Saturday, January 9, 2010


Maybe I'm just crazy, but it seems like there's a side of this health care reform issue that needs attention. We're trapped in our jobs. Not just because of the economy and 10% unemployment. If those conditions were perfect, we'd still be trapped because if we leave the job, we lose our health insurance. And maybe unemployment is at 0% and the economy is booming, but there's still gonna be a window of time where you're uninsured and suddenly your appendix bursts and -- oops -- you're bankrupt. You lose your house. You're fucked.

Maybe that's just paranoia, but I think it's rampant in our culture and our mindset. Maybe this is all just coming up because I'm re-reading Douglas Coupland's Generation X and his characters are so cool in how they've walked away from the bullshit consumerism of our culture -- the obsession with stuff -- so they're all so hip and working "McJobs" as bartenders and shopgirls, and they're so cute and clever and then it occurs to me, Douglas Coupland is Canadian. The story takes place in a desert town in the American southwest and the main character is from Oregon, but still...

Sure, it's easy to be hip and anti-corporate when you get free health care as your birthright.

But what about us? How many of us are stuck in jobs, afraid to take risks or start new businesses, because we'd be fucked if something happened to us while we were out on our own?

And is that what we want our culture to be? Don't Republicans want to be their own boss and start a business? I read Atlas Shrugged four or five times. The heros are innovators who start their own businesses and design new engines or create new metals and then make a profit and hire more people and expand and retire while the thing you've created lives on...

Isn't that the American Dream? But how do you do that without health insurance? You have to buy whatever's out there and then you have to pay to insure your employees, and in most cases you drown in lost revenue and paperwork, your profit is gone followed quickly by your employees and you have to close your doors. Too Small to Succeed.

We need universal health care to give people the freedom to take chances.

But that's not what our country wants for us. America wants us to be corporate slaves. I am a corporate slave. As of the first of the year, my Massuhs don't carry Health Alliance anymore, so now I'm on Blue Cross Blue Shield, and BCBS doesn't think my psychiatrist is giving me the right dosage of medication for the treatment of tinnitus-related anxiety.

Of course BCBS should know best, because I just registered a UserID on their website yesterday and I've only been seeing my doctor for the past five years.

We're fighting it, but if we lose, then I just have to live with a little more anxiety than usual, and hope it doesn't affect my steadfast determination to KEEP MY JOB because if Massuh lets me go, I won't be able to afford the other medications that are keeping me alive.

Slave. You can call me that.

If you haven't already, please go sign the petition to establish health care as a civil right.


76 comments:

The Masked Vigilante said...

Buddy plays the blues for me.

Seven of Six said...

The wife's work switched to BCBS in October... we just got a notice that effective March PPO's aren't allowed anymore and you must accept HMO's... ain't that some shit!

I better find out more on the wife's prescriptions for sleepless nights and anxiety... thanks MV!

As the Health care industry fights back, long lines at the V.A. look better and better now... at least I get free full coverage... and get this, it's socialized care... how the worm has turned, don't that just beat all!

gone said...

Regence has stopped "offering" the plan we have at work. I shudder to think what we're going to be "offered" in March.

Yes, MV, we're slaves. We always were, it's just more obvious now that there aren't any jobs and wages have stagnated for over a decade. Employers can offer shit benefits because they know you're lucky to have a job at all. And it's reaching higher up into the middle class than it has done in a long time. Comfortable people aren't as comfortable as they used to be. I worry about my schizophrenic sister in LA, who's been in a state sponsored halfway house for 23 years. Will she go back on the street? It's terrifying. Mental health services always get the dregs of the funding. Seems counterproductive in the long run, but I'm just a prole, what do I know?

The Masked Vigilante said...

I better find out more on the wife's prescriptions for sleepless nights and anxiety... thanks MV!

Yeah, make sure you check those at least a week before you run out. I got started early on mine, and it's been five days and still nothing resolved.

And hell yeah the VA is a good thing. So's Medicare. So's the US Post Office. All "socialist", all doing quite well.

Good enough for our veterans, our elderly, and of course our senators and representatives.

And remember, we gave Iraq universal health care in their new constitution that we designed and ratified.

Good enough for... the people of IRAQ?? But not us?

The Masked Vigilante said...

it's just more obvious now that there aren't any jobs and wages have stagnated for over a decade.

And it's more obvious since we're sooooo close to maybe, possibly scraping some version of the public option?? (I'm kidding myself, but still.)

Somebody told me the other day that other countries look at America as the Land of Opportunity.

No they don't. As Jeff pointed out in an email the other day, we're the only capitalist country without universal HC.

And if they wanna visit Hollywood or Vegas, they get the extra insurance rider from their native country because they don't wanna bring back $200k in medical bills as a souveneir.

Seven of Six said...

Snark will be happy that his Jets won today... Ryan has them playing really tough now, a perfect time for the Jets to peak.

And Jeff, the 800 Lb. Gorilla is off Romo's back... on to Minnesota! Good luck there... should be a great game.

gone said...

Fookin' A, that Cards/Packers game was insane, eh?

Seven of Six said...

Yeah, it was!
That's the Card's though this year... no killer instinct, can't put another team away when they have to. They let the Pack get closer and closer, all of sudden it was tied... damn!
I sure was a happy camper when that ball bounced in Dansby's hands and he scampered into the end zone... whew!!
Most points ever in a NFL playoff game, something special.
Warner had more touchdown passes than incompletions... never heard of that.
On to New Orleans next Saturday... should be a barn burner, if the same Warner shows up.

snark said...

J-E-T-S!

Sweet! I love the smell of post-season football! Smells like...well, it doesn't smell good... but it sure is fun to watch!

Regarding healthcare, we're just fucked. Ain't no one with the cajones to do a thing about it.

Except Kucinich. And he's short and funny looking.

snark said...

And this whole flap over Harry Reid acknowledging verbally what everyone knows is true is just another example of;

a) the moral bancruptcy of the GOP as a political party.

and

b) the stupidity of the American public. The utter lack of critical thinking skills will clearly be a big factor in the demise of the nation.

The Masked Vigilante said...

BTW, I finally watched District 9 last night. DANG. Talk about "Now for something completely different"!!

I noticed a few critics put it on their Best of the Decade list. I can see why. That was such an original movie. I had no idea what to expect and was rocked.

Seven of Six said...

Regarding District 9, come and live here in Sheriff Joe's County and see if it's not a similar story... replace with, well, any real (or illegal) alien and the civilian population.
To me that was the only drawback about the movie... sadly, we live it here and now... and it lost points on originality to us Liberals in Maricopa County for it.
Otherwise, I thought it was a great movie!

And finally a Grand Jury is investigating the Sheriff's ass... I hope the man pays for his profiling, intimidation and corruption.

Seven of Six said...

Love the J-E-T-S defense snark! I just don't know how they will do on the road against such I powered offenses if they play them.

Jeff said...

Romo going to the Super Bowl my friends!

I just paid $230 for a bottle of 30 pills...gotta meet my $5000 deductible, ya know...

I better make a bet on Sunday's game to pay for this!!

J-E-T-S!! Wow!!

Seven of Six said...

It wouldn't hurt the Dems one bit if Reid resigned his post, we still have his vote... a temporary victory for the GOP. Better for the Dems in the long run, maybe someone with some balls would come in.
I don't think Durbin will want it because of the blowback for too much Illinois politics controlling the country. Possibly, but not Schumer because of this recent flap with Hillary, too close to banks, Wall ST, and OMG he's Jewish. Definitely not Feinstein, because of San Francisco, Pelosi and her husbands dealings with the MIC. I think this will open the door for Feingold... a great Progressive and good Jewish young man... Oy!
It would be the GOP's worst nightmare to wish for a Reid replacement... just watch out for small planes.

Seven of Six said...

From the NFC, I think you're right Jeff!
But when they run into an Offense who can score at will it will be tough... my prediction is San Diego or Indy... lean towards Indy because of SD Coach Norv Turner's track record in big games.

gone said...

Fookin' A, those meds are expensive. Better make 2 bets, Jeff.

I keep pushing everyone to watch District 9 cos it's so different and well done. I think the lead guy is gonna be the Face guy in the new A-Team. Funny, huh?

gone said...

Why would Reid resign? He was praising Obama in the way an old guy would praise him. Did anyone see Melissa Harris Lacewell on Rachel on Friday talking about the word Negro and how a generation of blacks made inroads in civil rights using that word for themselves.

Yeah, I know, nuance. Slow news day - I admit reading the John Edwards excerpt online. Oy. They make Elizabeth sound like a fookin' harridan, down to ripping open her shirt on the tarmac and shrieking "Look at me!" to Johnny. Ugly.

snark said...

I will make no predictions.

Just enjoying seeing Gang Green playing in January!

Gonna be some good games this week.

Seven of Six said...

I take it no bets either snark? I give them another year to fine tune the passing Offense under Sanchez... running game, O-Line, and Defense is there!


Fookin' Palin in multi-year deal with FAUX News. Go to the article, I tried to take the poll but it came back 100% for Palin... how the fuck can that be when I voted no? LOL!!

Jeff said...

The med is Seroquel. But I'm also on Lithium, Effexor (trying to wean off of that to a whole buncha no luck), Klonopin, and a couple of high blood pressure meds Verapamil and something else. Plus Pinnacle vodka, just to make the whole cocktail kick in. I'm a barrel of laughs!

Hey, a co-worker's husband is almost done with Sarah Palin's book, and he's promised to loan it to me! I'm like a kid waiting for Xmas!!

snark said...

Well that makes two of us and still 100% for Palin.

At least she is where she belongs now.

snark said...

Hey, a co-worker's husband is almost done with Sarah Palin's book, and he's promised to loan it to me! I'm like a kid waiting for Xmas!!

Is the co-worker a wingnut? If so watch out for the stuck together pages!

gone said...

Ewww!

I think it's funny that Palin has all her hangers-on thinking she'll run for prez. There's no possible way. Faux knows they have ratings gold, because the wankers will tune in to wank at her silliness, and the lefties will tune it to laugh at her stupidity. I think we should be taking bets on when Todd leaves her for a younger model. I give odds 10/1 she lets him have the kids.

gone said...

Hey, I just did the poll and it's twice as many saying "No way, you couldn't pay me to watch Pox Noose." HA!

gone said...

I'm like a kid waiting for Xmas!!

Wow. Your xmases as a kid musta been horrific!

Jeff said...

Twinky ask MV for my sad Xmas tales.

Snark, you think there's pics?? Oh man, this guy is gonna have sticky fingers all over this thing. I'm wearing gloves.

gone said...

No thanks, Jeff, I have my own set of sad xmas tales. It's a fucked up "holiday" in my book.

snark said...

It's a fucked up "holiday" in my book.

It's a fine holiday until it gets screwed up with all the religion BS.

Virgin birth? Riiiight!

Seven of Six said...

The med is Seroquel.

My Alzheimer stricken Dad takes Seroquel for some of his Psychotic episodes... I do believe it works in keeping him calm. A lot less hallucinations. Unfortunately, unless they come up with a cure, that's what I have to look forward too. Oh well, at least I'll be in a V.A. home and the Wife won't have to take care of me. Unlike my poor Mom... we didn't realize Dad was making all these poor financial decisions at the beginnings of his sickness.

Well that makes two of us and still 100% for Palin.

That's funnier than shit... the Daily News just puts polls out that are already rigged. LOL!

I bet Todd's got another "Wasilla Wonder" across town... or a full size cut out on his bedroom ceiling.

Seven of Six said...

Hey, Twinky busted up the poll!! Way to go Twink!

snark said...

The thing that makes me shake my head about polls like that is the people who respond "I don't know." It's asking for a fucking opinion! People don't know what their opinion is? WTF?

The Masked Vigilante said...

I added my "no way" to the poll.

Look at the picture of her. Ugh.

I hope whoever the ghost writer of that book is (who didn't even get a "with" credit on the book) got paid a freakin' FORTUNE.

Faux News is obviously a perfect fit for her little cult of personality. That'll make it easier for me to continue ignoring her.

gone said...

Yeah, it's NY Daily news, right? They couldn't get enuff people in NY to go to one of Palin's book signings, so I imagine the poll is accurate for NYers, eh?

The Masked Vigilante said...

The thing that makes me shake my head about polls like that is the people who respond "I don't know."

And if you "don't know", why would you bother to answer the poll?

gone said...

I know! You don't know whether you'll watch or not? Indecisive much? Sheesh.

But of course she won't vanish, because everyone will watch to make fun of her.

Jeff said...

I watched "Schindler's List" again last night. Wow.

snark said...

Mark McGuire USED STEROIDS!!!!!

My world is shattered!

Next thing you know they'll be saying Pete Rose bet on baseball or some other insanity!

snark said...

I watched Goodfellas about 3 times over the weekend. It seems like it was running in a loop on ION TV. Kept flipping to it during football commercials. Joe Pesci was such a little prick I love watching the look on his face when he realizes he's gettin' wacked.

Jeff said...

Being a Cubs guy, does this mean that Sammy has to admit usin' the juice in '98??

I mean, just because his helmet didn't fit his head doesn't mean.....

gone said...

I thought he was just big boned like that nice Barry Bonds dude...

gone said...

Huh. I was still mourning David Tenant's departure from Doctor Who. And was relieved to find out the Lost premiere would not be pre empted by that presidenty guy's SOTU thingy. Plus, the LOGO channel is playing Buffy eps.

MV, did you hear that Nathan Fillion's trying to get the lead for the new Greatest American Hero? Yep, they're makin' a movie. I guess they couldn't get William Katz back since he went into soft core porn!

The Masked Vigilante said...

Sweet chocolate christ. I was just trying to figure out why we need an A-Team movie.

I don't know which is scarier, the fact that they think "Greatest American Hero" would be a movie or that William Katt went into porn.

(I assume Fillion would be going for the Robert Culp role, not the William Katt one.)

jeff said...

Do they actually make chocolate christs, like bunnies? I'd love to eat one one of those.

May be just me, though.....

gone said...

Funny you should ask!

snark said...

I KNEW that was Jesus in my chocolate milk!

gone said...

Great American Gay Porn!

Oscar Bait! With strip scenes!

Since when is IMDb pay to play??

gone said...

Hee hee - Your own personal Jeebus, in milk!

gone said...

And no, Fillion's going for the fly boy part. I read it here.

jeff said...

I just realized there is a "Rock N Roll Hall of Fame" without the Grateful Dead in it.

WTF??

Seven of Six said...

And if you "don't know", why would you bother to answer the poll?

That made me blow my sip of water through my nose MV!! Good thing it wasn't the Listerine I was gargling with earlier!

Mark McGuire USED STEROIDS!!!!!

I still think they'll make him wait on the Hall of Fame... even if he did apologize.

Makes Randy Johnson's pitching numbers all the more impressive, pitching through the peak of the steroid years... unless he was using himself.

The thing about Bonds was that he was already a Hall of Famer without steroids, he didn't need them. His numbers and stolen bases were unreal. It was funny to see him all of sudden looking like the Sta-Puff marshmallow man... "No man, strictly just working out!" Right!

I KNEW that was Jesus in my chocolate milk!

Oh no, he was in my boy's chocolate milk this morning.
Man, that is some "cookie duster" Jesus is sporting!

Seven of Six said...

I just realized there is a "Rock N Roll Hall of Fame" without the Grateful Dead in it.

WHAT!!!

Not the one in Cleveland is it?

Jeff, Google "Wolfgang's Vault".

gone said...

Randy never used, man, nevah! Have you seen him? He's still a bean pole. And the greatest pitcher that ever lived. No one will ever match his slider.

Seven of Six said...

And the greatest pitcher that ever lived. No one will ever match his slider.

Stop it Twinky! That has got to be the sexiest thing you ever said!!

No doubt, pitching through the steroid era, Randy is the greatest left handed pitcher ever... also the highest strikeouts per 9 innings ever, and the most games of 15 or more strikeouts. He didn't peak until after 26 years old.

As much as I dislike Texas and his politics, Nolan Ryan still gets my overall nod. Ryan has pitched 7 no-hitters... 3 more than anyone else, 12 one-hitters and 18 two-hitters... plus the longest career.

Twinky, Don't ever stop talking baseball!!

gone said...

It's been so long since I paid attention, though, since Randy was a Mariner. Still, I loved going to his games just to watch the pitching cos you knew there'd be no hitting. I keep threatening to come down there for spring training, but events always conspire. My dad saw Randy in Tucson one year, at the Home Depot or something, he said it was hilarious to see Randy unfolding out of a Porche. I can believe it.

The Masked Vigilante said...

That made me blow my sip of water through my nose MV!!

5,000 bonus points for me! WOO-HOO! I'm totally gonna conquer this level.

Makes Randy Johnson's pitching numbers all the more impressive

Randy Johnson? Those are some cruel parents. I GOT YER RANDY JOHNSON RIGHT HERE!!

Luckily he was able to overcome his name and find success as one of the hosts of American Idol. Good for you, Randy!

The Masked Vigilante said...

I picked up my prescription yesterday -- my downsized BCBS prescription. 1/4 the size of my usual dosage.

We're still fighting it, and I called Customer Support yesterday pleading my case to an uncaring phone rep. She assured me my case was being reviewed and, "If it's something you really need, there's a guarantee that you'll get it."

At first I was cheered by this, thanked her, and hung up. Then afterwards I was puzzled by that statement. I should've asked, "Do you get a lot of people who see psychiatrists regularly for five years so they can get medication they DON'T NEED?"

With all the side effects of this stuff and the time spent in doctor's offices? I'd be very happy to NOT need it, but since I go through all of that, shouldn't the default answer be: "He needs it"?

gone said...

Clearly, you and your doctor are not qualified to determine your need, MV. Only an annonny guy in a windowless back room flipping a coin can tell you if your need is great enough.

Fuckers.

snark said...

As if the dirt poor people of Haiti didn't have enough problems.

Why does god hate the Haitians?

gone said...

No kidding, snark. 7 point 0, man. Everything fell down. Horrible.

The Masked Vigilante said...

Only an annonny guy in a windowless back room flipping a coin can tell you if your need is great enough.

UPDATE: Blue Cross Blue Shield is requiring a "prior authorization" from my psychiatrist before they'll meet in session and determine whether my need is worth their money. In the windowless back room, no doubt.

Here's the punchline. In this digital age, BCBS requires the prior authorization only in the form of a drafted letter, folded, stuffed in an envelope, and snail-mailed to a generic BCBS address in Chicago. No faxes, no emails, no website posts, no texts, no tweets.

Which means my letter, sent early Tuesday morning, will probably sit in the mail room at least until Friday.

How do they run a business like this? They should have a website like Amazon where mental health professions can log in, post their prior authorizations, find my prescription, and see helpful tips next to the link:

Patients who take Xanax have also found relief with:

And then links to four other medications, each with a hundred reviews (up to five stars) from other psychiatrists.

I'd be more than happy to help them set this up. I don't know that much about web design (you've seen my site), but I could learn.

So, it's a nail-biting race from here. Will BCBS approve the script? Will they convene and approve it before I run out of medication? Tune in. Same Bat-Time, Same Bat-Channel.

The Masked Vigilante said...

I haven't read about Haiti yet, so I don't mean to sound all me, me, me. I'm guessing another earthquake/psunami/both has hit.

The Masked Vigilante said...

"God has given, God has taken away," he said, urging that the living must be the priority right now.

No wonder people believe in God. He wins either way.

If He's in Vegas at the roulette table, he always wins. "God has bet on black, God has bet on red."

snark said...

That's the great thing about being god. You can't be second guessed! God can rain favor on the wicked and misery on the righteous and it's okay.

Who came up with this crap?

Odds are on some fortunate wicked dudes, no?

gone said...

Odds are on some fortunate wicked dudes, no?

No doubt. I read somewhere that Joseph Smith was sick of his wife whining about all his affairs, so he had a "vision" from god telling him that being fruitful and multiplying meant marrying as many young girls as possible. All the other guys thought it was a fabulous idea; the women, who cares what they think anyhow?

But thanks for the rundown, MV, I cannot believe they require a mailed letter. What the fuck?

The Masked Vigilante said...

Even Superman has more rules than god.

If Superman laid waste to a country and killed untold tens of thousands, people wouldn't say, "Oh, that's just Superman. He does that."

No, if Superman did that, the people would demand production of Kryptonite bullets and calling for planetary exile.

But if GOD does it, it's all peachy keen.

This is why I maintain the Bible has a completely unlikable and unbelievable central character.

gone said...

And....

gone said...

Sixty Nine! Woohoo! Been a while.

Anyone got a smoke?

Seven of Six said...

Seventied it!

And of course there will be the opportunists who say, "How tragic... let's build resorts!"

gone said...

SoS, I already saw some commenter talking about it. The PM is saying over 100,000 now. Frikkin' A.

snark said...

Well, the country certainly could use the investment in resorts. Seriously. They really have no economy. So many people make their living selling charcoal that the country has been almost completely stripped of forest. You can basically see the borderline between Haiti and the DR on a satellite photo from where the forest starts and stops. There is so much erosion of silt into the ocean that the water is no longer as clear as it was 20 years ago. So, as opportunistic as it may be there really isn't much other chance of Haiti being pulled out of the depths of poverty that it has fallen to other than then by becoming a big tourist destination. It's a really sad state of affairs. My mother-in-law just shakes her head when she thinks about how far the country of her birth has fallen.

gone said...

Wasn't the story about eating mud cookies from Haiti? Made me cry for days. Just awful.

snark said...

Head of the UN mission to Haiti Hedi Annabi has been confirmed killed in the quake.

Seven of Six said...

Of course Pat "MF" Robertson say they deserve it... is that guy even fuckin' human.
Limburger politicizes it... (paraphrase) "See how fast Obama's response is for Haiti (meaning the poor and black)... it took him 3 days to respond to the underwear bomber!" Two totally different circumstances... natural disaster and terrorism (needs to gather all data), what a bunch of idiots.

I have to turn it all off and catch up on the DVR!

The Masked Vigilante said...

Well, the country certainly could use the investment in resorts. Seriously.

Hey, slap a Sandals resort down and I'm there.

I love Sandals. I can say I've been to the Bahamas and Jamaica, but really I just checked into a couple of sweet resorts with gigantic pools and swim-up bars and drank frosty blended rum drinks.

At work today, the Huffington Post was BLOCKED!! CRAP!!! My main source of news -- BLOCKED. Seems that somebody in Internet Security got wise to blogs, which means someday soon I won't even be able to get HERE at work.

What'm I supposed to do then? WORK?? Oy vey.

gone said...

Fookin' employers and their demands! Strike!

See, what I did was finagle my way into being network admin. Porn ahoy, mateys!