Joy of Health Insurance

Health insurance is so annoying, expensive, and aggravating most of the time. But, when it all works out, it's such a fabulous thing. Today I am in love with my health insurance for approving another shot of synagis for Little A. Yay! RSV protection for one more month for my sweet little bean!

According to the girls' pediatrician, RSV is one of the most common viruses out there. Most of the time it presents itself as a regular cold. But if you are a newborn -- especially one who was born prematurely, RSV infection can cause serious lung problems. It can even kill.

Enter Synagis, the shot that gives immunity to RSV. I can only imagine that Synagis is made from the diamond-dusted tears and melodious sighs of garden sprites, because one infant-sized syringe of the stuff costs something like twelve hundred dollars. And the immunity only lasts about one month per shot. So during RSV season, most kids will get three or four doses.

After much back and forth between the insurance company, the pediatrician's office, and me, everything eventually got set up for Little A to begin her Synagis shots. While it was complicated and a bit confusing to get her approved, the actual process of getting her the meds since the approval has been very orderly and easy. Once a month I get a call to tell me when the medication will arrive. It shows up in a cold pack via Fed Ex, and I have to throw it in the fridge as soon as it comes to the house. The day the package arrives, I also get a call from a home health care nurse who schedules an appointment for the next day.

Home nurse visits are fabulous! The nurses have all been gentle and kind to Little A. They have also been sweet to Big A, who invariably gets a tad jealous of all the attention being heaped on her sister and is compelled to either break dance in a princess costume or streak naked through the living room at some point.

So, right now I'm feeling very appreciative and lucky for the nurses, the shots, and the insurance.