DECEMBER 11 — I would like to start off this week’s column like an Oscar’s speech by thanking all the people, you, my readers included, who have sent me well-wishes and support through my latest healthcare tribulation.
My life feels like a terrible telenovela, but people have been so kind that my anguish is at least tempered.
Almost every day, some new development or plot twist happens that feels as though it was written by an underpaid, overcaffeinated screenwriter.
First, my cancer is confirmed — not good.
Then I find out my cancer hasn’t spread, it’s in its early stages and a good prognosis so far — Stage 2 triple positive.
Insurance, the new modern headache
On Sunday, I got the crushing revelation that my insurance policy terms have changed, no longer offering cash-free admission but forcing me to pay first and insurance will reimburse my claims.
Why, sure, insurer A, I will just dig up a potentially five-figure sum for my treatment from the gaps in my sofa cushion, no problem at all.
Then to top it all off my PET scan found suspicious masses in my uterus, leading to my gynaecologist finding polyps that needed to be removed and sent off to the lab for testing.
Reader, I am tired.
At time of writing, I have undergone a dilation and curettage (D&C) procedure, which involved putting me under general anaesthesia to scrape out my uterine polyps.
I woke up with no side effects from being put under, apart from being a bit too energetic as instead of resting under observation for two hours after, I spent about an hour sitting up and staring at the nurse’s station out of boredom.
At least there was Milo.
More painful was taking out my calculator to figure out how much money I’ve spent on tests and procedures; so far in less than a month; all-in-all, I’ve spent nearly RM9,000.
No guarantee for peace of mind
My friends have also been sharing their own struggles with insurance, with premiums rising so much they are unaffordable, to the point they have dropped their policies.
“I guess if I get sick when I’m old, I’ll just die,” is a sentiment I keep hearing and that shouldn’t be where we are.
I often tell people that insurance is a rigged game, where you win by not getting sick, but the house wins more than you do.
If you lose the bet and get sick, the house can fix the game and keep your money, and as someone who used to work in the industry, I can say that insurers will do their utmost best not to pay up.
They tell you to do the responsible thing and get insurance, but no one tells you that peace of mind you supposedly purchased isn’t even guaranteed.
I recently read about that one Malaysian woman who had to sue her insurance company to get her cancer claims approved after they had denied her for “not disclosing” that… she had an anxiety attack some years ago.
Non-disclosure is a favourite excuse insurers love to use to wiggle out of giving you money.
Moving forward, I’ve gotten a referral letter from the nearest Klinik Kesihatan to attempt treatment in the public healthcare system, but if an operation is needed anytime soon, I might return to the private hospital where I have been getting all my tests done.
So far however, whether it was private or public health personnel, I have encountered nothing but kindness and compassion and truly, I wish that experience on anyone needing medical care.
To my fellow cancer patients, I hope that you too are finding comfort and aid in this shared struggle.
As hackneyed as it might sound, you are not alone.
Here’s to better and more affordable cancer treatments and less incentive for people to think insurance CEO assassinations are a good thing, actually.
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