Over the counter meds for FEDS!
Let me start this post by saying that I am very grateful to have a medical/dental plan through my workplace benefits. The coverage is awesome... BUT (and as my friend Erin reminded me Tuesday... Dr. Phil's theory on the word BUT is to forget everything I just said before the word BUT, and focus on what I am saying after it!) BUT... this week PC has been sick... not a drag me to the emergency on my death bed type of sick, but the I want my Mom, some chicken soup, and to stay in bed all day type of cold/flu - not to mention, hacking up some pretty disgusting shit through the course of the night.
I have managed to avoid contracting this flu bug (but I imagine in time I will come down with the aftermath cold, as a result of being married to the source of the cold... but that is not really important to this post), BUT... what I have not managed to avoid is spending $150 dollars on over the counter meds to remedy this cold!
I know you may be thinking what could I have possibly bought that cost $150, so I would like to tell you... that it wasn't much at all.
It turns out that every cold remedy medicine we had in the cabinet was practically empty. One Advil cold & sinus pill, and a 1/4 of a jar of Vicks Vapour Rub wasn't going to do much... so I headed to local Jean Coutu, and loaded up on Tylenol NyQuil, Fisherman's Friend, some cough strips that the pharamacy lady recommended, Tylenol Cough tablets, and some other cough drops. $60 worth of meds. I left there thinking: this will sooooooooooo do the trick.
I get home and PC took pretty much one of everything through out the course of the day... but as we headed to bed he informed me that everything I brought home, didn't really work for him, so the next day, I headed to Shopper's and got a big-ass bottle of Advil Cold & Sinus (why I didn't go with my gut instinct on the first pharmacy purchase, I will never know!). I also purchased the NEW gel caps package of Advil Cold & Sinus as the pharmacist told me they would work better for men. $40 dollars later I was home again, and PC was still sounding pretty awful.
Yesterday, PC called me at school to say he would wanted some Benelyn Cough & Cold syrup as he was out. So... I made a second trip to Shopper's and picked up a big bottle of it, some Vicks Vapour Rub (as we were completely out), and this Benenlyn Plug-In contraption that the pharmacist said was her saving grace two weeks ago (saving grace...okay - SOLD). $45 dollars and I am home once again - although PC was out like a light, I put the plug-in in the wall and in no time my eyes were watering (all the while I was thinking, this better be working for him!).
This morning I awoke and VOLIA, PC awakes still not feeling the best, but definitely not coughing up brown chunks, and sounding a bit more like himself (as opposed to an 80 year-old man with a collapsed lung) - so I was feeling a small victory with my Plug-In remedy... but needless to say... what did all this cost me? $150 BUCKS.
I think the benefits package people need to start offering some coverage for over the counter meds. No... PC didn't need a prescription to cure his cold/flu, but I can tell you that I definitely didn't budget for $150 dollars worth of over the counter meds.
It may seem greedy... and as I said, I know we already get great coverage through our medical plan, BUT if the benefit package decision makers happen to be reading this little rant... all I am asking is that you take into consideration, the amount of money public servant families expense to over the counter meds... throw us a bone once in a while.. $100 limit per year or something measely to start out with... then we can stage a walk-out or a full-blown strik during our next collective agreement baragining sessions - and I can carry a huge sign on the picket line that says: OVER THE COUNTER MEDS FOR FEDS!
Easy now ... I know all you private sector folks out there want to throw a few tomatoes at the screen right now... but simmer down, its just a suggestion - and like I said, I am perfectly happy with the current plan, BUT no organization would be healthy if weren't open to a few changes... a girl can make a suggestion can't she!!
I have managed to avoid contracting this flu bug (but I imagine in time I will come down with the aftermath cold, as a result of being married to the source of the cold... but that is not really important to this post), BUT... what I have not managed to avoid is spending $150 dollars on over the counter meds to remedy this cold!
I know you may be thinking what could I have possibly bought that cost $150, so I would like to tell you... that it wasn't much at all.
It turns out that every cold remedy medicine we had in the cabinet was practically empty. One Advil cold & sinus pill, and a 1/4 of a jar of Vicks Vapour Rub wasn't going to do much... so I headed to local Jean Coutu, and loaded up on Tylenol NyQuil, Fisherman's Friend, some cough strips that the pharamacy lady recommended, Tylenol Cough tablets, and some other cough drops. $60 worth of meds. I left there thinking: this will sooooooooooo do the trick.
I get home and PC took pretty much one of everything through out the course of the day... but as we headed to bed he informed me that everything I brought home, didn't really work for him, so the next day, I headed to Shopper's and got a big-ass bottle of Advil Cold & Sinus (why I didn't go with my gut instinct on the first pharmacy purchase, I will never know!). I also purchased the NEW gel caps package of Advil Cold & Sinus as the pharmacist told me they would work better for men. $40 dollars later I was home again, and PC was still sounding pretty awful.
Yesterday, PC called me at school to say he would wanted some Benelyn Cough & Cold syrup as he was out. So... I made a second trip to Shopper's and picked up a big bottle of it, some Vicks Vapour Rub (as we were completely out), and this Benenlyn Plug-In contraption that the pharmacist said was her saving grace two weeks ago (saving grace...okay - SOLD). $45 dollars and I am home once again - although PC was out like a light, I put the plug-in in the wall and in no time my eyes were watering (all the while I was thinking, this better be working for him!).
This morning I awoke and VOLIA, PC awakes still not feeling the best, but definitely not coughing up brown chunks, and sounding a bit more like himself (as opposed to an 80 year-old man with a collapsed lung) - so I was feeling a small victory with my Plug-In remedy... but needless to say... what did all this cost me? $150 BUCKS.
I think the benefits package people need to start offering some coverage for over the counter meds. No... PC didn't need a prescription to cure his cold/flu, but I can tell you that I definitely didn't budget for $150 dollars worth of over the counter meds.
It may seem greedy... and as I said, I know we already get great coverage through our medical plan, BUT if the benefit package decision makers happen to be reading this little rant... all I am asking is that you take into consideration, the amount of money public servant families expense to over the counter meds... throw us a bone once in a while.. $100 limit per year or something measely to start out with... then we can stage a walk-out or a full-blown strik during our next collective agreement baragining sessions - and I can carry a huge sign on the picket line that says: OVER THE COUNTER MEDS FOR FEDS!
Easy now ... I know all you private sector folks out there want to throw a few tomatoes at the screen right now... but simmer down, its just a suggestion - and like I said, I am perfectly happy with the current plan, BUT no organization would be healthy if weren't open to a few changes... a girl can make a suggestion can't she!!
posted by SC at 4:05 PM
<< Home