So, as previously stated, I’m 40 now. In my continuing efforts to get and stay healthy, I asked my doctor for a genetic test to not only determine my colon and breast cancer risk but to finally see what may be lurking on my father’s side of my DNA (since nobody knows who he is). The lab was frantically calling me and I thought “Oh shit. What’s wrong with me?!” What was wrong? Getting insurance approval for the test.
Okay. We go through what I know of Ma’s side of the family in terms of cancer and since it wasn’t breast cancer or anything that is classified as genetically related, the insurance won’t pay for the test. It will cost me $2,500.
After an interesting few moments of no heartbeat, I tell the nice woman I want the test because I literally have no clue what 50% of my DNA is. I can’t afford that. Of course there’s a payment plan or whatever but isn’t that interesting? “Hey, my genetics are a mystery and I would like to know my health risks. We don’t know enough about your genetics to qualify for insurance to pay for a test to determine your health risks and we will financially punish you for that.”
Lovely…
I need to know so, I guess I’ll just have to sell more books and stuff to make up the money.
Yay, American healthcare… 🙄🙄🙄
