Health Insurance

[Sluff]

Well I will soon fall into the category of uninsurable and the uninsured at the end of March. I am trying to apply for medicaid but not sure I'm eligible. I'm pre dialysis and not considered disabled.   

[del]

Your system in the US is a lot different from her in Canada.  I don't really understand your system but hey I'm not sure I really understand the Canadian system either!!!

[paris]

Oh Sluff, I don't know what to say. I can't imagine how stressed you are.    My next door neighbor has had reaccuring cancer for 14 years. Her husband works for the State, so they have always felt they had good insurance. The cancer came back in December and the insurance refused to pay for the chemo. Apparently they had hit their lifetime limit. They took a second mortgage on their house to pay the out of pocket  expense of $35,000!! She says if it comes back again, she will just die.   How can an insurance company refuse the only chance she has to live?  I don't understand and I don't have an answer.   We have to figure out our health system.     I am just ranting because I know this really stinks for you.  I am sorry.

[Romona]

That really stinks.

[rookiegirl]

Sluff,

I'm so sorry this is happening.  I hope you will qualify for Medicaid or any other type of assistant.  I will be praying for you.  But for now just want to give you a 

[st789]

In California, if you have very little and start dialysis, you may qualify for medicaid.  I hope you will qualify.

[rose1999]

This is awful, I hope you can sort something and quick. -:big hug:  Can we do anything to help?

[KT0930]

Sluff, so sorry you're having to deal with this stress. I hope you can get some help somewhere!

[Mimi]

Ah Gee Sluff, I hate to hear that.  There is some help out there for people who don't have insurance.  Try
your State Insurance Commisioner and of course Medicaid.  Best of luck to you.

Love, Mimi

[Sunny]

I am so sorry. Losing health insurance is one my my dreaded concerns so I know how you must be feeling.
I hope you find coverage somehow.

[Ohio Buckeye]

I know that is stressful Sluff.
I hope you can get some help.
I had to change insuance Jan. 1st and this one has a $30 co-pay for each dialysis treatment.
Since I do PD I have a treatment every day.
I told the social worker I could not afford that and she said not many could
and to bring in proof of income.  It was the best policy out of the pick tho.

[KT0930]

I know that is stressful Sluff.
I hope you can get some help.
I had to change insuance Jan. 1st and this one has a $30 co-pay for each dialysis treatment.
Since I do PD I have a treatment every day.
I told the social worker I could not afford that and she said not many could
and to bring in proof of income. It was the best policy out of the pick tho.

That's just disturbing! I can't believe insurance companies can get away with this!

[skyedogrocks]

That really stinks  .  Is there anyway you can get help through the State?  Another thought, can you try getting a p/t job at Home Depot or Lowes?  I heard they have excellent health insurance.  Just a thought!  Good Luck!

[annabanana]

Sluff, Randy is having the same problems, being pre-dialysis.
He's applied for Medicaid and state assistance but they keep saying it's "pending."
So, it's $25./month to doctors and labs and hospitals.
But we feel optimistic that he'll get Medicaid, eventually.
Be optimistic! 

[Sluff]

That really stinks  .  Is there anyway you can get help through the State?  Another thought, can you try getting a p/t job at Home Depot or Lowes?  I heard they have excellent health insurance.  Just a thought!  Good Luck!

I'm working on trying to get Badger care which is Medicaid in Wisconsin, but I'm not declared disabled so there will undoubtedly be a fee. last quote I received was $972.00 per month.

I just have to wait for the state to see. I'm also following a link that I received from meinuk. Not sure yet about that coverage yet either.

[Slywalker]

Sluff - this sucks the big one for sure.

FYI - I believe that most, if not all, hospitals receive federal funding and therefore must accept patients who cannot pay.  this happened to a friend of mine who had a heart condition and after showing proof of income, etc. things were worked out with the doc and hospital.  I actually think the doctor could have charged her but he decided to be gracious about his bill. 

Good luck qualifying for your State's programs. 

Sandyb   

[paddbear0000]

Sluff, I'm so sorry about this. I know exactly how you feel. Being diabetic and predialysis myself, I was also uninsured for several years until I got married last year. I used a program here in Ohio that covered all my healthcare costs as long as I went to a certain hospital and used their family clinic. It was called HCAP. I tried doing a search for you based on Wisconsin, but apparently it is only an Ohio program. Check with your local hospital and see if they have a similar program. Since Okarol is so good at finding things on the internet, maybe she'd have better luck than I did. They base what you pay on your income. Since I was also unemployed, I didn't pay anything. I also used a state sponsored drug prescription program which saved me a lot of money of my drugs.

[Sluff]

Thanks for all the help and advice. 

[willieandwinnie]

http://www.hirsp.org/about/index.shtml

Sluff, I found these sites, maybe they'll be of some help. I'm so sorry  you are going through this. Dealing with any insurance business, just SUCKS!!!

http://www.medhealthinsurance.com/low-income-insurance.htm

http://www.wisconsinhealthcareforall.org/

http://www.wisconsin.gov/state/core/online_services.html

http://www.statecoverage.net/profiles/wisconsin.htm

http://www.wichurches.org/healthcare.html

[The Wife]

This is terrible.  I hope you find a solution Sluff.  Whenever I read stuff like this, I feel so grateful that we don't have to worry about these things in Canada. 

[Sluff]

Thanks W&W, the link for hirsp appears to be helpful, My Mother was using HIRSP. Expensive but they have a scale they use for premium discounts for low income.  I'm working on it.

[mysty]

Sluff.. I have no links for you.. but you have my support and good thoughts and anything that i can do no matter how little.. let me know. 

Here they have a sliding scale as well...I work at the post office so my medical is awesome.. and i have no restrictions..so long as I am working.. once I retire.. to keep it.. I have to pay out the a... i mean nose..

big hug big guy...

[KT0930]

Sluff.. I have no links for you.. but you have my support and good thoughts and anything that i can do no matter how little.. let me know. 

Here they have a sliding scale as well...I work at the post office so my medical is awesome.. and i have no restrictions..so long as I am working.. once I retire.. to keep it.. I have to pay out the a... i mean nose..

big hug big guy...

Mysty, double-check on the keeping it once you retire. My dad retired from the USPS sometime in the late '90s, and I'm almost positive he's now on Medicare. It could be that due to his age it's cheaper (he's 71 now), but just something to keep in mind.

[Bajanne]

I understand your feeling, Sluff.  I lost my government-subsidized medical insurance when my appointment was not renewed after Aug 07.  However, the stipulation at the government hospital is that, if you have insurance, the insurance must pay for your dialysis.  If you don't have insurance, you are dialysed free.  My problem would not be here on the island, but if I wanted to go somewhere else for treatment.

[mysty]

Mysty, double-check on the keeping it once you retire. My dad retired from the USPS sometime in the late '90s, and I'm almost positive he's now on Medicare. It could be that due to his age it's cheaper (he's 71 now), but just something to keep in mind.

Welll  Ii'll be 55 when I have given them 34 years of my life... not ready for medicare.. so i have to pay out the nose till then.. sucks.. i might as well just keep working