Stupid Healthcare Coverage!

So Gaj, has an eye doctor appointment for some rare eye illness that make you go blind!! But anyways, I get there for my 8 AM exam! And the ladies like, did you know that you eye care provider does not cover this exam? I'm like "what? okay". So the deal is like this: Kaiser is my HMO (for all you Canadian's here's a break down of how the US medical system works).

The HMO only covers me if I follow a contingency plan they lay out (i.e. ambulance covered only for life/death emergencies, not broken legs or anything that you can reach the hospital with even severe, severe pain). And the HMO only allows me to go to a list of their "preferred" doctors - other doctors are not neccessarily covered.

So since Kaiser is my HMO, only a eye exam referred by a "Kaiser" doctor is covered. Any other appointment made by a regular eye doctor costs $$$. My appointment, this morning would have cost me $150 bucks!!!

Not the key words are WOULD HAVE! I cancelled the appointment & now have to see a "Kaiser" doctor to book another eye exam! The worst part is I booked this exam in June! Now if I have to book it again, it might be in JANUARY!!! And if I do have this eye illness, I have to catch it ASAP otherwise the damage may be unrecoverable!!

Damn it!