#4) Jeepers Creepers...Better Check Those Peepers

January 25, 2017

Dear Mr. President,

The other day when you spoke at the CIA you mentioned that you saw the inaugural crowd going all the way back to the Washington Monument (which, of course, it didn't).  Anyway, you're 70 years old now and it is probably time for you to have a thorough eye exam.  Luckily, you've got GREAT health insurance with your new job. Not all full time jobs come with free health insurance you know.  You could probably get an eye exam for free.  I have a co-pay of $25 which isn't too bad.  I'm one of the lucky ones (not as lucky as you, but I can't complain).  Often insurance doesn't cover the cost of the actual glasses though.  Peter needed new specs last year and they cost $600.  Of course, his vision is terrible and he needed bi-focals and unbreakable frames because he has a very active lifestyle.  $600 is nothing to an international business tycoon like yourself, but for us mere mortals we had to budget it over a few months.

I know that you and your team are putting together a new health care plan to replace Obamacare so you know a lot about this stuff.  Here's my question - why are optometrists and dentists not covered by standard health insurance?  Vision and dental are usually separate insurance plans.  It's weird because my eyes and teeth are DEFINITELY part of my body and need to be cared for and my optometrist and dentist are DEFINITELY doctors because I've seen their diplomas hanging on the walls.  So why is seeing an optometrist or dentist different from seeing a cardiologist or gastroenterologist?  I don't get it.  When you think about it, an eye exam is kind of like a mammogram.  Both should be checked out once a year.  But my boobs are covered by standard health insurance and my eyes aren't.  Maybe your team can toss this idea around when you write health care reform.  I think it's time to put eyes and teeth back where they belong...in the human body and in standard health insurance.

Have you seen the Paul Ryan health insurance meme going around the internet?  It's pretty funny.  I don't know how to attach it to this email but I'll include it in my weekly mailing to you.

Sincerely,

Amy "The People" Beaton