The other day I was at the osteopath’s office, getting ready to pay for the visit. The secretary asked if they had my insurance information. I told them I had Medicare.
She paused. “What?” I asked impatiently.
“Just, no, nevermind, nothing.”
“No, really, what?”
I hate when people do that.
“Just … I can’t believe how young you look for someone who is 65. I hope I look like you when I’m 65!”
It’s true! I really do look great for 65! That’s because I’m in my forties.
A lot of people don’t know that Medicare is for disabled people as well as senior citizens. Ninety-nine percent of the time, whenever Medicare is talked about in the press, it is mentioned in conjunction with “seniors.” Disabled people don’t seem to count in the media. I’ve read dozens of articles about Medicare, and only one or two bothered to mention disabled people.
Did you know the original Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not cover disabled people? Hmmm, I guess we were not, you know, sufficiently people-like.
Thank God for the Americans With Disabilities Act. At least we have that.
Miss Diagnoses 
Published by