𝐍𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

[Text ID: "Just in case you needed to hear it, you deserve to be treated by a medical professional who listens to you, believes you, who never makes you question yourself, and who dies everything they can to help you."

By: chronicloveclub

End ID]

This is very important...

Time to order your free Covid tests:

http://covidtests.gov

Chronic pain things😎

𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐒

It’s IBS Awareness Month, and honestly, I want to talk about the most annoying and frustrating part of IBS. I lose about an hour each day to it. That’s right. An hour. Half an hour in the morning, and half an hour in the evening. Yep, I start and end my day on the toilet, and while I’m nervous sharing this, I want people to think about that. Imagine being sick for an hour each day, every day, and there’s nothing you can do about it, and you lose that time. You have to wake up earlier than average people to get ready for the day, you can’t start your day until you’ve been sick for half an hour, and you can’t end your day until you’ve been sick for half an hour.

I have other symptoms as well, and I know everyone's IBS is a bit different, but wow, it is such a time waster for me.

Do people know about Vocational Rehab? If you're USAmerican they have this in every state.

It's a program that helps disabled folks access education, training, and employment. For FREE.

You only have to be disabled to qualify (autism, ADHD, mental illness, physical illness, etc) and they cover very broad categories of disability. You do NOT have to be officially diagnosed yet when you walk in - they will even help pay for your diagnosis if you are struggling w disability.

I applied with my suspected autism and fibromyalgia, and they paid for 100% of my formal autism assessment.

Once your disability is established they will give you career counseling to learn about your interests and skills, and depending on the plan you create with your caseworker they will then help with school or finding employment. They paid for 100% of my college tuition and books, and even provided a laptop for me to use.

You do not have to pay anything for this program. If you make above a certain income, you will have to contribute to educational costs but will still receive assistance.

They will also help with the cost of things like mental health counseling while you work towards your goals, clothing for interviews, etc.

They cannot discriminate based on your race, gender, or sexual orientation.

They won't make you do excessive meetings.

They will allow you to do meetings with your caseworker remotely.

They will not drug test you.

They want you to succeed.

I'm sure that individual experiences vary but my caseworker was exceptionally easy to work with and very kind.

Vocational Rehab is a phenomenal resource every disabled person should be aware of. Here is the list of offices in every state:

doctors offices are always like BE ON TIME IF YOU'RE MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES LATE WE'LL EXILE YOU TO MARS meanwhile you get there on time and wait a minimum of 20 minutes

Introduction

Hello! If you've found your way to this blog, congratulations! Or condolences, if the circumstances that brought you here suck. Either way, welcome!

I am someone who works in the health insurance field (and will be remaining anonymous due to my obligations to my employer), so I've got some insider tricks. Not only that, I have multiple chronic conditions which means I've dealt with insurance from both ends.

The purpose of this blog is to help people (Americans, mostly) understand health insurance, how it works, and how to make it work for you.

All this to say, I see a lot of bullshit in my day to day life. I watch people pay more than they should or not receive the care they need because of a lack of understanding and knowledge.

I want to change that, one person at a time.

Below the cut are important posts and resources for basic information. Always feel free to write an ask if you don't see your question answered or want more detail.

**Disclaimer: No information on this blog is legal or medical advice. This is meant to be a resource for common questions or problems people run into. All information on this blog is generalized, and may not apply to your health insurance policy. This is based solely on my experience and is not binding information. The information here does not reflect the opinions or policies reflected by my employer. Always consult a medical professional for health questions, your insurance policy for benefit/claims questions, or a lawyer for legal advice.**

Basic Terminology

Types of Insurance Plans

Calling Your Insurance

So you want to make a doctor appointment...

Preventative vs Routine Services

Investigate Your Providers

Medical Malpractice/Lawsuits

What the &$#* is a claim?

My claim got denied...now what?

How to Pay Your Bill

Collections Agencies and Credit Scores

Medical Binder

HIPAA Part One

Resources:

United States Preventative Services Task Force

Healthcare.gov Preventative Services