Most people opt out of politics unless there's a juicy scandal involving an intern, a bag of money in the freezer, or an escort.  Which really grinds my gears, because when a subject like health care comes up, we all need to pay attention.  The old saying goes "if you don't have your health ..." -- so I ask myself, how could anyone afford to ignore what's going on?

Here's the problem:  it affects all of us (especially those with arthritis) because we're the ones living with a chronic condition who rely on good health care to live a decent life.

If you've ever gotten a referral, been prescribed multiple medications, needed a test (like an MRI) or even a second opinion, you've likely had difficulty navigating the complicated mess of approval, authorization, and reimbursement that is health insurance benefits.

It's hard not to get angry at the thought of an insurance company denying a claim.  I remember way back when I was prescribed a Prilosec (proton pump inhibitor) to keep the other medicine I was taking from causing an ulcer.  That one little pill (back then it was prescription-only) was so annoying to get approvals for, it must have taken a dozen phone calls a month between the doctor's office, pharmacy, insurance company and my mom.  And why?  Because an MBA graduate at the health insurance company made a formula that kicked back costly drugs because there were other alternatives available.

Even then I never understood how an insurance company could challenge a doctor's decision to prescribe a certain medicine.  Why even separate the two?  If we're going to get screwed by the insurance company, why not take out the middleman and have Blue Cross open clinics for their doctors to tell us up front that the medicine or tests we need aren't covered, so we won't even bother.

Whichever "side" or whatever opinion one might have about the health care conversation, it's best to at least get involved and know more.  And know more doesn't mean learn everything from Fox News or even MSNBC.  It comes down to learning and thinking about some of the complexities that comprise the issue.  Boiling down health care into small sound bites or news stories (like disruptive town hall meetings) doesn't scratch the surface.

And it doesn't do us any good if we're going to actually get hooked up and stop being jerked around.

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Growing up with arthritis has given me a chance to meet lots of great medical professionals. None I enjoy more than the pharmacists. This group of human beings are the unsung heroes of our medical care. They remain largely invisible, stand three feet above us for some reason on an elevated platform, and know everything about our disease(s) and how we treat them.

When you pause to think about it, there's a lot going on here. I mean these people check their egos at the door, don't require any attention, and -- when you get to know them -- turn out to be the coolest group of healthcare experts in our circle of care.

The other day I started chatting up the new guy at the pharmacy. Cool guy -- got transferred from another pharmacy -- and when he pulled up my record, politely said, "Looks like I'll be seeing more of you."

This, of course, is because I am an idiot and haven't figured out how to time all of my refills to come out the same week.

Instead I'm picking up a prescription every third day, or so it feels, which is why the gang has gotten to know me, and likewise. So the new guy kind of felt like a first date. Except every piece of private information you'd NEVER tell a first date, he pulled up with one stroke of the keyboard. Jeeze.

I asked Arnold (that was his name) what was the most expensive drug he had ever filled. What's better conversation than a factoid like that? And he said that just last week a lady came in and picked up a prescription for $2,100! And she paid cash!! Which was delightful and disturbing at the same time. Disturbing because a drug actually cost $2,100. Delightful that someone walks around, somehow, with that much cash on them. What'd she do, hold up a convenience store and make a bee-line to the pharmacy? Who wouldn't?

Arnold didn't volunteer what drug cost that much money, but I am sure after a few visits to my friendly neighborhood pharmacist, that HIPAA and confidentiality wall will come crumbling down. After all, he's the keeper of the secrets.

Get to know your pharmacist if you can. They're cooler than you think.