IT’S ALL ABOUT MONEY

I was supposed to go for a stress test; it is half day affair, of about 4 hours. In the process I’m to starve before I go, no caffeine that morning, and this seems to be a regular occurrence, once a year.

I have a cardiologist, or actually, he has me, I’m the source of his employment, and he is young, handsome and rich, just like me. Anyway, he likes to use all the equipment in the office that he has, no use letting it sit there, then he would forget how to use it.

I am starving the morning of the test that begins at 1:30 pm. I am advised to take a small piece of fruit and some bottled water and to skip one of the medications I take. TLW (The Little Woman) makes herself breakfast, sits down in the den with it as I am looking at the news and begins to eat her eggs, and drink her coffee, the crackling of freshly made toast in her mouth makes me realize something for the first time: food, sounds good too!

The smell of freshly brewed coffee in the morning can make me hysterical, good-looking eggs are good looking, and water and a small piece of fruit are the only things in my future, but much later in the day. My wish is to slip away to McDonald’s and add some more cholesterol to my arteries, perhaps that little number with the steak in the bagel.

Over-coming my desires, after the torture, I settle into my morning routine as TLW leaves for the Wanna-Be Bank and Truss Co. At precisely 9:05 am, the phone rings.

“Mr Del Bloggolo?”

“Weakly from hunger and lack of coffee I reply: “Yes?”

“We haven’t received a ‘Yes’ yet from your insurance company for today’s tests! Do you want to take it anyway, and run the risk of having to pay for it yourself, or we can wait until we hear?”

Let me tell you, late morning coffee as a first cup, taste just as good, if not better than the usual coffee. I didn’t have the McDonald’s though, I was too mad.

Now my question becomes: Did I miss this test because a doctor or some unlicensed gatekeeper with the insurance company disagreed with my doctor, thinking it wasn’t necessary because they have my interest at heart, or did the insurance company decide that it just wouldn’t pay for the test because it is costly? What about my doctor, does he take on the insurance company and fight for the tests on behalf of his patient?

Will this kill me, all over a few lousy bucks?

One more question: What about me, how important do I feel the test is, do I take the stress test (or did I in this whole process) and pay for it?