All Hail the Queen Elizabeth

People hear “insurance covered it” and think that means free.

Let me explain something about DME (Durable Medical Equipment) and how this actually works in real life for medical families.

These companies ship supplies in these HUGE boxes… for items that are sometimes small. Overnight shipping, repeat shipments, constant resupply cycles. It looks excessive, and honestly, sometimes it is.

But none of this is just… floating in the air.

That money is coming from somewhere.

It comes from:
1. Medicaid / insurance reimbursements (which are funded by taxpayers and the system as a whole)
2. Contracts and billing structures that most families never see
3. Markups that account for storage, labor, packaging, and yes… shipping

So even when a family isn’t pulling out their wallet at that exact moment, there is still a cost being paid.

And as a medical parent, you start to notice things:
1. Why is this box so big?
2. Why was this sent overnight?
3. Why does resupply look like this every single time?

Because the system isn’t always built for efficiency—it’s built around billing, compliance, and making sure companies get paid in a way that keeps them operating.

And to be clear—these supplies are necessary.
We NEED these companies.
We NEED access.

But that doesn’t mean it’s free.
It means the cost is just shifted and structured differently.

So when medical families say:
“This isn’t really free…”

We’re not being ungrateful.

We’re just aware.

Aware of the scale.
Aware of the system.
Aware of what it actually takes to keep our children supported day to day.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Even in healthcare.

Medicaid

Some days you don’t have time for a full face.
That’s fine. Life is busy.

But a woman who remembers the small things that pull her together always carries a little power with her.

A swipe of lipstick can change your whole mood.
Act accordingly.