Re: important question about paying for treatments

[Guest guest]

> Hi all,ok,I admit to being a lurker for some time..I thought I was

> cured..had gleason of 9.5 with initial psa of 56..yes 56!..had seed

> implant and radiation and hormone therapy all last year..psa never went

> over 2,now it's up to 10 and 11.7..since then I have lost my job and

> have no insurance.Do any of you know who to contact for assistance? SSI?

> Social Security? Medicaid? I'm all new to this aspect and starting to

> get worried now.

COBRA coverage might be available.

Per http://hr.blr.com/topics.aspx?topic=26

" Both the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) and

many state laws give employees the right to continue coverage and/or

convert to individual policies after leaving the group. COBRA is

intended to ensure that employees and their dependents can maintain

their group healthcare coverage following certain events that otherwise

would result in a termination of coverage. COBRA's protections are

temporary and are intended as a stopgap until insurance is obtained from

another source, such as a new employer. Employers do not have to pay for

any portion of the premiums for COBRA coverage, but the beneficiaries

get to maintain their insurance at less expensive group rates. "

Also see http://www.floridahealthinsurance.com/cobra.htm

With regard to Social Security and SSI, of course check with the nearest

SS office.

Regarding Medicaid or whatever it's called in Florida, I'd suggest

running a Google search.

Regards,

Steve J

[Guest guest]

: You might be eligible for COBRA, check with HR dept at your last job. Also, what is your age. Generally medicare is for people over the age of 65. So check with CMS (Center for Medicare Services) on this. Check your state dept of health and human services website for medicaid info. You need to qualify under certain financial guidelines. You may also be eligible for charity care at your local hospital, call the social services dept. At the very least, they can also advise you on the insurance aspects as well. If worse comes to worse, speak with your private urologist. Often, doctors will negotiate with patients who lose their jobs. We do this in our office, and will give an out-of-work patient a discounted (often deeply discounted) cash price until he/she can get back on his/her feet again. Good luck.To: ProstateCancerSupport From: cachon@...Date: Fri, 16 May 2008 15:31:57 -0400Subject: important question about paying for treatments

Hi all,ok,I admit to being a lurker for some time..I thought I was cured..had gleason of 9.5 with initial psa of 56..yes 56!..had seed implant and radiation and hormone therapy all last year..psa never went over 2,now it's up to 10 and 11.7..since then I have lost my job and have no insurance.Do any of you know who to contact for assistance? SSI? Social Security? Medicaid? I'm all new to this aspect and starting to get worried now.

thanks for any help here in florida

johnWondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food.

Give to a good cause with every e-mail. Join the i’m Initiative from Microsoft.

[Guest guest]

Short-term answer:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/support/financial-assistance

Long-term answer:

Prayer.

>> Hi all,ok,I admit to being a lurker for some time..I thought I was > cured..had gleason of 9.5 with initial psa of 56..yes 56!..had seed implant and > radiation and hormone therapy all last year..psa never went over 2,now it's up to > 10 and 11.7..since then I have lost my job and have no insurance.Do any of you > know who to contact for assistance? SSI? Social Security? Medicaid? I'm all > new to this aspect and starting to get worried now.> thanks for any help here in florida> john> > > > **************Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family > favorites at AOL Food. > (http://food.aol.com/dinner-tonight?NCID=aolfod00030000000001)>

[Guest guest]

If you are under 65 in Florida, then you have very serious problems. Your best route would be to find the very best Social Security disability case lawyer and engage him to work on your application PRONTO. It typically takes two years to get past all of the initial rejections. The elimination period for Medicare eligibility for the first date of disability eligibility (which is retroactive) is two years. In the meantime, if, say, your application was acted on favorability quickly, Florida Medicaid would then fill the gap. For males in Florida, unless you are disabled and below the income tests, Medicaid is simply not available. If you are near the Tampa Bay area, you may be able to get some help from the Moffitt Cancer center, as you already have the diagnosis and will not need to pay on your own for the initial tests, like the prostate biopsy. Since the hormone blockade drugs are extremely expensive, the Partnership for Patient Assistance may be able to help. If you are near the Gainesville area, the medical school there may be able to get you to the help you need.

You need to get connected with any appropriate advocacy group soon. I would still contact the Florida DHS office near you soon. The county public health center nurses may be able to help in this direction.

Louis. . .

important question about paying for treatments

Hi all,ok,I admit to being a lurker for some time..I thought I was cured..had gleason of 9.5 with initial psa of 56..yes 56!..had seed implant and radiation and hormone therapy all last year..psa never went over 2,now it's up to 10 and 11.7..since then I have lost my job and have no insurance.Do any of you know who to contact for assistance? SSI? Social Security? Medicaid? I'm all new to this aspect and starting to get worried now.

thanks for any help here in florida

john

Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food.

[Guest guest]

thanks to all for the info on helping me with payment for treatments..so far it is a no go..but I'm still kicking adn trying

thnks

johnWondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food.

[Guest guest]

I do have a few thoughts. There is about to be a phase III clinical trial studying HIFU after radiological failure. You should contact the trial director for information and qualifications. I do not know what, if any, financial responsibilities the subjects would have. Go to my blog on advanced prostate cancer (www.advancedprostatecancer.net) and see the post dated May 15, 2008.

If you are a veteran the VA medical system can provide care. Also, if you served in Vietnam or on a ship around Vietnam you would be entitled to some disability benefits. The Patient Advocacy Foundation does sometimes provide financial assistance to people in need. See the advanced prostate cancer blog post of July 22, 2007.

If you have a life insurance policy it might be possible to borrow against the policy. See the posts of July 16, 2007 and June 4, 2007. Good luckHelp Make Prostate Cancer A National PriorityGo To: www.prostatecancerpetition.net

Hi all,ok,I admit to being a lurker for some time..I thought I was cured..had gleason of 9.5 with initial psa of 56..yes 56!..had seed implant and radiation and hormone therapy all last year..psa never went over 2,now it's up to 10 and 11.7..since then I have lost my job and have no insurance.Do any of you know who to contact for assistance? SSI? Social Security? Medicaid? I'm all new to this aspect and starting to get worried now.

thanks for any help here in florida

john

Wondering what's for Dinner Tonight? Get new twists on family favorites at AOL Food.

-- T NowakTo learn about the Petition to Make Prostate Cancer a National Priority go to http://www.prostatecancerpetition.org