Socialized medicine couldn't be any worse than this

As long time readers may know, I’m a Stage IIIa breast cancer survivor, and underwent a radical mastectomy as part of my treatment. The reconstructive surgery, attempted a year later, failed.

So I wear a breast prosthesis.

This is something I wear everyday, all day. Summer or winter. Heck, even in a special swimsuit. Going without isn’t recommended since it can cause ‘structural’ problems - in other words, you’re lopsided. You need that breast sized amount of ‘weight’ there.

I tried going without, and people look at you funny- in a goofy attempt to avoid looking.

Under my revised 2010 medical insurance plan - with United Healthcare - the time they give between new prosthesis (‘durable medical goods’) is now three years. When I first started it was annually. A nice new, fresh prosthesis every year.

No matter how hard you try to take care of something like this, wearing it daily for three years - while working, exercising and such - takes a toll. They begin a kind of slow collapse, and get well, smelly.

So I called UHC today, and they told me that I could appeal the three year rule - I’m two years on the current model - with a note stating why I can’t wait another year:

“It looks like a limp, shriveled up pink prune rather than a faux breast. And it stinks”

Not really. I was a little more diplomatic.

For this, the CEO of UHC gets bazillions as an annual salary and bonus, and I can’t have a new $400-$500 prosthesis.

Give me Socialized medicine any day.