Healthcare Monday

Two related incidents today:

1. For work, talk to local woman who says her family is living one of those Michael Moore-esque health insurance nightmares. Recently sick husband who has been told he can never work again, she can't work, two-year wait to get on Medicaid, meanwhile COBRA will cost them more than $1,000 per month and their disability payments don't total more than $2,800, and even before his work stops paying for insurance, she's got $300 a month leftover from bills for food and gas. Has been e-mailing Tammy Baldwin, Russ Feingold, the President, and when she received an artfully crafted form letter in reply from Obama, she cried at how touching it was but still thinks nothing's happening fast enough when it comes to reform. "We make just a little too much money," she says. "Where is that humane?"

2. Receive back from very patient former landlord tax documents for 2008. This is my third attempt to get my refund from the state of Wisconsin, and I keep not making photocopies. The last time I tried to file, the post office confirmed that my stuff was delivered, but it still never made it into their system. My apologetic note to (landlord) last week: "The Dept. of Revenue lost my return again. This time they're letting me fax everything, so I swear it's the last time." His note today with my rent certificate: "I hear you. This is exactly why I don't want the Government running my Health Care..."

Neither of them is wrong. & what a mess this life is.