2022-12-29 - 10:19 a.m.

OMG That was so freaking stressful

In the past I never gave a crap if I went without health insurance.

I dropped it intentionally one year (of a few? Maybe three years?) when chose to have low wage local jobs to be more fully present home with kids during middle school years. I mean at least when working all the time it was ACROSS the street at my local Grocery store Deli OR
15 minutes away by drive (40 minute lovely bike ride when in shape; when out of shape takes me about an hour or 1 hr 10 m in tops if in the worst shape !)

Honestly I am kinda looking forward to the idea of bike commuting in the Spring again. It helps me physically and mentally so much and since I can't really run ( knees, old injury never really healed right... arthritis aging etc.... lack of discipline.. ha ha cause if I started I am SURE could run and it might help all those things if I don't over do it).

The stress was the letter

"Your Health Insurance Policy with Virginia Premier will end on 12/31/2022"

I panicked.

I also at same time received a BILL For $366 a month for the Anthem Healthkeepers policy

YEah the one I bought on marketplace LAST year and that had a tax break built in so that was my cost based on LAST YEARS application ( and 2021 income) as they just AUTORENEWED the damn thing

even though I intenionally UNCHECKED auto renew.

I did PAY it the past two months-
cause
I had procedures in NOV and my doctors are in that network

and the VA medicaid through the VA Premier assigned me to Kaiser which is great but a whole new set of Doctors and I am in the MIDDLE of the care of my ob/gyn I saw and have to go for the surgury she referred me to.

Turns out the surgury center she referred me to is not in the anthem network anyway.

So I ahve to call her back.

BUT I did not want to START OVER
with dealing with that with new Kaiser doctors.

SO I just sucked it up and with borrowed money paid the NOV

and then also DEC premium ( I mean just in case the cyst or something with the funky fiborids has issues. I mean it is clearly not normal and she kept asking "Do you ahve any pain?" Almost surprised I say NO)

I just wanted to be covered with the Anthem that I know this local hospital and my doctors' take for the past months. (I thought maybe the surgury center referred to took it. BUMMER they don't)

I PANICKED cause technically you are not eligible for Medicaid if you HAVE HEALTH COVERAGE.

DUMB me when the Anthem policy in OCT did not show a payment button and I COULD NOT Pay on line I had no idea that was intentional and was awarded Medicaid.

I saw the radiology bill however from past and knew if there was any snafu and the Mediciad was not taken by the radiologist referred to for the procedure I DID do in (Oct or Nov? I forget which- the imaging of unterus that identified the issues)- WELL I was going to be screwed if I got a few thousand dollars in bills for that. So the $268 or whatever a month to keep the old policy active seemed a good gamble.

I likely should NOT have paid it in DEC.

Its like that compulsive bill pay thing I have going.

I HATE bills.

SO I PANICKED when they sent a bill for JAN

and it took me a good hour to find all my paperwork and send emails back and forth to the DSS CASE worker and she was amazingly responsive
said YES we both still have active Medicaid
But then I had to do the due diligence ( Fucking trust issue) cause was like... but what does that MEAN
it is active
but she said they are closed due to chronic health outbreaks

(COVID fucking raging here. They closed their office!)
and they are processing all renewals in a couple weeks.

Angels that they are she just rocks getting her shit done FAST I swear she must have done this so long she has the direct line of the GET IT DONE person down in Richmond.

*Make no mistake there are processess
then there are PROCESSESS like knowing the one fucking person to call who really understands how to navigate freaking systems other are befuddled by....

I think for VEC i just got the wrong folks on the line etc... who are still trying to figure out new processess and are not yet good at it.

SIGH

So I called and sceduled the one appointment for specialsit for the kid who asked me to. Her primary Dr. She sees has a practice that merged with John Hopkins

Good move on John Hopkins part.

But they had some emergency meeting and the Doc cancelled all appointments the day the kid was scheduled.

Now can get in in March.

That is fine- it is annual follow up and that kid is doing better, especially since has started medication the past few months that helps much! REALLY it is a distinct difference.

All the kids are enjoying the visit in PA.
I heard that kid cooked Curry for dinner for all of them last night.

That would NOT have been possible two years ago. HUGE improvement.

I am glad they ALL went as the socializing with each other and the Ex wife #2 and her kids will have been good for them all!

If it were not for my car acting funky when there were freezing temps I would have driven up to join them Monday. My car was acting awful. When it hits freezing temps my car can only drive 15 to 20 MPH when going uphill!!
BUT THEN when it warms up IT IS FINE ( for it- It's "fine" being that it drives up to 60MPH and on rare occassions there are spurts it might hit 65! HA HA Momentum only... not engine power,)

I just did not want to take it to PA obviously.

So I cancelled joining them and when a co worker asked me to cover yesterday afternoon so he could see a Dr. ( one of the last minute use it or lose benefit it things- eye Dr. I think), I said yes.

Back to wrapping gifts. I went shopping yesterday.

YUP Yesterday morn before work I hit a thrift store for a few gifts.

I found some fun things that fit each kid's personality ( I think.) Cook classroom dry erase project board perfect for the 4th grade teacher. Pretty painted Christmasy wine glasses I filled with chocolate and gave my tenant and my boss at the Retirement community, and will give the oldest one here those too for her and her roomie to enjoy.

If I were working would have stopped at my winery owner friend's place to pick up a few bottles but nixed that part this year. I give his wine as gifts as a good go to for work gifts for those I know like wine. (Hey I was proud to see all the awards he has won for his wines over the past 15 years! HE does have nice display of them.)

Back to wrapping.
My son and his GF sent a gift basket of goodies we can all share, as well as individually wrapped gifts.
And one brother ordered a box full of cool pens, fountain pens and ink. and notebooks for me to divide up and dole out.

I am wrapping them so there is more to open which is fun.

Dad send money.

It literally paid for the WOPPING almost $400 water bill from when the plumbing was broken and water running ...

and I paid the credit card bills, and spend just about $100 total on the little gifts for them kids. I mean also the lawyer bill....for the kid to have graduated. I just had to take care of essentials. Typically I cut them each a check but this year the money Dad sent really just had to go to household essentials.

I do not go into debt for Christmas! Paying off debt from things like having ordered Home Chef for the kid last year when I DID travel ( Which was a gift from my son LAST year!).

I loved that service. ANd I LOVED ordering Misfit Markets for a time- but they do get expensive. I cancelled them after all the promos- but it was a splurge I felt worth it. BUT the thing is I think it was kinda a bit out of means and I ANTICIPATED A kick UP in income!

I mean I did just also get the first invoice paid last week for my first client!

WHOO HOOO

That is paying part of the start up costs.

MARCH or APRIL would be great to be actually profitable!!

I did get the food delivery stuff when the kids really were not feeling well and kinda needed extra motivation and support to get up and cooking. It worked. It was a good purchase. They did make some meals. Me leaving was scary to leave them on own but it was GREAT for them LAST Feb! It helped them be independent cause they had to--

SO it was worth it
but I do still have credit card bills between stuff like that and having paid some medical bills etc.

SO I just used Dad's Christmas money for the family for that.

The new PJS got at Walmart last week and hygiene stuff ( got at the drugstore- the AFTER Christmas 50% to 70% off sale... body wash and deodorants or cologne etc. also picked up yesterday) and the couple thrift store finds will be nice as there will be some gifts for all to open.

Nothing lavish- but once wrapped it will be enough.

So be it.

Oh and of course some candy and oranges thrown into the stockings!

Kids should be here in a couple hours.

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