Free health care month

On Treatment
Written By Liz Salmi
September has been a co-pay-free month for me and I can't figure out why. I started a new job and was instantly covered by my employer's Kaiser plan, but I was still enrolled in COBRA through the end of September (to be on the safe side).
I wasn't asked for a co-pay when I:
  • Saw the neuro-oncologist on Sept. 11;
  • Received a refill for Keppra on Sept. 21;
  • Picked up all my chemo meds (including 250mg of Temodar, 20mg of Temodar, Emend, and Kytril) on Sept. 28;
  • Saw an ophthalmologist on Sept. 29.
There are three possible reasons for why this could be.
  1. I could be double-covered for September and should expect things to go back to normal starting tomorrow (October 1).
  2. I may have really amazing new insurance.
  3. I might have reached some sort of "out of pocket" cap and Kaiser has to eat it for the rest of the year.

I will find out soon enough.

Liz Salmi

Liz Salmi is Communications & Patient Initiatives Director for OpenNotes at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Over the last 15 years Liz has been: a research subject; an advisor in patient stakeholder groups; a leader in “patient engagement” research initiatives; and an innovator, educator and investigator in national educational and research projects. Today her work focuses on involving patients and care partners in the co-design of research and research dissemination. It is rumored Liz was the drummer in a punk rock band.

https://thelizarmy.com
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