Po, Po, 'Piful Me

[Yeast]

Getting old sucks.

 

I don’t mind the sore feet half as much as nature’s little surprises. My driver’s license expires at the end of the month, so I got an early start and tried to renew mine last week. I dreaded the prospect of a vision test as my eyesight isn’t what it used to be. Sure enough, a test was mandatory. Sure enough, I couldn’t read a single letter. Crap. So, off to the optometrist for new glasses. After a brief examination I was told a small cataract in one eye wasn’t small anymore. In fact now both eyes had them. No new prescription could improve my vision until I rid myself of cataracts. Crap and double crap. Well, I suppose I had no choice. Go see a surgeon. One was found that was associated with my health insurance and a meeting was scheduled for the 28^th. Well, the surgery is quite quick and supposedly painless. I was hoping after surgery the prescription I had would allow me to pass the vision test so I could renew my license. I gave the office a call only to learn my visit was nothing more than an examination. The actual procedure would take place 3 to 5 weeks after this. Oh crap, double crap and triple crap!! I should have begun this last April, but I had no idea what would be required to regain my right to drive. Its looking as though I will be riding the bus for several weeks. Oh well, at least I’m retired. Really no place to go and groceries can be delivered these days. At least I’ll be able to drive to the office for the consultation. Things aren’t all bad since the procedure will only cost me around 500 dollars. Maybe my medical insurance will cover most of this. Speaking of medical insurance, my provider has the nasty habit of adding next month’s premium to what I already owe them if I don’t pay on time. OK, just pay this month’s and to hell with October. No problem? No. I receive a state subsidy to cover my insurance expenses. Health insurance can quickly erode a fixed pension, especially with a mortgage to pay. Single premium payments are usually refunded sooner or later but problems arise if the dates or payments aren’t what they are supposed to be. They bawk at requests for double payments. This is all so insane. The subsidy is an account set up for me and technically my money. I want to spend it on insurance but they treat me like I want to spend it on cocaine if things aren’t absolutely perfect. The third ring in this insurance circus is the affordable health care program. It pays the rest of what the state doesn’t. No problem? No. It seems I made the mistake of reporting my net income, not my gross. Oops. OK, I supposedly owe the government money because of this. I’m thrifty enough to be able to pay for problems such as these. Just send a check to the IRS. For some unfathomable reason they continue to send the damn money back to me. Imagine the IRS refusing to receive taxes. This is even more insane than my health insurance provider. A regular circus of insanity. I will have to try and make some calls in the near future to sort this mess out.

 

Getting old sucks.

[daveb]

Doesn't sound like much fun. Good luck with the cataract surgery and everything!

[ryn2]

Oh, my, how frustrating!

 

My US state requires a retest at every renewal.  I renew at a site about 45 minutes from my house and don’t wear my glasses or use my computer/smartphone before or during my drive there, to give my eyes the best chance to accommodate to distance vision.  So far it’s worked but I probably shouldn’t be advocating it as a good approach for others.

[Skycaptain]

If its a small consolidation I have to have my eyes tested every year for retinopathy, and every three years for my taxi licence. Neither facility use lighting required by law to conduct these tests, so basically everyone is wasting everyone's time carrying out tests which are inaccurate and irrelevant 

[Cheshire-Cat]

If your vision has been shown as below the legal standard to drive and you're still driving then certainly where I live in the UK it would invalidate your car insurance as you're now knowingly driving illegally and you legally have to inform the relevant government department (?DMV in the states). I can't imagine the states would be that different so if you're still driving you could be putting yourself at risk of ending up in court and being banned from driving.

[daveb]

25 minutes ago, Cheshire-Cat said:

putting yourself at risk of ending up in court and being banned from driving.

Not to mention putting yourself or other people at risk of getting in an accident.

[ryn2]

I didn’t think anyone was talking about driving after a revocation or expiration?

[daveb]

Just to be clear, I wasn't saying anyone (especially not the OP) was planning on driving without a license. Rather, he mentioned his options for handling things without driving. For my part, I just meant that there are reasons for tests and regulations like these. They may be annoying, but they protect people.  

[Cheshire-Cat]

6 hours ago, ryn2 said:

I didn’t think anyone was talking about driving after a revocation or expiration?

 

2 hours ago, daveb said:

Just to be clear, I wasn't saying anyone (especially not the OP) was planning on driving without a license. Rather, he mentioned his options for handling things without driving. For my part, I just meant that there are reasons for tests and regulations like these. They may be annoying, but they protect people.  

The OP said 'At least I can drive to the consultation'. Which to my reading suggests continuing to drive until the current licence expires at the end of the month.

[ryn2]

In my state (not sure it’s true for all) if they don’t revoke you’re still cleared to drive until expiry... but I can see how a lawyer getting wind of the situation after an accident could still be a problem.