Insurance in America...makes me sad

For those of you reading this outside of the US, you can either skip it or just smile at my frustration. This is not a political post.  Healthcare in the US is not political.  It is just irritating.  And yes I know...duh.  But this is the first time I have encountered stupidity at this level.

So long story short, I have been on a journey to get weight loss surgery for about a year now.  The last year has been an active journey.  I have thought about weight loss surgery for at least 5 years.  But in 2016 I said, it is time.  I had become so overweight I was no longer close to healthy.  In fact, I was in a death spiral. So I got serious and in April I went to a consultation and signed up for the journey.  I took notes and got very serious about what I had to do.  I made 6 months of doctors appointments and checked in with the surgeons office to make sure they were getting my progress reports and if I needed to do anything else.  In December I finished my diet prep and called to see what the next steps were.  Well, that is when  the bad stuff started.  Seems my doctor had left the practice and I was suppose to have had all these tests and appointments but somehow I had "Fallen between the cracks".  What I have learned over the last 3 months, is the practice has fallen between the cracks...or as I like to say...gone to hell in a handbasket.  Epic turnover...runnus amuckus...never returning calls...wrong information...orders never reaching their destinations.  Chaos. And when everything was checked off and complete...it might take a couple of months for insurance to authorize.  REALLY?

So being a sane human, I asked about moving my care to another surgeon in town.  WHAT?! You can't do that.  I called the other surgeons office.  Well of course you can move to us, then you will start all over.  Another 6 months...another 10's of thousands of dollars in health care cost.

Again, being sane, I  thought this is nuts.  I will call my insurance.  Why would they want to spend +10,000 dollars again just to have the surgery performed by another surgeon???  And this is where I get sad.  You see, insurance rules are insurance rules.  You do have to start over.  You do have to have all the tests again.  Really?  Yes really.

So what is a sane person to do?  Take control and force the surgeons office to cringe when you  call.  Enjoy the constant harassment of your surgeons staff.  Tell them it is not ok to take months to submit your paperwork to insurance.  And call daily until they submit it.  Take control of your experience.  And pray my friends. And pray!  And be your own advocate.

Because this is your life...but it is just business to them.  They don't care that you are trying to make life better for yourself and fight the obesity epidemic.  All they think about is money and rules.

Its March Are you a lamb or a lion?

As the saying goes, March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb...though, in some parts of the country that is flipped.  But as March starts, how are you managing your weight loss journey?  Are you still that lion that started in January?  Careful about what you eat, setting goals, increasing you exercise?  Or have you become a lamb?  Eating whatever and whenever (grazing), without any goals, and just standing out in the field?  Or are you somewhere in between?

It is hard to maintain a focus on weight management over the long cold winter.  We get sidetracked.  We get tired of being good.  But that is ok.  We are human.  We get distracted from our goals.  But March starts spring.  And spring leads to warmer weather...and OMG...less clothes.  So let's get back on track.  Set some goals....walk a little farther...eat a little better.  Here is a recipe from cooking light to help!

Sheet Pan Chicken with Roasted Baby Potatoes
YIELD
Serves 2 (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1/2 cup potatoes)
Ingredients

Cooking spray
8 ounces small Yukon gold potatoes (about 1 inch)
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon dry white wine
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon honey
2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon canola oil

How to Make It

Place a jelly-roll pan in oven. Preheat oven to 500° (leave pan in the oven as it preheats).
Carefully remove pan from oven. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add potatoes to pan; bake at 500° for 10 minutes.
Combine olive oil and next 5 ingredients (through honey) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
Sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes. Turn chicken over; drizzle chicken evenly with about 2 tablespoons mustard mixture.
Add chicken to jelly-roll pan with potatoes; bake at 500° for 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender and chicken is done.
 Drizzle potatoes with remaining mustard mixture; sprinkle with remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper.