I posted a comment in a diary yesterday about my experience with my insurance company, BCBS, and the need for Levitra because of issues caused from taking anti-depressants.
Someone commented that this was Sex Rationing, which I thought was a very good point that I hadn’t seen mentioned before, so I thought that I would diary it.
Details below the fold.
I’ve been taking anti-depressants for about 20 years to treat both depression and OCD. Anyone who takes anti-depressants knows that they have sexual side effects. These side effects could include anything from having difficulty in "raising the mast," "getting the mast down," or "firing the cannons." (Hey, I grew up in Puritanical America where we don’t talk about sex in public...pardon the euphemisms!)
I’ve always had these issues but have been able to work through them. When I started taking Zoloft after seeing a psychiatrist for the first time I had the "firing the cannons" issue. This means that it takes a long time for me to reach orgasm and although at first enjoyable for my girlfriend it soon became "Are you done yet!" (Is this FYI or TMI?)
We were able to work through this and although the problem didn’t totally go away I learned "workarounds" that allowed us to both enjoy sex.
Flash forward to the present (thank you Wry...were were getting tired hearing about your sexual history!)
I started dating someone about 8 months ago and began experiencing these sexual side effects again. My psychiatrist recommended trying Levitra. So he wrote me a script.
Here’s the kicker...BCBS only covers 6 pills at $5 a pop. Luckily I only need to take ½ a pill, but this means I can have "good sex" 12 times a month.
I’m also fortunate that I can still have sex without the Levitra, albeit with the sexual side effects of the anti-depressants.
But what about those who absolutely need the Levitra or Viagra to have sex at all, and who need a full pill for the effect?
BCBS is saying that "You only deserve sex 6 times a month...live with it or buy the pills on your own."
Of course the teabaggers would say "Why should we subsidize your sex?" Well, for one thing sex is an important part of a healthy relationship and a healthy life. Every male can attest that blue balls lead to stress, and stress leads to disease. "Blue Cross causes Blue Balls!" Slap that one on a picket sign!
So that’s the end of my TMI diary. Are others experiencing the same issues with their insurance provider?