The Ins and Outs of Gay Sex (45 page)

Men without coverage can ask their doctors about payment plans or seek reduced fees.
Sliding scale clinics are also available in most areas, where charges are adjusted according to income levels.
While your care may not be as personal as you would like, at least it’s affordable.

With respect to insurance, it is important to understand the concept of a preexisting condition.
Many plans cover
you only for health problems dating from the time your policy goes into effect.
Thus if you suddenly develop diabetes, all treatment related to diabetes will be covered.
If, however, you were treated for diabetes prior to obtaining your policy, you may not be covered for a varying period of time (usually six to eighteen months, depending on your policy).
Not all health plans have preexisting condition clauses (the more expensive ones usually don’t, nor do some employee group plans), and documented prior treatment of your problem is usually what insurance companies look for.
Thus if you knew you had a hernia for a year before you obtained health insurance, but never saw a doctor for it, you’ll probably be okay.
Your insurance company will, however, contact any doctors you saw in the past to be sure that there was no prior record of the hernia.
Avoid unexpected bills by contacting your insurance carrier to be sure a planned treatment is covered and that there is no preexisting condition clause.

A preexisting condition clause is nullified if you prove that you had continuous insurance coverage before switching to your new plan.
This is important to anyone with a chronic illness, such as AIDS.
If you’ve been covered under one plan for several years and then switch health insurance (many times it is because of a job change), your AIDS will not be considered preexisting as long as your prior coverage never lapsed.
If you lose your job, you can continue your health coverage through a COBRA plan.
This entitles you to pay your premiums directly to the company and maintain your benefits even though you’re no longer an employee.
You can do this for eighteen months; by then you probably will have found a new job offering health coverage.
Your continuous coverage prevents a preexisting condition clause from taking effect.
It’s expensive to continue a policy on your own, and when you’re out of work it
may not seem worth it.
But if you have a chronic medical problem, in the long run you’ll be glad you did.
Medicare and public assistance—based health insurances do not have preexisting condition clauses.

When faced with bills from a doctor or other healthcare provider, don’t think they’ll just go away.
Most often medical billing, whether from a doctor or a hospital, is computer generated, and after a certain number of ignored payment requests, you’ll be sent to a collection agency.
This can destroy your credit rating and set you up for unnecessary legal expenses.
Most doctors contract their billing to services and are unaware that you’re being harassed for payment.
Call your doctor and explain your reason for nonpayment.
It never hurts to try, and your doctor might reduce your balance or wipe it out completely.
Partial payments through an installment plan, no matter how small, generally will keep collection agencies at bay.
If your doctor sent you to another doctor or facility that is hounding you for balance payment, talk to your primary physician about it.
He might be inclined to plead your case, and the other doctor might be more willing to listen.

Healthcare in the 1990s has become increasingly complicated.
Insurance rules and regulations change constantly, and the doctor you saw last week may not be in your plan the next.
Do your research before going for an appointment so you’re not surprised by high fees and large balances.
If at all possible, maintain your health coverage even if you have to pay for it out of pocket.
You never know when you’ll need it.
And never put off seeing a doctor because you think you can’t afford it.
Your health is too important, and there is always someplace you can go.

Healthcare is your right.


Find a physician you can relate to and forge an honest patient-doctor relationship.


If you are unhappy with your physician or the advice, change to someone else.


Always find out your doctor’s fees before you visit, and check to be sure your insurance will cover it.


Don’t be afraid to ask for a reduction in fees.


Before going to a specialist or emergency room, check to be sure that you don’t need a referral from your primary doctor.


Your insurance company may not pay for care related to preexisting conditions.


Medicare and public assistance-based health plans do not have preexisting condition clauses.

Always?
?
?
Most men would like to believe that they always use a condom when, in fact, on occasion they slip up.
Drugs and alcohol impair judgment and are the biggest deterrents to safe sex.
When some pill, powder, or liquid whips you into a sexual frenzy, you think only about getting off instead of getting protection.
During one of these exceptions to your strict I-always-use-a-condom rule you can catch an STD.

Men who use condoms also pick up STDs in other ways.
A condom won’t cover your partner’s scrotum or pubic region (unless he wraps himself in a garbage bag), and STDs lurking there can spread from his body to yours.
Many STDs, including herpes, genital warts, and crabs, require only the kind of close skin-to-skin contact most men enjoy.
Sure you use a condom for penetration, but up until that point, rubbing and fondling can deposit little nasties all over your body.
Fingers and toys also carry STDs between partners.