, I get a call from my oncologist.  I just got a new doctor (my choice because my doctor was only at my town facility 2 days a month, so I switched to one of his associates).  I was getting an infusion for my bones (a bit confused on whether it's a calcium blocker or builder) and my old doctor switched to a shot because I was experiencing bone pain.  My new doctor decided on a different infusion that was longer. I stopped to make an appointment, but the appointment lady wasn't there.  Today I called back to find out what time she put me down for.  She said I'm getting 2 shots (one I always got and the shot the first doctor changed me to).  I asked why they changed me again, and she said something to the effect that that's the channel they chose to take.  I said so in other words, my insurance company wouldn't pay for the infusion?  She said she'd let someone else tell me that, so yes.

So, our premiums are going up and now my doctor can't determine what treatment I can take, he has to prescribe the cheaper one.  That's great for a stage IV cancer patient nearing 50.  Wonder what they'll do for me if I live to be 70?