The Uninsured Life of a Writer

[lydamorehouse]

Normally, I don't get mad about the fact that Shawn and I can't get legally married. Generally, my position is this: I don't need your stinkin' god to approve of my union with a woman I've been with for twenty plus years. However, I _would_ love to have FREE access to the things that married couples take for granted: joint taxes (ours are a mess, thank god for our gay accountant), joint property (we have to put all that in our wills), inheritance laws (speaking of which, we still have to update our wills to include my literary rights), and... insurance.

Technically, I *am* insured, but it's the bare minimum that the state offers sad, poor people like me and it has a ridiculously high deductable (like $2,000) so I basically have to pay for everything out of pocket. And, though the contract I signed *said* they covered dental, when my dental office called them to check they said they don't.

My tooth broke when we were in Indiana.

It felt HUGE, of course, and it was one of those things that my tongue kept finding and worrying at. I finally decided, hang the expense, I *had* to go in. It's going to need a crown, of course. Luckily, the dental office was sympathetic to my plight and patched the hole temporarially and told me I could come in "whenever my schedule permited it" (subtle, polite language for "when you can afford it, you sad cow.")

You're reading this thinking -- but, doesn't Shawn work for the state of Minnesota? Aren't they supposed to offer domestic partner benefits? They don't have to, actually, because unlike the University of Minnesota (where I used to work,) MHS is a psuedo-government agency because they get a lot of their income from donations, museum fees, etc. But they *do* offer reimbursement for domestic partners, but that means I have to find someone who will take me on as an individual (rather than buying into their group rate, like married partners get,) and then they will add whatever that cost to Shawn's paycheck... except then they tax us for that "added income." In short: it's a rip-off.

So, after a brief back and forth with the receptionist about whether I was covered for dental work or not, I sat in the dentist office feeling cranky at all the people who carry all thier queer hate into the political arena. I mean, Jesus, how exactly am I offending God by getting my tooth fixed?

Speaking of god, we got our Solstace tree early. We did our traditional trek across University Avenue to pick one out of the lot in front of the YMCA --from the "Y's Men -- clever pun, no? Then we hauled that seven/eight foot beauty across the street and up to our house. It's probably actually close to nine foot, since the glass topper brushes the ceiling. Captain America got a work out lifting that sucker into the base... several times, because even though it's perfectly filled out, the truck itself is quite crooked. Mason LOVED decorating it. This was the first year he could manipulate the hooks and whatnot without parental assistance, so there are a LOT of ornaments at Mason height. It's really quite lovely, though. He kept saying that, too: "Isn't the tree lovely?" he'd ask.

Then, strangely, just as we were finishing up, Mason got a sudden fever: 101.6. We gave him tyelnol and some tomato soup, and put him to bed early. Luckily, we have a follow-up appointment with his pediatrician today, otherwise we'd have to schedule one. The fever broke within an hour or so, but it's still troublesome. He still hasn't quite shaken this cold-thing he's had since early November, despite anti-boditics and the nebulizer.

I'm looking forward to Soltace. We got an invitation to a bonfire on Friday night, and we've signed up for a Solstace event at a public park, which promises candle crafts, more fire, and other things. Should be a good holiday.... if I get my shopping done in time.

Oh, and I'm over the slump with my writing. I did a bunch of revisions last night and felt very happy about the book again.

Comments

[naomikritzer]

If it makes you feel any better, dental coverage nearly always sucks ass and is more of a bait and switch than anything else. No matter how you get your insurance and who you sleep with. Unless you're sleeping with the dentist, in which case I think it's usually provided gratis. Do you know where you have the paperwork that says you get dental coverage? If they gave you something in writing that says they cover X, I'm pretty sure they legally have to cover it. It may take some more go-rounds on the phone, though, and it may turn out when you look at it that the big print says DENTAL COVERAGE and the small print says "for preventive care only, no coverage for fillings, crowns, root canals, or anything else that would cost you real money."

[naomikritzer]

(Of course, if Shawn's dental coverage rocks, yours would be excellent if you could marry her legally and have the same policy. But Shawn just looks like the kind of person who never gets cavities, and therefore wouldn't have run into the relative suckiness of her own dental coverage anyway. Usually the routine stuff is fully covered, but then anytime a problem develops you discover that at best they cover 50% of what they consider a "reasonable" cost, which means they cover 50% of 50% of what you got charged. And then they have a cap on coverage, just to be absolutely certain that you get screwed.)

[lydamorehouse]

Yeah, I suspect that the deal is that the fine print tells me that they'll cover certain things and not others. Ah, well.

[jenwrites.livejournal.com]

Come to Massachusetts! We're also liberal and cold, so you'll fit right in :)

[lydamorehouse]

Love to! Mason would love it, too. Y'all have an ocean, and given that he wants to be a marine biologist Massachusetts would be a much better place for him than lake/landlocked Minnesota. Plus, both states start with M!

[jenwrites.livejournal.com]

See? It would be easy as pie to relocate! Cold, frozen pie.

[xochiquetzl]

I'm always jealous when you say things like that. "Come to Georgia! Our official state motto is, 'Putting the FUN into fundamentalism!' but you can wear sandals year-round!" just doesn't have the same ring.

*back of hand to forehead*

[jenwrites.livejournal.com]

If it's any consolation, we're currently buried in over a foot of snow, and most shoveled surfaces have turned into skating rinks.

In other words, Lyda would feel right at home here, and you'd be in hell.

[xochiquetzl]

What is this "snow" stuff of which you speak? ;)

Thank you. That does make me feel better. There's also the "WHERE'S THE FUCKING SUN????" factor. The fact that I had SAD in southern Virginia bodes poorly for my MA transplant options.

It was 23 this morning. I'm surprised you didn't hear me whining all the way up there.

[magentamn.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear you're over the slump.

There are several places around town that have sliding fee or other reduced fee dental clinics. I used to use Southside Dental Clinic, 4243 4th Ave. South, Minneapolis, 612-822-4383 and they were fine. Martin goes to Community University Dental Clinic, 2001 Bloomington Ave. South Minneapolis, 612-638-0700 and has received good care. Most of these base payment on income and family size, so you should probably consider yourself a family of one. There is also the U of M dental school, which can be tedious. You can also look at this page, which is where I got the info:

http://www.cdf-mn.org/HealthCare/dental.htm

There is one place listed for St Paul: Model Cities Health Clinic
409 North Dunlap St St. Paul, MN 651-290-9200. I know nothing about them.

Hope this helps.

[lydamorehouse]

Thanks, M. I've been thinking about going back to the U of M dental school, actually. I used to go when I was *completely* uninsured in college.

[holy-toledo.livejournal.com]

Say "hi" to my uncle and cousin while you're there. One's a dental assistant, the other's one of the teaching dentists. ;)

-Mel

[(Anonymous)]

Crap, I'm sorry, Lyda. :( I really thought the state of Minnesota was more advanced in the domestic partner field. Obviously, I have to pay more attention to politics.

-Mel

[darkchallenger.livejournal.com]

Dental always sucks. I have coverage through my Union, but it still takes so much out of pocket money,if you have to go in for anything. It still beats your situation, but I've been putting of getting a crown for quite a long time now. I'm having enough trouble affording heat,gas, and food. I'm picking up extra hours at the Uncles to pay for the increase in my insurance, as it is. What a racket.

Enjoy your solstice!

(Gift certificates to the Uncles make great gifts and you can do it over the phone!)

[hutch0.livejournal.com]

You should be mad that you're denied the chance to enter into a civil partnership. The ceremony we have over here gives you the legal status of a married couple, including stuff like tax, social security, inheritance and workplace benefits. And to my knowledge the ceremony doesn't involve deities. We've had that for the past two years and it was one of the most sensible things the Labour government ever did. How that would mesh with the American medical system, whose cruelty occasionally leaves me open-mouthed, I don't know.

[lydamorehouse]

I *am* mad about that. In fact, that's one of the reasons I don't engage in the "gay marriage" issue much. It annoys me that the whole discussion has gotten hijacked by the religious right and made an offense to god or whoever, when, in fact, the whole marriage thing has always been about property rights and inheritance -- even for straight people. It makes much more sense as an issue of civil partnership.

I'd continue to rant, but I can't let my blood pressure get too high. I don't have coverage!

[hutch0.livejournal.com]

Agreed, but the very fact that civil partnerships and their equivalents in some US states exist must hold out some hope for the future? Thirty or forty years ago they would have had no chance.
I know, that's no use to you right now...

[xochiquetzl]

Generally, my position is this: I don't need your stinkin' god to approve of my union with a woman I've been with for twenty plus years.

Which is precisely the part that pisses me off, I'm afraid. If marriage is a sacrament before God, then the state has no business in it.

[lydamorehouse]

Yeah, but it's not. Marriage is a legal contract, not a holy one. My parents, for instance, eschewed any religious element and got married in front of a judge. If marriage was REALLY about god, ship captains couldn't do it, etc.

So I say, keep god out of my legal contract. :-)

[xochiquetzl]

:)

Yeah, but I feel like They [TM] try to have it both ways--it's a legal contract when someone cries "separation of church and state" and a sacrament when someone says "gay marriage." Someone should shout, "No double-dipping!" and take the fondue pot away from Them [TM].

[lydamorehouse]

Excellent point. The whole thing makes my head... and my teeth... hurt.

MN vs. MHS (from Shawn)

[(Anonymous)]

I just wanted to jump in for a minute and clarify one of Lyda's points. The state of Minnesota does not offer domestic partner benefits because the legislation keeps getting shot down. However, because MHS is a quasi government organization, it can go further than the state. So, MHS does recognize domestic partners. But, because of various laws (or lack thereof), I can't carry Lyda on my insurance, I have to get reimbursed for what I spend. The catch is that the reimbursement is taxed. This is in no way MHS' fault -- MHS is doing all it can towards equal treatment.