So Belinda still has Soonercare, but because Ben finally got the unemployment benefits, we have too much income for he and I to be on Soonercare. It’s a strange feeling, not having health insurance. I already checked with Insure Oklahoma and healthcare.gov, and those premiums are not attainable.

I guess I will look into emergency coverage, so we are covered if something terrible happens. I have enough prescriptions for about a month. And then…I guess I won’t take those any more. I don’t know. I don’t know.

If Ben is still unemployed in the middle of March, the unemployment benefits will run out and we can get on Soonercare again.

I’m glad Belinda still has coverage.

I am taking her to the Ehlers-Danlos specialist tomorrow. I cancelled my appointment but hers is still on. I am planning to take her to the aquarium that morning in Jenks, and so one nice thing about losing coverage for me is that with my cancelled appointment, we will get to spend an extra half hour or so at the aquarium.

I am so tired.

Today Belinda went to the dentist for her cleaning. This was her last time at the pediatric dentist. We would have stayed there for longer, but the dentist who ran it for so long is moving on to something else, and also they don’t take Soonercare. But it did work out.

I discovered this weekend that there is a continuity of care period, where new Soonercare people can see their old providers for 90 days, even if they aren’t in network, and it will be covered. That was very good news. I spent two hours on the phone this morning, confirming that and finding out what to do. The dentist’s office didn’t want to file it, so I got a receipt and the new dentist insurance (Liberty Dental) is sending me a form. I can send back the form and receipt and they will reimburse me.

It’s hard to believe that we won’t be going to Dr. Brackett’s office anymore. He was such a great dentist to all three children for so many years. He was truly a blessing in our lives.

Then tonight we went to her senior class meeting, and she was elected president of the class! She was really, really happy but didn’t make a big deal of it until we were in the car. In addition to her other duties, she’ll give a speech at graduation.

We go to the EDS doctor a week from tomorrow.

Ben’s unemployment went through last night! That is going to be a real help during this time. It still doesn’t raise our family’s income over 185% of the poverty level, so we will still be able to continue with the Soonercare coverage. I will need to contact them next week and get this update into their system.

Another great thing I found online today – As a child under 19, now that she is on Soonercare, she will be able to stay on it for a while, even after Ben gets a job. It’s called 12 Months Continuous Eligibility, and I don’t know if that means 12 months from Jan 1, or 12 months from when she started, or 12 months after we have the life change of our income increasing over the limit. Whichever it is, that’s a great relief with her health issues.

I also discovered last night that there is something called Continuity of Care that says new people on Soonercare have like 90 days to transition away from their current out of network doctors. I’m going to call Monday and find out more, but if it means what it sounds like it means, Belinda will be able to see her pediatric dentist and pediatrician for a few more months (neither take Soonercare). She is so close to aging out of those doctors anyway, but it would be really nice if she could stay with them for now. And hopefully Ben’s back in business by then and she wouldn’t have to transition out at all until she ages out for reals.

So Ben’s former employer is contesting his application for unemployment benefits. He has a reasonable response to every thing they’ve brought up, but it’s all taking so long. We have no savings. Life and Belinda’s medical stuff finished that up. I expect some small checks from the newspaper, and hopefully that will keep the bank account from going under, but I don’t have much hope in that, since it went under last month at the very end. I sure wish the electric didn’t wait until the end of the month to come out!

The quandry is…we need to keep the Soonercare insurance for Belinda if Ben doesn’t have a “real” job that includes benefits. He’s applying all over and has been in conversation with some companies, and he’s trying super hard, but it’s just not happening so far. And still, we can’t really go out and get temporary jobs because that will cause our income to go up and we could lose the insurance. We can’t risk that.

I can’t figure out what people do in this situation. Do we try to find odd jobs or something under the table? That seems wrong, but I know people do what they have to do.

I guess I should try to ascertain exactly how much money we can make and still be able to keep Soonercare. It is SO HARD to try to figure out this stuff though!

I don’t even know if she can stay on it if Ben finally gets unemployment benefits, since that would count as an income increase. Everything is so confusing and I’m tired.