Looking Forward

I just posted this on my Photography Blog but thought it would fit here as well.

WOW! I can hardly believe that it’s almost August 1. Where has the summer gone again in oh I heard yesterday on the radio at Duluth has only had I believe three days where the high temperature topped out in the 80s. Sure for some the 60s and 70s are pleasant but I really do like in the mid the lower 80s in the summertime. While as I stated in an earlier post I’ve been sticking close to Duluth this summer and photographing around the city. it actually has been quite fun and challenging and have learned quite a bit about the area.

One of my favorite parts of Duluth is a park called blue Leif Erikson Park, and it lies between I-35 in Lake Superior and as its name suggests heat is dedicated to the first European to discover North America and I’m not referring to Christopher Columbus. The Duluth Rose Garden comprises part of this park it in itself a requires its own post. The Duluth lake walk also runs through the park and is a post all in its own, on the lakeside of the lake walk and there’s an old theater reminiscent of the Viking era. The statue in the photo is of Leif Erikson, in his pose he is looking to the future standing proud and tall. In this time of economic slowdown I’m planning and looking forward to a bright future not just for myself but for all of us.

Co-Pay Relief

in my last post my last post which was yesterday I kind of ranted and raved about the cost of insurance. Being one not to sit idly still I proceeded to do some research with the help of the guy who is my health insurance salesman. And he had said that in most of the pharmaceutical companies do have some sort of program which can help patients with their deductibles so we’ve looked at the human era website and found that they do have a program that will help with co-payments, this is the link http://www.humira.com/Global/FinancialHelp/Default.aspx?s_mcid=DHUZ130309HHR. Even with the Blue Cross insurance that I have I found I do qualify for in additional help on reaching my co-pay on this medication, I have applied and been accepted I’m not sure yet what they’re going to cover but it could be as much as and $80 of my current co-pay of $85. If they cover me $80 that would be an annual savings on my co-pay all for this one medication of $960 that’s pretty significant.

I guess what I would suggest to you if you have any issues with your co-pays or getting your medications would be to check with a pharmaceutical company that produces your medications.

There is a real problem in this country medical insurance, especially if your senior citizen, self-employed, underemployed or otherwise part of a small group.

We recently had our small group policy renewal date it wasn’t bad enough that our premiums were going up almost $100 but our co-pays were going up. For instance I take Humira which I’m sure some of you know is a bylaw chuckle medicine that is injected. Without insurance this medication costs is $1,700 a month, last month the co-pay for this non-formulary medication was $50 now under the renewed policy it was going to be $75 a 50% increase in and the renewal date was July 1. Guess what Blue Cross did as of July 1 and formulary core page is now $85 that is a $35 increase on one medication that as an RA patient I need and there is nothing I can do to get off at like with some up other medications losing weight won’t help all still have RA. A $35 increase may not sound like too much to these great big corporate entities. Okay it’s a small group that are self-employed any good enough for an additional $35 a month or $420 a year.

The insurance industry really need to take a look at the bigger picture because if they keep raising rates and co-pays and no one and I mean no one will be able to afford in insurance at all and then everybody will be in real trouble. is the insurance industry headed the same way as the automobile industry perhaps.

Oh you know even know this is affecting me personally the ones that I really feel bad for a though senior citizens and others that are living on a fixed income they can no longer afford their health insurance or if they can they can’t afford to eat. hopefully there will be health care reform soon so that everybody can afford their medication, their visits to the doctor and to be able to put food on their plate.