Monday, December 5, 2011

Not Medically Necessary...Really?



I don't usually get into annoyance zones, but today I'm having a hard time with this one.

Four members of my family wear eyeglasses.  All of us wear them because we can't see without them!  Yes, the kids wear contacts, but bottom line, we all need glasses.

Yesterday I took my daughter for an eye exam since her eyes were bothering her, and of course, she needed new glasses along with re-ordering contact lenses.  I also needed new glasses because I had an exam on Friday.

Even with all the great specials and deals, I about choked on how much we had to spend.

Then I called my insurance company today about something else and said, "by the way, what is the reasoning behind not paying for eyeglasses?"

The clerk really couldn't explain it.  Why not?

BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!

We don't wear glasses as fashion items.  We really need them.  Trust me, you do not want to be on the road with me if I'm not wearing glasses.  I am functionally BLIND without them.

If I was minus a leg, my crutches would be covered.  Why are eyes -- the predominant means of how humans interact with our environment -- not covered?

Now fortunately, my husband works very hard and has a really good job.  What happens to people who can't drop over $300 when it's time for glasses?

And, by the way, the office exam that was covered?  Only covered if it's every 2 years.  Eyes change more quickly than that.

Some political mouth this morning on the news was blabbering about cutting military benefits, calling them excessive and overblown.  Oh really?  Where does he get his health insurance?  Yes, while we were active duty we had our medical needs cared for.  But after 30 years of serving his country (at a discount rate compared to the civilians do the same kind of work) and being deployed to war zones and being separated from his children, my husband's military health care benefit is that we are permitted to PAY for our health insurance.

Yeah, you're surprised, right?  You thought we got it free for life, right?  Nope.  Despite what was promised to the military members of the 50's, 60's and 70's, that benefit was long ago cut.

Do me a favor, the next time you hear someone talking about military benefits being excessive, ask them if they want to pay for my glasses.

3 comments:

The Bug said...

I am definitely not in the camp of believing that military personnel have a sweet deal - it's the contractors in my opinion & the unnecessary wars which put our people in danger for no good reason (I don't believe that about all military actions, but definitely some of them). The military rank & file don't get cared for enough!

BTW - my lasik surgery saved me from glasses until recently - I've now entered the arena of reading glasses & I have to have a prescription because my eyes are different from each other. And true to the usual I need an updated prescription - I was always one of those kids who had to have new glasses every year. Ouch!

Mary said...

I'm just about blind with corrective lenses, too. It beats me how they can say they aren't "medically necessary".

Dave King said...

This shouldn't really surprise anyone: it's in line with insurance company thinking in general - or am I just getting cynical in my old age?