I went to the pharmacy this afternoon

[undeterred]

and presented my insurance card.

I've been uninsured for 18 months and I have migraines. So its been a matter of choosing between spending more than I can afford to be pain free or having nothing effective to take.

I've been employed for less than a month with my contract agency and its just amazing to me that they could offer low cost health insurance that went into effect immediately and actually gives me great coverage on the meds I need. So it is possible.

Its wonderful to have health insurance... makes a major difference in my quality of life

[life long demo]

1. GOOD FOR YOU

[HipChick]

2. Agree..I just got back health insurance again

with a new job..I'm making dr.'s appointments all week..

[darkangel218]

3. You'll see a huge difference in how doctors and their staff treat you too

I remember how hard it was when I didn't have insurence to schedule a simple check up. They were asking for hundreds of dollars in advance.

[CTyankee]

4. is this a result of Obamacare?

[undeterred]

10. No, not directly.

I do think that small to medium businesses (over 50 people) that haven't offered insurance are trying to come up with affordable solutions. They are certainly aware that its on everyone's mind.

I just finished a 6 month contract for another agency. I worked for them previously for a year and a half and they did not even offer me health insurance, which was the reason why I left. This time they offered me insurance after 3 months - they offered me health insurance for $444/month and I said it was too much. You just stay uninsured and hope nothing bad happens.

[CarmanK]

43. Disagree. Depends on state control of Ins prems, all ins has to cover pre exist, so coverage rt away

is far more plausible. You may be reminded that the insurance companies had 60 yrs to come up with market based solutions to affordable health care coverage for all and they chose profits over ppl.
Obamacare is the wake up call and the smart insurance companies are getting on board. Also, depending on the state, there are still some non profits out there that got a new life boost with Obamacare. The insurance companies see handwriting on wall, even if Romney elected they will not repeal Obamacare.

[Ikonoklast]

48. You got that right, the insurance companies will either get on board with Obamacare,

or that vaunted "Market" will render them obsolete as people refuse to do any business with them.

And THAT is what the Republicans hate, another free market solution killing one of their own too weak or stupid to compete.

[eppur_se_muova]

50. "killing one of their own too weak or stupid to compete" -- You have a way with words. nt

[Angry Dragon]

5. Good on your contract company

[lunatica]

6. Congratulations on your job and being migraine free!

[Scootaloo]

7. Must be nice...

My employer has carefully gerrymandered hours to keep as many people as possible off the insurance rolls; I work two hours less than needed to get the benefits. Two fucking hours. And sadly, there seems to be nothing my union can do about this.

[Curmudgeoness]

19. This will have to be one of the next battles.

Too many companies are playing that game, and it is unethical and immoral....but not illegal. Yet.

[undeterred]

20. Its hard to do a good job when you have no insurance.

Don't they get it?

A couple of years ago I had a bad patch when the migraines were really frequent. I had a low paying contract job in a call center. There were 3 times when I had to leave before the end of my shift because I had a blinding migraine and nothing to take for it. That counted against me. Then I had to call in sick a couple of days when I felt sick and had nothing to take for it. So of course I did not get hired and the contract ended.

With the proper meds I never miss work time because of a migraine. I might feel a little off or tired, but it is not incapacitating. Without meds I just can't do it. I'm sure there are millions of people who feel the same way but have something that is more health threatening than a migraine.

Its in an employers interest to have you healthy and feeling good... but some of them just don't think about that.

[anneboleyn]

31. I have suffered from extremely severe ones as well -- have you tried Frova? No non-prescrip. works

for me at all. It's like throwing a glass of water on a four-alarm fire.

I am sorry -- I don't know what your situation is (when you get them or your "triggers" if you have identified them) but Frova (Frovatriptan succinate) works really well for period and/or hormone related migraines which seem to account for most of mine, especially now as I enter the erratic PRE-perimenopause phase (too young technically for perimenopause, but still have some weirdness going on, sorry, tmi). I can also get them from lack of sleep, aged cheese (asiago!), or stress.

People used to tell me to take tylenol or ibuprofen or something similar, and I would just stare at them like "you have NO IDEA the level of pain we are discussing here dude." As was stated, you want to cut your head off during a full-on migraine because it hurts SO BAD (for me the headaches usually start behind one eye and then spread, and I feel as though I am being stabbed in one side of my head, over and over and over)

I get the extreme migraines with vomiting and light sensitivity but no "auras" or "tracers." What kind do you suffer from? I am not sure what meds you have tried, but just in my own case I found that Frova worked the best. I used Imitrex for quite awhile but I experienced some side effects from it (extreme fatigue, tired but could not sleep, feeling pressure on my chest, etc.). The Frova works much better (imho) and seems to be much more gentle. I have tried taken anti-nausea medication with it too and that seems to really help. The key for me seems to be to take the Frova and anti-nausea medication right when I first feel a twinge of migraine.

I am so happy to know that you can use your insurance now, and I hope you are able to use your insurance to see the best doctors for this stuff and get the migraine meds. They actually have some decent ones available.

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. .

[cr8tvlde]

9. Couple of years ago, my sister got laid off and her COBRA was &600/mo.

Glad for both of you !!!!

[Control-Z]

12. When we had to use COBRA,

about 10 years ago, it was around 1,400.00 a month. What a slap in the face that was. I never understood how it was that we were "lucky" to have COBRA. That IS what I was told.

[cr8tvlde]

17. And she was forced to borrow to pay for it.

They had this cozy rule that if you didn't have health insurance, you couldn't new insurance. Then came ObamaCare. He called it ObamaCares...I loved that.

[whistler162]

21. Beats the about $10,000 I paid

for a burnt foot and two days in the hospital, diabetis and infection, with no insurance.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

11. I'm waiting for a report to surface that reveals how sick America is,...

....but we didn't know it because people couldn't have health care.

There might even be people out there with a seven year old tapeworm that could win a blue ribbon.

[NJCher]

28. it has to be a pretty bad situation

Because we already know that preventative care is the best way to cut health care costs. But no, this government couldn't even do that for its citizens.

The fact is that providing affordable health care is simply reinvesting in a nation's most important resource: its people.

But not this country. It took the tax dollars of its citizens and invested them in the war machine.

It wouldn't be too extreme to say this government is all about death. With the disproportionate amount we are forced to pay into the military budget, that's what we are investing in: persuasion by force, which very often ends in death. Meanwhile, we know that 18,000 U.S. citizens a year die because of no health insurance.


Cher

[Spitfire of ATJ]

33. Actually, this country is a Cold War dinosaur....

Back in the 50s and 60s the United States decided to be the ones to promote Capitalism and to help sell it to the world it made sure America was a utopia of the middle class. Homes with perfect lawns, TVs and 2.5 kids. After the fall of the Soviet Union the "Powers That Be" decided to say, "Fuck it" and become the stereotype of the "Capitalist Exploiters" the Russians used to accuse them of being.

We have no justification to maintain our massive military and it's only a matter of time before we start to mothball BIG chunks of it.

[airplaneman]

42. I think we have the worst health care system in the world and all because of capitalism.

Before Reagan hospitals were required to be not-for-profit. The system has gotten out of hand because of greed for huge profits. France and Canada can deliver an MRI for $300 or less. My mother in law just go one. The billing for her MRI to medicare was $12,000 and her our of pocket share was $1,100. There is no transparency in medicine in this country. An operation that is settled with the insurance company for $4000 would charge an uninsured individual $25,000 for the same thing. Thats like going to buy a gallon of milk and they ask you at the cash register "are you employed" yes - that will be $4. no - well then you have to pay $25. We should be revolting by the masses on this. I personally know of multiple examples where people have lost their life savings to medical bills. Its a suck em dry before they die mentality. Heck I know people who had insurance and were decimated by medical expenses. A huge amount is never paid for especially if you need any type of rehabilitation.
One out of four hip fractures results in death because insurance companies will not pay for the rehabilitation and it is absolutely not necessary that so many die. I would say this country is all about profit and if you don't have the money you can die and no one would care - including our government. I would also agree that " this government is all about death" because the government does more to help the rich than the common person. What happened to of the people, by the people, and for the people? I waiting for us all to wake up and start moving in a more sane direction. Human life should come before profit and we should not tolerate unnecessary deaths in this county.
-Airplane

[undeterred]

29. A friend of mine died 10 years ago

because she put off seeing the doctor for abdominal pain when she had no insurance. Ovarian cancer. When she finally got diagnosed it was too late.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

34. I keep thinking of all of the smokers out there with no insurance happily puffing away.

What you don't know WILL kill you.

[dotymed]

47. Do you know how many poor Americans do not file

income taxes? I know hundreds of them. How will they be able to get Obamacare? They matter. They haven't had medical care in decades. Who knows what diseases they are harboring?
Obamacare will help many, I just pray that universal health care comes soon.

[pasto76]

13. migraines are torture. glad you have the bennies

grew up with pediatric migraines from age 6. by my mid teens I was ready to cut off my head. In the 80s and early 90s there were basically zero meds for them. Cheers to you being able to live your life

[undeterred]

15. The meds have gotten much better in the last 20 years

but GlaxoWellcome is determined to make as many millionaires as they can off our suffering. The 17 year patent is ridiculous. Then they reformulate and call the drug something else so there is no generic competition. You start out feeling grateful that they've invented a drug that works... then you gradually realize they are screwing over migraine patients for every dime they can get from us. When 2 shots cost $160 its absurd.

[SoCalDem]

37. Polio vaccines were FREE

There used to be some altruism in medicine..not so much anymore

[DrewFlorida]

14. It's always nice to hear someone who needs healthcare and finally gets it.

Hopefully one day we can say, every person in the United States has healthcare.

[PatrynXX]

16. Aleve helps numb those

get them on temp changes from time to time. usually a sudden rush of heat will cause it. and usually it's just 1 but last year it was about 2 of them both sides. but one went numb for a bit. worst one was in McGregor IA. had a wasp fly at me while I was leaning over trying to avoid one so stood straight up. probably would have been better if I put my head thru a window. Brother had gone to the gas station and I slowly went blind in both eyes. at that time I didn't entirely know if Aleve would work. After almost overdosing on asprin. I do now.

[roguevalley]

18. I am so happy for you. I hope you feel better soon.

[femmocrat]

22. I'm so happy for you. My migraine meds changed my life.

I'm glad you can finally get some relief.

[Honeycombe8]

23. I'm SO happy for you, undeterred. People shouldn't have to go w/o health care. It's a sin. nt

[greymattermom]

24. just curious

do triptans work for you? I'm one of the very few migraine researchers in the country.

[undeterred]

26. Yes

Sumatriptan is the main one but they've all worked for me. All my headaches are migraines and they respond well to imitrex.

[CitizenPatriot]

38. not to butt in

but just curious since you are a researcher -- I was in Imiterx, insurance wouldn't pay for it (it was only thing that ever worked- pain medication does NOTHING but make it worse sometimes). I found Relpax was something my new insurance would cover and it does work, and with less side effects than Imitrex (no feeling of heaviness on the heart). I think Relpax is a triptan as well. But for those who don't have insurance, it's cheaper.

[kathman-duzi]

39. just wanted to add that medication of caffergot and tripta something

never touched my migraines. The started on one side and I could feel them coming a type of tightness, the the tracers and auroras then tunnel vision, numbness on one side of the nose and one thumb. I had health care and it didn't help in this instance. I'm not sure why they stopped but am so grateful. Perhaps I grew out of them and got older and dumped a lot of work stress.

Glad you found relief.

[geckosfeet]

25. Congrats to you and my thanks to your HR department!

[Ilsa]

27. I am very happy for you! nt

[spanone]

30. well said, and congratulations....

[CitizenPatriot]

32. That's great! Here's to you feeling better

When ObamaCare was being debated, my insurance company cut off my migraine meds. They said I only needed 4 a month instead of the 9 my doctor prescribed. As you probably know, that was $200.00 extra a month I had to pay for the meds or go to the ER, which the insurance co paid for (after the copay). I never understood that, but Republicans are all for insurance companies coming between patients and their doctor.

Happy for you

[The Doctor.]

35. I don't know that Obamacare has anything to do with your coverage....

But these stories are running rampant lately.

It's a good thing.

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. Hugs

Ou are very correct.

[flamingdem]

40. Just watching the CNN special on Obama, we're lucky he pushed

for ACA .. so lucky .. it was a sacrifice for him and his aides wanted him to put it off

[shintao]

41. I would like to see all Americans with 100% National Health Care

There are some National Security items that government should be in control of and making sure we are all healthy is one of them. So is National Oil, and we could all be enjoying $2.00 a gallon gasoline and 100% National Health Care paid for from gasoline profits.

It is all a state of mind people, that is all that keeps you from what you deserve as the greatest country on earth.

[undeterred]

44. Thanks for all the congratulations, DUers.

Its funny, I am working at a health insurance company, although they are not my provider.

On the first day of the job I was waiting in the lobby and I met another contractor. She told me she was there to help them implement Obamacare- to work on the compliance end of it. Its happening! My job is technical so it has nothing to do with the insurance, but it made me feel good to know that they are putting it into practice.

[Doctor_J]

45. Which is why every single American should have it

Your testimonial should be shot #1 in the Dems' push for SP in January.

Its wonderful to have health insurance... makes a major difference in my quality of life

What this means is, that if the US were to adopt SP, 50 million Americans' lives would immediately get way, way better. How can this not be priority 1 for our so-called representatives?

[duhneece]

46. NM got public-private option under Richardson

And I qualified for that. You're right, it makes a major difference just knowing I have insurance.

[ananda]

49. I had a good pharmacy experience last week too!

My brand name prescription cost went down $15. And all they
did was change from Caremark (ugh) to ExpressScripts(yay).

[CountAllVotes]

51. Caremark

Caremark is what I now have. The cost of many of the prescriptions required in this household have gone up from a $25.00 co-pay to a $40.00 co-pay.

Caremark just plain sucks!

[Walk away]

52. I insure myself, pay a fortune and it has extremely limited prescription coverage...

Here in New Jersey it can't be done. Thanks to Chris Krispy.

[spooky3]

53. After all you've been through, that's good news.

[undeterred]

54. thanks!