Round and Round in the Circle Game

Remember the big deal about getting surgery on a decidedly wobbly ankle?

First, Fireman Fred wouldn't let me have the four weeks I would spend in a cast, wouldn't allow me to work at home.

Then I realized that short-term disability would cover a whopping 66% of my salary if I decided to take those four weeks off.

I went back to the doctor, told him of my predicament and he said, "We can do a modified procedure that can have you out of work for only a week. It won't be exactly what you need, but it's better than nothing."

I checked this out with Fireman Fred. I checked this out with HR. Thumbs up, we can all live with this, please wait until mid-May if you can.

Fine. Settled.

And then I went to check on how much money I have in my health savings account (HSA / FSA / whatever). I signed up to stick $1200 in it. There is now (get this) all of $200 left.

That's right. In the space of three months, Hoity-Toity (but very good) Medical Group has burned through a thousand bucks of my health savings account.

This left me wondering how much the surgery would cost and how much I would be responsible for. Somehow, I have to get HTMG talking to my insurance company with me listening it.

If it's more than $500, I'm going to an orthotist and getting an ankle brace made.

This is just crazy. This is just freaking nuts. And I guess I can wave bye-bye to my career as an Olympic figure skater.