Summer Summaries, Part 1: In which I am insured

This summer has been an extended effort to fight off inertia and general blahs. There has been a steady stream of things that have made me go, "I should blog about that... but then I'd have to get off the couch. Maybe tomorrow." In an effort to make up for my laziness and mild depression, I am introducing a new Misplaced Hoosier Special Feature: Summer Summaries. Join me as I recount the victories and defeats of a summer in CollegeTown. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll long for the days when I fought the urge to blog by taking another nap!

Today's installment: insurance. When last I shared about the Great Insurance Battle of '09, I had been rejected by Insurance Company #2, based on incorrect information. This is going to blow your mind, people, but the insurance company was reluctant to admit that they made a mistake. My doctor's office was extraordinarily helpful, sending off all of my test results and notes and not charging me a dime for all the faxes and phone calls. The exchanges would basically go like this:
Insurance Company: We'll insure her once she gets that follow-up test you recommended.
Doctor's Office: But she got all the tests we recommended.
IC: Okay, but once she's finished with the follow-up, then we'll reconsider.
DO: But there is no follow-up!
IC: Oh wow, that's great! So just call up when the tests are done.

I kept re-submitting appeals, though, and after many tears, several phone calls filled with barely controlled rage, and a few very strongly worded letters, I was finally accepted, with an exclusionary rider on my fibroadenomas. This is ridiculous and kind of scary, actually, but at least now I can get my annual exam.

You want to know the worst part? After they accepted my appeal (read: 3 1/2 months after I first applied), they basically re-submitted my application, which meant that my monthly premium had went up (inflation, dontcha know). It also meant that I had been uninsured for over 60 days. They kept telling me it would have no effect on any preexisting conditions since they'd go with the date that I actually applied, but there is nothing in our shared history to make me think they're honest. And given that I had to call three times before someone figured out that the reason my application wouldn't go through was that I also needed to re-submit my payment info, I have no evidence to believe they're competent. I suppose it doesn't really matter, since my only real preexisting condition isn't covered anyway.

Of course, that's not the actual worst part. The actual worst part is that rather than working to fix the problem and reform the system, Congress is sitting around with their thumbs up their asses while making out with lobbyists from Big Pharma. Meanwhile, most Americans are one major accident or disease away from bankruptcy.

Oy vey. Now do you see why I haven't been blogging? Don't worry; things will get better in the next installment of Summer Summaries: Summer Reading!