The Paperwork Nightmare That is our Medical System

I can't figure out the tons of paperwork I get just from the Oregon Health Plan, which is my secondary insurance. They were supposed to go to a simpler system I guess in January. A single small card.

But prior to that date, and continuing, I am getting tons of what appears to be the same paperwork over and over. Each one says exactly the same thing and I have no clue why they keep sending out the same papers. Today I received my fourth batch. I can't figure it out. They say I have a copay, but if I go to the doctor, they don't have any clue what it might be. Neither do I. The amount is not stated anywhere I can find.

The single card supposedly sent to carry, that is supposed to be simpler than the old card, which actually was quite easy to figure out, was sent on a 8 1/2 by 11 sheet, looked like a child's work, with 12 or more tiny little data squares, some different than the others, some the same, and I have no clue which little thin piece of paper, that might last a day in my wallet if not immediately laminated, I am to cut out and carry. The black ink lining the numerous data squares, on the paper, was faded like some printer was running out of ink. Calls to the number listed only produced a message line that played music then suddenly cut me off.

And this is for my secondary insurance. If I were to make an appointment to see my doctor for anything, I would not have any idea what that visit would cost, me, or my insurer, whom my doctor works for. No prices are listed, no standard easy listed prices so you know, so everybody knows.

And nobody knows what my copay is.

My doctor has no idea what my insurance covers. They take so many insurance plans they can't keep up either. I do not have an encyclopedic memory to remember. In the past, if my doctor prescribed a med, not even the pharmacy would know if it was covered or not, until they tried to run it through, which could be quick or take hours or even days. If the drug was not covered, then they or I would have to try to get through to my doctor, to find an alternative that might be covered. Talk about a bureaucratic nightmare.

Do we need change? Yes! We need a simple system. Doctor offices are drowning in confusing repetitive paperwork and so are people.

I did finally make an appointment for a mammogram in June. By then, I hope to figure out how much to take for my copay. I think I will also take cookies for the mammogram people. I like the mammogram office people and techs very much there. I also once had a colonoscopy and I liked those techs too.

When you're baring your breasts and your butt for inspection, it is good to have nice people doing the butt and breast inspections. I think it is wise to be good to the butt and breast people, too, because they have such power over sensitive body parts. I'm not saying I bribe the butt and breast people. I'm just saying I sure don't want them mad at me.