Walking with the Poor, or Hep-B: The Final Injection, Part 1

Sometimes I imagine that a reality I mandate would be best. Fortunately, I have never managed to fully realize the 100% me-authorized version of how things ought to be, but two decades of steady money and health benefits can nurture a lot of fantasies. Before leaving my job to become a Franciscan lay missioner, I was able to have a thorough round of checkups and tests, refill needed prescriptions, and complete most of the immunization shots to prepare me for service in Bolivia. And the process was not too costly in time or money because I was in the system and of the system.


Becoming a Franciscan missioner in training has left me without prescription drug coverage in my gap health insurance¹. Eventually I had to refill that 40 mg per day prescription for Lipitor², and I did so about a day before hearing a radio interview with Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in which he stated that the average cost of a 30-day supply of Lipitor in the US was about $130. 00 compared to $33.00 in Canada. "Bernie," I shouted (I was alone in the car and released my inner banshee), "they burned me for $140.00!" I didn't exactly set my GPS for Toronto (I don't own one) but my fight-or flight mechanism was activated.


The next day I began making phone calls about getting the last of three shots to complete my immunization against hepatitis-b.  I was trying the public health clinics in the Middle Tennessee area. One phone call informed me that the clinic in my home county was out of hep-b vaccine and wasn't sure when the next shipment would arrive. That was no good; I needed to complete this in at least the next week. I tried several others and learned that hep-b vaccine was apparently in short supply except for two health clinics (one in Sumner County and one in Davidson County) and at the travel clinic of a major medical clinic in Nashville (the cost there was about double that of the other two). The Davidson County Clinic wanted positive ID of residency in the county and otherwise would charge about $55.00. The Sumner County clinic was farthest away, but they didn't seem to care where I lived, and they even said that the cost would be based on my current income. This sounded too good to be true; upon joining the Franciscan Mission Service my income adjusted to a level more befitting my vocation. I made an appointment for 9:15 AM the following morning, printed directions from Google Maps and went on to other plans.


The next morning I rolled out with my directions, my checkbook and my cup of coffee--ready for the final injection. [Stay tuned]


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¹ And I thank MD, our Blue Cross and Blue Shield agent, for the coverage we do have.
² Before doing so, I should've checked with my health care savings analyst, CB; she knows this stuff.