Health Insurance for MAS?

[ManjoMan]

Maybe this has been asked before, but can we buy health insurance to cover us when we get a severe case of MAS? I have got it bad right now and I am having nightmares (when I am able to sleep) and my appetite is all over the place - sometimes I'm hungry, sometimes I'm not. I think I need professional help. What about the rest of you?

[JEStanek]

Given the cost of insurance, it may be better to save the premium payments towards a mandolin purchase!

Jamie

[toddjoles]

If your one of us married guys, life insurance would probably be a better investment.
;)

[Bill Van Liere]

Well I am not sure about the insurance part, but I can recommend a good doctor; his name is Dr. Brentrup

[JEStanek]

Isn't he head of 3Points and Internal Kerfing at the Mando Clinic?
Jamie

[John Flynn]

I guess it's not out of the question. There is a branch of rehab known as music therapy that I believe is covered by insurance in some cases. I also have some experience with an area of health care known as DME, or durable medical equipment. I don't believe it would ever come to this, but if it did, here is how it would work (this is at least half facetious, of course):

You would go to your doctor complaining of MAS. He would send you to some kind of specialist. In the case of MAS, it would likely be a shrink! The specialist would ask you a bunch of intrusive questions, like what kind of a deginerate lifestyle you must have that is causing your MAS. Then, he would send you for a battery of tests at a lab. They would probably wire you up and have you listen to mandolin music.

If you got the right physiological reactions, you would be declared as having MAS. Then a DME provider would issue you a mandolin. The mandolin brand would not be of your choice. It would not be a cheap one, though. DME providers tend to contract with high, quality providers who mark thier stuff way up for the DME market. That increases their profits and runs everyone's insurance costs up.

So if they contracted with Collings, for instance, you would get an MT that Collings has marked up to $3500 to cover all the hassles and insurance involved in catering to the medical market. You would have to go into the DME office and go through an orientation on how to "operate" the MT, from someone who has some training, but no actual experience, playing one. Then you would have to document that you play it the prescribed number of hours a day, you would have a co-pay of say, $50 a month for as long as you had it. You would get a new one every 5 years.

Be careful what you wish for! :cool:

[Santiago]

Buying mandolins is a lot like gambling. Its okay as long as you "bet with your head and not over it."

[Patrick Gunning]

Insurance is all about distributing risk. There is no "risk" for MAS, it's a 100% certainty. No profit margin there...

[LateBloomer]

Your MAS is a pre-existing condition... you might not be able to get coverage, none of us can get coverage! :mandosmiley:

[man dough nollij]

Debtor's Anonymous meetings are free. http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

[gregjones]

I guess it's not out of the question. There is a branch of rehab known as music therapy that I believe is covered by insurance in some cases. I also have some experience with an area of health care known as DME, or durable medical equipment. I don't believe it would ever come to this, but if it did, here is how it would work (this is at least half facetious, of course):

You would go to your doctor complaining of MAS. He would send you to some kind of specialist. In the case of MAS, it would likely be a shrink! The specialist would ask you a bunch of intrusive questions, like what kind of a deginerate lifestyle you must have that is causing your MAS. Then, he would send you for a battery of tests at a lab. They would probably wire you up and have you listen to mandolin music.

If you got the right physiological reactions, you would be declared as having MAS. Then a DME provider would issue you a mandolin. The mandolin brand would not be of your choice. It would not be a cheap one, though. DME providers tend to contract with high, quality providers who mark thier stuff way up for the DME market. That increases their profits and runs everyone's insurance costs up.

So if they contracted with Collings, for instance, you would get an MT that Collings has marked up to $3500 to cover all the hassles and insurance involved in catering to the medical market. You would have to go into the DME office and go through an orientation on how to "operate" the MT, from someone who has some training, but no actual experience, playing one. Then you would have to document that you play it the prescribed number of hours a day, you would have a co-pay of say, $50 a month for as long as you had it. You would get a new one every 5 years.

Be careful what you wish for! :cool:

This only applies if you are a deadbeat that sleeps to the crack of noon because it's too much work to get up and go some where to earn a living to support your three kids.

No problem-----send the stepdaughter. Problem--she traded the MT for a quarter bag on the way home.

[John Flynn]

Say what? Where did that come from? :disbelief:

[man dough nollij]

http://www.clipartof.com/images/emoticons/xsmall2/787_flame_thrower_gun.gif

[ManjoMan]

When I started this thread, it was merely to vent my frustration at not having the income or savings to support my desire for a couple of new mandolins. It was for fun and not to be taken too seriously. As I recall, mandolin players have never been taken too seriously and as a group are generally light-hearted by nature and just want to have fun. I know that I am not the only one who suffers from MAS and this was just an opportunity to share. The next thing we know, there will be a 12-step program to help resolve this unkind syndrome as it has been the cause of destroying many lives throughout the world. Can I get a witness?

While I am here I would like to share a conversation that I had with my mother when I told here I was considering buying another mandolin. She asked me how many I already had and I told her three plus two that I am in possession of that belong to friends. Her response was "Three? You can only play one at a time!" Well, she is right in that sense, but I had to remind her that when we moved her and dad back to our neck of the woods that in her closet were countless dresses, shoes, and purses and some of those still had the tags on them indicating that they have never been worn or used. She then told me that that was different. Those items didn't cost $5000-$7000 each. She did have a point, but I quickly pointed out that there have been times that I have made a few hundred dollars playing the mandolin. That didn't phase her. Then I asked her that if she were to try and sell her clothes, shoes, and purses would she be able to get her money back? She asked me why she would even consider doing that? When I reminded her that in the past I have sold instruments for MORE than what I originally purchased them for she had nothing more to say. All of us have some sort of syndrome. Let's not criticize someone elses and remember that we are all in this together.

[John Hill]

The firm of Dudenbostel, Gilchrist, Monteloene and Nugget would be glad to help you out with your MAS premiums.