This is gonna be a rant.....

I am just going to tell you now that I am beyond furious and this will be a short, little rant.  If you don't want to hear it, I suggest you don't continue to read.

Everyone who knows me, knows that I am a raging Democrat with some conservative tendencies.  Here in Minnesota, we have the world's worst governor, Tim "T-Paw" Pawlenty.  He is a republican waste of space and I can't stand that thought that he is somewhere in my state, breathing my good air.  Earlier this year, T-Paw got the brilliant idea to cut GMAC, General Assistance Medical Care.  GMAC is the medical care you get through the county, the welfare health care plan.  People living on Social Security, or a fixed income of another kind, rely on this health care to take care of them.  Well, good old T-Paw didn't like that idea.  I mean, do poor people really deserve health care?  Not in T-Paw's eyes.  So he slashed it.  Obviously there was some uproar about this as hundreds of thousands of people were now going to lose their health care coverage.  Being the obviously generous guy that he is, T-Paw relented and decided that GMAC would be accepted at four, yep... only FOUR hospitals in the STATE.  And all of them are in the Twin Cities area. 

So, if these people can't pay a health care premium, how on earth are the going to afford commuting to Minneapolis/St. Paul?  They answer?  They can't.  And even if they could, GMAC at these four hospitals won't cover preventative care, just an emergency.  So let's say you have pink eye.  Easily diagnosed, cured with a topical antibiotic.  No more running into your primary doctor, who you trust, for a quick appointment and prescription; now, you have to travel to the cities, wait for hours in the emergency room, and then see someone for five minutes to write you the same prescription.  And as we all know, emergency rooms visits cost WAY for than preventative care.  Way to go, Governor.

I know I have a way of making a long story even longer, but it was all of that to say this.  Recently, renewals for my company's health insurance was coming due again.  We are currently with Health Partners and the coverage is great.  We pay a hefty sum for it, but our employer pays a lot more.  Our insurance has been a life saver, especially with our TTC troubles.  Last week, our Executive Director sent out and email that stated that the State of Minnesota and the insurance companies decided to put some "exclusions" on coverage now.  Some of the 2011 exclusions are:
Treatment for Sleep Apnea
Correction of TMJ
Acupuncture
Weight Loss Surgery
And........
.............................. any and all infertility treatments.
Yep.  No more coverage.  It doesn't matter that I pay out the ass for coverage, just, NOPE. No coverage for you.
I became so enraged and sad.  What were were gonna do?  Without treatment, I am not sure my body can sustain a pregnancy.  I called the insurance company to delve further into the issue.  And you know what the company and the state told me?  It was "not medically necessary to have children, it is an elective."

::Insert steam coming out of my ears here::

Robert and I's only option is private pay.  Average cost of a year of fertility treatments?  $15,000.  I sure don't have that laying around.  An internal ultrasound? $1,100. 

Now, can anyone really sit there and say we don't need health care reform?  I am a hard working American, that pays for private care, and I am told that it is an "elective" to expand my family.  Seriously?  So basically, your lady parts have to be in 100% working order, or you have to be rich to have kids.  There is obviously no gray area here.  EPIC FAIL.

Now I am sitting here, plotting what I can do for the next month.  Do I go off the prescribed birth control and risk getting sick?  Do I put myself at risk?  We all know I would do that in a heartbeat.  I go to see Sebastian on the 8th, for what will probably be my last appointment.  I am going to beg him for the Clomid and Letrozole, just so I have it.  I can monitor myself.  I am a nurse by training so it shouldn't be too hard.  The bottom line is, health care in this country is an absolute joke.  I am at a loss of what my next step is, but hopefully I can get some help/answers on the 8th.

Thanks for having an ear, or not.  Until tomorrow......
~Courtney