Thursday Stuff

Dental Update

Unfortunately our insurance agents may not be as knowledgeable about our PPO as they could be ~ Humana Representative, March 27^th, 2008

The above isn’t an exact quote, but it is the gist of what I was told by the human I finally reached at Humana this afternoon. Unfortunately, as a former insurance agent, I already knew that! During the months I worked for Liberty National Life Insurance Company as an agent selling life and health insurance, I received no training and very little information on the policies I was selling—other than how to “entice” (my word) people to purchase them.

I may also add that none of the several books that Humana has sent me since I enrolled with them through the Social Security Administration says that I have no dental coverage. Rather, the book that lists the in network providers has a long list of available dentists and dental specialists. So… if there is no coverage, why in the hellacious ways of the U.S. health insurance industry are they listed?

After my conversation with the Humana rep, I decided to attempt to obtain my need met via another channel. I undertook the long process of calling, pushing buttons, and being placed on hold that it takes to reach my Veterans Administration primary care nurse practitioner. Of course, when I did get through, I wasn’t permitted to speak with her directly; I was able to speak with her nurse. The result was that a referral will be made to the VA dental clinic and I will be informed of the appointment not later than (NLT as we used to write in the army, which is also my initials) the beginning of next week

Introducing Vaughn

As I have previously written, Vaughn has replaced Tasha as my VA homemaker since Tasha gave birth to her son. Yesterday Vaughn gave me permission to share with you his photograph (below) as well as his “celebrity look-alikes that we obtained yesterday. As with my look-alikes, we had problems recognizing the similarity between him and them.

Becoming Serious About the Oppression in Tibet

I wonder why the nations of this crazy world do not say to China “Either back off from Tibet or our athletes will not attend the Beijing Olympics?”

A Buddhist Prayer for Peace

May all beings everywhere plagued

with sufferings of body and mind

quickly be freed from their illnesses.

May those frightened cease to be afraid,

and may those bound be free.

May the powerless find power,

and may people think of befriending one another.

May those who find themselves in trackless,

fearful wilderness—

the children, the aged, the unprotected—

be guarded by beneficent celestials,

and may they swiftly attain Buddhahood.