Got Insurance??

I find the entire Health Care Debate depressing as hell.

I just had the mother of all health care scares. In late August, I went to the Doctor for a routine check under the hood exam. As the doctor was prodding and poking, he asked if anyone had ever told me I had a heart murmur. My response was a shocked "NO".

"Just to be sure" he scheduled me for a stress echocardiogram and a boatload of blood work. On the appointed day, I had my blood drawn, ran like the devil on the treadmill, had tons of goo spread on my chest and cautiously awaited "the call".

In the mean time, everyone I know told me the horror stories of open heart surgery to correct a heart murmur, no caffeine, no spicy food, no exercise. What an awful 2 weeks.

To top it all off, I found out right before my follow-up appointment, that my job ends September 30 and with it, my health insurance. Needless to say, I spent several sleepless nights wondering how in hell I would cope with a heart murmur, surgery, etc, without insurance.

The morning of my follow-up was mild and beautiful. I had had no "call" informing me that I was sick as a dog, so I was hopeful that my tests came back all normal. But, still I sweated a bit as I waited for the doctor to come in and give me the news.

The upside? No heart murmur. But I am anemic and have low thyroid. Both of which he prescribed medication. I asked him to be extra generous with the meds, since I don't know when I'll have insurance again - and the office visit, sans insurance, runs about $70.00 plus the bloodwork. He wanted to see me in 2 months, but stretched it to 3 since I kept reminding him of the "insurance" issue.

So, the deal we brokered is that if I miraculously get insured again within the next 2 months, I'll be back sooner, if not, I'll be back in 3 months, bite the bullet, have blood drawn, see him - pay for it - out of whatever funds I possess and hope I don't need more meds. But if I do, then I guess I'll have to try to talk him into 6 months.

I know I am lucky. I don't have a pressing need for surgery, or whatever, but still I feel all squidgy inside. What will the next 3 months hold? Will I find a job with insurance?? Will a public option finally end up on the table so I can partake? Or, will Max Baucus force me to pay boatloads for insurance I can't afford and be held hostage to the insurance companies with no recourse?

God, what depressing choices.