Editor,
For those UNM staff who have not had to use their new UnitedHealthcare plan, count your blessings and read your plan before you are as shocked as the rest of us who have.
UnitedHealthcare plan holders must use UNM Hospital in order to qualify for the least expensive co-pay. While this might not seem right, fear not, because there is no way you will possibly be able to get into UNM Hospital within a reasonable time period.
I know of two UNM staff members whose doctors requested they get tests done. One called in the middle of October and was told he could be seen sometime in the middle of February of next year.
The other individual was in so much pain, and his appointment so far off, his doctor gave him pain medication to get by until his tests. Unfortunately, the pain medication required was powerful enough that he had to take several of his annual leave days in order to stay home because he couldn't work on the medication.
UNM Hospital is a busy facility, and it is difficult to get into in a timely manner. Add the delay of having to wait in line for an appointment behind people who do not pay for or receive through their employer a health plan, and the scheduling becomes redundant.
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People who need tests for potentially severe illnesses don't want to wait for four months just for the test results when another hospital could schedule them within weeks.
The trade-off, of course, is that if you want such a timely diagnosis at another hospital, it's going to cost you.
And speaking of cost, if you consider the increase in health care premiums and the additional co-payments now required, we are actually working for significantly less money despite our recent pay increase.
Staffers, do yourselves a favor and determine your potential health care costs before you get a shock.
Then, do everyone a favor and write to the Daily Lobo, Human Resources or anyone else that can help us return to a more reasonable health care plan. Overall, I think Human Resources does a good job, but they left us holding the bag on this one.
L.H. Crum
UNM staff
