Over the last week, the number of COVID-19 cases has surged all across America in what is now the previously predicted second wave of the pandemic. This means that the world will once again be going into lockdown mode to weather the storm. The thought of being housebound for another few months is an understandably tough idea to shoulder. It brings up anxiety and impatience since a normal routine may now seem even further away than before. We see you, hear you, and are right there with you. 

In these hard times, I urge you to keep going. Keep up with your affirmations, prayers, routines, whatever it may be that gives you even the smallest sigh of relief or hope. Write in your gratitude journal, call your friends, take a bubble bath, eat good food. Nourish your soul.

Hang onto hope. Lean into your faith. These small gestures or rituals, whatever it may be, can make all the difference. My inbox remains open for anyone to reach out to in these trying times.

I also urge you to brush up on any self-care and related healthcare or medical paperwork. If you are currently uninsured, look into enrolling for healthcare under the Affordable Care Act for 2021 coverage. Enrollment was opened on November 1st, 2020 and will close on December 15th, 2020. In the wake of this crisis, it is more crucial than ever to choose wisely and make decisions about your coverage, especially for the upcoming year. This way you remain prepared for anything that comes your way. We may be playing the long game this winter so like a game play, we should evaluate and choose the best options for our needs. Health insurance is one of those things in life that really creep up on you and I myself recently had a rude encounter with the system.

Last week when I was choosing my new health insurance for the upcoming 2021 year, I neglected to examine the finer print. I accidentally chose a plan that didn’t cover one of my essential medications.

This led to my pharmacy informing me that my medication payment would increase to $1000 and then afterwards I would have to shell out $630 every three months. This was a crazy price hike from my current premium.

OUCH.

Needless to say, I scrambled to call my insurance representative so I could change to a plan which did cover all my medical needs. It was a stressful ordeal to say the least but I was able to get the matter resolved. The moral of the story? Please make your health-related decisions carefully and seriously. Read the paper/digital copies of your insurance policies and keep hard copies on hand, listen to your representatives attentively, and make your decisions with clear intention. Ask questions to your healthcare provider, friends, family, etc. until you fully understand all the terms and conditions. Inform yourself before you sign on the dotted line!

I would love to hear from YOU about some of your own close encounters with health insurance. What was the most difficult part and how did you manage to rectify those mistakes?

Comment down below!

As always, have a great and purposeful day!

XOXO, THE MENOPAUSE WHISPERER