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[ruxquiero]

Soooo. Here's how my latest interaction with TriCare went:

First, I spent twenty minutes navigating a confusing website and trying to come up with a password that includes at least nine letters (two uppercase, two lowercase), two special characters, and two numerals. I added all eight volumes of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables for good measure,

Comments

[myystic]

Wow. That absolutely sucks. Wynand endured the same thing, when his family lived on a Naval base in Japan. His mother always took him into the city--language barrier be damned--whenever he got sick. He was two at the time, and prone to ear infections.

Growing up the dependent of a federally-owned civilian meant that I had practical carte-blanch to care anywhere in the US as everyone accepted the insurance and a lot of things were covered. So, shocked and appalled that you, apparently, aren't extended the same courtesy. I guess I'd say that since you work in a hospital, try to network yourself in to see someone, and maybe you'll only have to pay for the inevitable prescriptions. That and gargle cheap, high-proof alcohol, as that's about all its good for.

[ruxquiero]

It's really sad that they feed you all this propaganda about being self-contained, and then make you venture out into places where there are language barriers to obtain an acceptable health care. I find their "suck it up" attitude insulting, and I hate to think about all the people who back down from necessary treatment because of it.

I do find that federal employees enjoy a much better standard of health care, but (fortunately for them) they don't do theirs through TriCare.

Ugh, anyway. I am back from the free clinic in ghetto Maryland where I received an x-ray, antibiotics and a rapid-strep exam. Whaddya know? I did need to see a fucking doctor. Nice to know I'm not stupid. At least not in the "I need a doctor" way.

[myystic]

Well I'm sorry for how you had to go about it but I'm glad you got the necessary treatment. *HUGS*

So.. any chance I can get your snail mail addy? I've got a lovely begging post set up on my journal and everything...

[ruxquiero]

I'll drop by your journal and relay the info.

I hope you guys have been well, by the way. It's been forever. Biggest hugs back!

[punchykendra]

I'm simply shocked that you need a voucher. I mean, I know it's more expensive for you to go off base, but it seems like there should be some card with a co-pay that you can use to go to the ER without needing to WAIT for a voucher. Christ. Silly me thought it was vets, not actives, who had to sit and wait for basic treatments. grr.

[ruxquiero]

Vets almost have it worse, but they go through the same system as everybody else in the military and therefore receive the same confusing and manipulative treatment.

Getting off topic here, what a lot of people don't know about President Bush is that he actually tried to cut spending on their already abysmal benefits. He just has the gall to deliver pretty speeches and court them for votes in public, while he signs the paperwork in private. From my own experience I can see that the quality of service, testing and care has dropped within the last four years.

Just you wait,

[a_derylak]

Socialized healthcare is going to be so wonderful.

Re: Just you wait,

[ruxquiero]

Then it'll suck for everyone. Hoo-ha!