If Only They Had Astro Turf

I was due for my yearly appointment at the county clinic in April. I was told to call only on Mondays at 7am to make one. For 4 weeks, I tried that. I'd get a busy signal until 7:30 and when I did get someone, they'd tell me all the available appointments were full.

Sigh.

The budget at the clinic had been cut in half. Let me explain why:

1. The local high school football field got Astro Turf and a Titan Tron.

2. The city pays men to drive around in trucks all day and search for citizens who have garbage on their curb before a scheduled trash day so they may be charged $40 for pick up.

I suppose if the clinic had Astro Turf on the front lawn, I might be able to get an appointment. One good thing is that I found out my crappy medical insurance actually covers my yearly visit 100%. Ok, now we're getting somewhere.

So I called the Mega-Hospital (aka Scott & White) and made an appointment. They said my insurance was expired. I said, I keep paying the bills and they keep sending them. Who are they to say my insurance is expired?!

After many, MANY phone calls and messages left, I finally got someone at the hospital to contact my insurance compnay and verify that my coverage was vaild.

All this for a prescription to some lousy birth control pills and for someone to stick a cotton swap where it shouldn't be stuck.

The yearly exam is miserable enough and dealing with this miserable hospital was enough to make me wanna cry! The phone calls, the voice mails, the transfers, the I-don't-really-wanna-deal-with-you phone people...

What I really don't get are the budget cuts at the clinic. It's only going to cost us more. The majority of the patients are teenage girls seeking free or near-free birth control. What happens when teenagers don't use brith control?

We spend billions a year on Section 8 housing, WIC, and food stamps to feed these unwanted children. That is what happens.

Regardless that my appointment at the Mega Hospital is covered, I am hard working and tax paying. I am married and grown! These kids shouldn't even be worried about birth control because they shouldn't even be having sex in the first place!!

In other words, those of us who pay taxes and pay for the lights in the building, should be the first to be seen. If only there was a Titon Tron in the waiting room...