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Here's to Your Health:  Losing Health Insurance  |
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Jana
True Blue Farmgirl
482 Posts
Jana
Eau Claire
Wisconsin
USA
482 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 26 2007 : 02:33:17 AM
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After an absolutely horrible year, my husband has been removed from his job as an estimator for his brother's painting and roofing company. He is now going back to being a journeyman painter, which is his actual profession.
Over the years, management people have had health benefits offered to them and so had the painters and roofers. But the painters and roofers no longer have any insurance. So in order to "be fair" my husband's brother is dropping us. My husband can get a catastrophic plan for just himself, but I cannot.
I am disabled and unable to work. I do not have enough work points to collect SSDI or Medicaid. I am 49 and husband is 50. Both of us have preexisting health issues. I have just spent the last 2 weeks trying to get insurance with no luck at all.
There is a high risk plan through our state, but I'm not so sure we can afford even that. It looks pretty tight on paper when you have to come up with $1000.00 a month. We have no debts but a mortgage and we live modestly. Our children are no longer at home.
I'm angry, depressed and haven't slept in days. What is a person to do? Anyone have any advice? Heck, out of pocket our meds will cost us almost $500 a month. How will we get health care when we need it if we can't afford insurance? One major event and we could lose our home. Maybe we should just sell it and move into a trailer now and get it over with. I feel like I'm being punished for staying home and raising a family and when I want to work outside the home I cannot.(I have severe fibromyalgia and degenerative disc disease).This is beyond frustrating. I'm absolutely at the end of my rope.
Anyone else struggling with this out there? I know a lot of employers have stopped offering health benefits and benefits for spouses.
ARRRRRRGGGGGG!!!! I guess I'm venting but how does one even begin to deal with such a major change?
Jana |
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Aunt George
True Blue Farmgirl
1476 Posts
Georgann
Midlothian
VA
1476 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2007 : 04:34:58 AM
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Oh, Jana, I'm so sorry. My husband and I just went through something similar. I carried our family health benefits through my work. I am a nurse and worked full-time at a hospital. I left last December to care for my dying mother at home and thus lost our family health benefits. My husband is a contractor (computer) and did not have health benefits. Our Cobra with all of us healthy was $1400 per month and with my lost income, we decided to risk not having health insurance. Same here, one major event and we would have been sunk as well.
We did put all we could scrape into a savings account and have been living very modestly ourselves. Thrift store shopping, reworking the clothing, no eating out or entertainment, etc.
Still, I am 49 and my hubby is 38 and we knew for us, as we age, it is just a matter of time. Every health insurance plan I found was just out the roof in cost. I then finally just this past month found a plan through Blue Cross/Blue Shield that is reasonable and has really fair rates. Now the only one of the four of us with a pre-existing is our youngest daughter and her preexisting is hay fever........can you believe that? Hayfever a pre-existing..........and that did cost us about $15 per month more.
You could look into Blue Cross/Blue Shielf and see if they could find a plan in your area, but with those pre-existing conditions.......it is going to be hard.
Here are some options perhaps now some of them might seem a bit whacked out, but we are living in such a changing health care society and the middle class America, once again is getting squeezed hardest.
1.) BEG your brother to keep carrying you on the plan and pay the full premiums....once you are dropped from a plan it is very, very difficult to find another one when you have pre-existing conditions as you have found out.
2.) Go back to re-apply for SSI disability. You really have to hammer the SSA to get those benefits. I have seen many of my homecare patients who have never worked a day in their lives get disability through SSA. I asked them how they did this and they said they got their doctors to disable them and then they kept hammering Social Security for the disability.....squeeky wheel syndrome.
3.) Get a divorce and then apply for Medicaid. I know that sounds horrid, but in this day and age...I do know of people who are doing this. Because then they qualify due to lack of income.
4.) Move to Canada where they have a national health care plan. You could sell your home and bank that money as proof of the 6 months of income available to you and your husband that you need to enter Canada for residency.
5.) Go to the websites of your drug companies and start applying for their medication assistance programs. They are out there and not necessarily for just Medicaid recipients. See if there are any medications you can switch to generic and go to Wal-Mart and see if any of your medications qualify for the $4 Generic program.
6.) Get your medications from Canada through Canada Drug. Here is their website:
http://www.canadadrugs.com/
We as US Citizens are being squeezed and are ending up on the bottom run of the socio-economic ladder. The gap between the haves and havenots is widening at the benefit of insurance racketeers and greedy big business. I am really up on my soap box now, sorry, but it hurts and I have seen so much suffering. People trying to decide whether they eat, or buy their meds, or pay the electric bill during the winter. As a nurse, I am sickened with this very situation you are in Jana. I am so, so sorry, but fight back, gather your resources, enlist your MD's assistance. Call their office and see if they have medication samples that you can have...or like I said, change your drugs to generics. The only generic I would advise against is Dilantin, but other than that, the generics are good. The hospitals give generics to their patients whenever there is a generic option......
Hope this helps a little bit, and I am so, so sorry this is happening to you.........oh, and have your brother kick his brother in the seat of his pants!
G
http://auntgeorgeshouse.blogspot.com/index.html
http://thefabricho.blogspot.com/
http://auntgeorge.etsy.com
"Made With Love" |
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sunshine
True Blue Farmgirl
4877 Posts
Wendy
Utah
USA
4877 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2007 : 05:18:47 AM
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There is what is called guaranteed issue if you or your husband have your own company and employee two people out side of your household full time in that company and if he decides to get health benefits for his employees than you and your husband can get health benefits too at the same time and they can not be denied you for preexisting conditions. Most people don't realize they can take health care and control it and not have it control them. With guarantee issue they can charge you twice what a standard policy is but that is still cheaper than no insurance. Not sure if this helps you as not everyone can instantly start a company and pay two other people full time. But if you know two other people in the same boat they may be willing to work full time and pay their own benefits to get insurance.
have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe
my bloghttp://sunshinescreations.vintagethreads.com/
my web store http://vintagethreads.com/ |
Edited by - sunshine on Aug 26 2007 11:16:18 AM |
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ktknits
True Blue Farmgirl
582 Posts
Kathy
Northwest Indiana
USA
582 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2007 : 09:21:38 AM
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Boy, Aunt George hit the nail right on the head!! Our health system in this country leaves quite a bit to be desired for quite a few of our people! Seeing the medical billing end of the spectrum, it just makes me sick at the financial implications that just one illness can have for a family. And she's right--the rich get richer and everyone else......well, it's "every man for himself".
The only other ideas I would have is that professional affiliations and Chambers of Commerce typically have group insurance plans that their members can buy into. May not be cheap, but it may be something. I know I can get insurance through the Amer Institute of CPAs if I need to. My sister was self employed for a while, and she has a seizure disorder so couldn't get insurance on her own. She joined her "small business" up with the Chamber of Commerce and got her insurance through their group plan. Maybe there's something you or your husband could do like that.
I have a friend with cancer who is still married, but she was eligible for medicaid--just because she didn't work. Somehow they didn't take her husband;s income into consideratiton (but he's self employed, so maybe they didn't "show" any income--I don't know their personal finances). Anyway, I'd go to Medicaid and try to apply there. Just be sure you always ask for the discount, or financial aid. In our office we follow the hospital's financial aid discount policy, but if people don't ask us for it, we don't know that they qualify, so we can't give them the discount. So, always ask!
Good Luck!!
http://ktknits.blogspot.com |
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Jana
True Blue Farmgirl
482 Posts
Jana
Eau Claire
Wisconsin
USA
482 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2007 : 11:12:14 AM
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I should make clear that we are in no way owners of the company my husband's brother has. My husband is simply an employee. There is no way he will keep us on the plan. NO WAY. As it is, my husband's parents are going to pay him the 1200.00 per month premium until we find something. We have been rejected by Anthem Blue Cross. A 1200.00 premium would wipe us out. That alone would cost us our home. "Sigh".
We have considered Canada. At least I have. Even been in touch with an immigration attorney. They seemed positive but not thrilled at a disabled person immigrating there.
Somehow my husband, no matter how badly he is treated, is really attached to his family. (Another long story)
I will check out some of the options, Georgann. Thanks for everyone's response.
Jana |
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sunshine
True Blue Farmgirl
4877 Posts
Wendy
Utah
USA
4877 Posts |
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janetinva123
True Blue Farmgirl
363 Posts
Janet
newport news
va
USA
363 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2007 : 11:48:53 AM
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I know he is a painter but sometimes it is worth it to find a job just because they offer some kind of health insurance. Do seek out Social Security again but if your husband is working and children are gone your income maybe to high for SSI and will never be sent for a medical determination. But check with them for sure. I know my grandmother got most of her precriptions paid by the pharmacy companies. There are lots of forms but at least they are there if you follow through. It is not easy I know. I have seen my daughter strugle with no medical insurance before. She is 36 and has worked in manufacturing for at least 10 years. Often times she would be hired through a temp company with no benefits. Her credit is ruined because she would have to go to the emergency room and then not be able to pay. She has a really good job right now with benefits. My mind is a little at rest. Another thing you might consider is go online and check out the medical studies for fibromyalgia. If there is a study near you, you could receive some care through that. Do you do any crafts or quilt, you could make some money that way if not you might start learning everything you can about internet selling and affiliate programs. I know this takes time but maybe a small business could help if your not spending much money on doing it. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Jc
http://beloved-creations.blogspot.com
http://beloved-creations.com |
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abbasgurl
True Blue Farmgirl
1262 Posts
Rhonda
USA
1262 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2007 : 7:55:31 PM
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Having been in your situation at one time, I do feel for you Jana. My son has been telling me about a health co-op that members pay into and where all healthcare costs are covered. He is in music ministry and his income is not such that he can afford good medical coverage. The particular co-op he is looking into has an all Christian membership. Even if you are not a Christian, I would guess there are other groups of people doing something similar. Perhaps this might be a solution for you too? So sorry you are going through this Jana.
Blessings,
Rhonda
I'm a one girl revolution. |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2007 : 8:43:55 PM
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Wow! I don't have anything to add- I just feel so bad for you! I hope something comes along and is an answer for you! Maybe you could go back to college and get University Insurance?
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora!
http://home.test-afl.tulix.com/aleeandnora/ |
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nashbabe
True Blue Farmgirl
687 Posts
687 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2007 : 07:00:25 AM
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Yeah, I think that Christian medical group is called medishare...I have no experience with them, just heard of them.
Crunchy crafty goodness and psychoses...;-)http://nashbabe.blogspot.com |
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Jana
True Blue Farmgirl
482 Posts
Jana
Eau Claire
Wisconsin
USA
482 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2007 : 7:23:39 PM
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And just when I thought things couldn't get much worse...hubby had emergency gall bladder surgery. He is home now and doing fine, thankfully!
As it stands, his parents, who are retired, are going to pitch in and gift us money to pay our current health insurance cost. It will simply decrease the amount that would be passed on to us in the future. I didn't know they were able to do this for us so I am greatful, yet ashamed. (Proud, independent midwesterner here).
I don't think they are terribly happy about some of the family dynamics that are going on either. But then you can't change other people. You can't force people to be compassionate or fair. And I think thats the bottom line. I don't mind being poor, but being treated unfairly really gets me riled.
THANK YOU ALL for being here. If not for MJF I would be a real case. These boards mean everything to me.
HUGS! Jana |
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Buttercup
True Blue Farmgirl
1433 Posts
Talitha
Vermont
USA
1433 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2007 : 8:24:28 PM
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Jana,
I am so sorry! I have severe fibromyalgia as well as heart problems and a connective tissue disease and was without medical insurance for years. So I understand how scary it is and how hard things are. I would deff. keep trying to get SS disability so you can get medicaid. Beyond that I do not know and just a post script to Aunt George's note, you may be able to accomplish the same thing with a legal seperation rather then a divorce (which is not so emotionally overwhelming and horrible sounding!) but check with a lawyer first! I am thinking of you and praying for you! I hope things work out and fast!!
Hugz,
Talitha
"If we could maintain the wonder of childhood and at the same time grasp the wisdom of age, what wonder,what wisdom,what life would be ours" |
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nut4fabric
True Blue Farmgirl
885 Posts
Kathy
Morgan Hill
CA
USA
885 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2007 : 08:51:33 AM
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Yesterday we lost our Cobra coverage because the payment was lost in the mail. That's right because the payment didn't get to their office on the due date we are canceled and no we cannot make up the lost payment. Federal guidelines, they say. Our country is in dire need of some real healthcare guidelines.
Hugs, Kathy |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2007 : 12:01:44 PM
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Jana, I hope your husband is making a good recovery. My husband had an emergency gall bladder removal a few years back, and the bill was over $30K. Good thing it happened while you are still covered, right?
Just a thought about getting insurance...you can get it as a part time employee at Starbucks, and I think also Borders now. Is there any way you could work part time with your health issues? If not, could your husband work part time at one of those places and part time at his real job of painting? It would pay less by the hour, but the expense in health care premium might negate that difference. That's assuming, of course, that the health care provider didn't reject you. Last I heard, both Starbucks and Borders use Aetna. I had Aetna when I worked at Borders, and it was fine. In fact, they covered all but the $100 dollar copay of my husband's gall bladder surgery.
Good luck! |
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greyghost
True Blue Farmgirl
650 Posts
Lynn
Summerville
Georgia
USA
650 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2007 : 3:56:48 PM
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| We are on Samaritan Ministries - http://samaritanministries.org/ - my folks have been with them for years, with all my dad's knee surgeries, his back problems, and for my mom, three years of fighting blindness - and they have always paid. |
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Here's to Your Health: Losing Health Insurance |
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Losing Health Insurance
