So apparently, having dry-eye is a side effect of Lasik. To the point where it affects your vision, the very reason for having Lasik in the first place. Fine, I can deal with that. That is why eye drops were invented, right? The doc prescribed Restasis, which is supposed to help your eyes produce your own tears if tear production is decreased due to inflammation. The main ingredient is cyclosporine, which has been used for years to help dry eye in dogs.
Restasis is an actual drug, approved by the FDA and everything. So that must be why my insurance doesn't cover it! Or maybe they are just cheap bastards and don't want to shell out the $1080 (with my 12 co-pays of $10 each) it would cost for them to cover it for a year.
They say they won't cover it because the Lasik was elective and not medically necessary. To me that means they shouldn't cover the cost for chemo/radiation if somebody has lung cancer caused by cigarettes. Is smoking medically necessary? They shouldn't cover the cost of fixing a broken arm for somebody who was walking their dog and riding their bike at the same time; cause that is both stupid and not medically necessary. Want a mole removed? Unless it is cancerous and not caused by indoor tanning or by time spent by the pool(not medically necessary), can't help you!
But they will do an abortion if you accidentally get pregnant, all you have to pay is a $20 co-pay.
They will let you talk to a psychologist for an hour about your fear of bananas, for only a $20 co-pay.
Contacts aren't medically necessary either, but if my dry-eye was caused by them, Kaiser would help me. Lasik is better for the environment because you are not throwing away two pieces of plastic every night before bed, and it is more econmically sound because you don't have to keep buying new contacts or glasses every year or so.
And when your eye doctor tells you that you are so blind without vision correction that you couldn't find your way out of a burning house without contacts or glasses, I think the "elective" issue becomes a little more subjective.
Maybe I should just try to get the cyclosporine from a vet's office. All I know is if I decide to shell out the $1200 for a year's supply of Restasis, I'm not getting it from Kaiser. They are not getting any more of my money. I'll go to the Target pharmacy or something.
I'm switching to Blue Cross next year. Screw Kaiser.
7 comments:
I'd be interested to know if there are any differences between the K-9 adn human versions. If not, go doggie style.
Well Kaiser does suck my Dots, and I can't wait till its time for me to drop them dueces. I alwasy wonder as to why they are still making money off of people, cuz from my current experience, I have found that they are as usful as a sixth toe (sorry six toe'ers), or better yet as good as the middle man, cuz all that they do is out source your shit to some one else, now for claming to be a medical facility, they don't have shit, and the building is also falling apart, you know what this reminds me of... that verizon ad where the fake verizon is trying to make a sell, and the doode was backed up by all these cardboard figures (Boycott Kaiser, Boycott Kaiser, Boycott Kaiser!)
I read somewhere that some of the wet versions of cat/dog food like beef stew and tender meat chunks were the same as people food. Except packaged differently. I'm not saying I'd have a bowl just yet - but there were a few evenings when Baby Cat had a better dinner than Leslie eva did.
Any health insurance named after a luncheon bread can't be all that reliable.
How is it you get to change your plan? Is your employer changing or do they offer a selection?
As for dog/human medication, I think you might be safe, but I'll ask my personal medical representative (re: sister) when she wakes up. I know that they sell Amoxicillin for pets and it's the same exact thing.
The reason I know that? Because my frickin' mom tells me every single time I have even the slightest sniffle; and assumes that because I'm unemployed (though not anymore, more on that later), I can't just get real human medication despite me paying over $400 for COBRA.
Grr. I mean, that totally sucks doode.
UPDATE: I consulted my sister and she said do NOT use the dog one. She suggested asking your doctor or pharmacist about over the counter dry-eye remedies like Natural Tears or something. She also pointed out that this probably won't be a long-term condition so the chances that you'd need a whole year are slim. But we don't know your whole situation I guess.
It should also be noted, that while asking my sister this question, my mom was in the room and she sure-as-shit brought up the amoxicillin thing again.
Listen to the nurse, H. Blue Cross is good. I have them. And sometimes if stuff isn't on the list you can call and make a case for it. I did once successfully.
I'm sorry COBRA is so expensive....medical insurance is out of control. I don't know that it was ever under control though.....holy shit you got a job! I just re-read that in your post.....
I've often thought of getting amoxicillin from a vet. Yum I love that stuff!
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