--Medical insurance or the lack of it!

[Guest guest]

,

Believe me I hear you! I am without medical insurance and waiting out the last few months of the 24 month waiting period for Medicare. It's difficult and stressful and adds to our misery to have to battle the system to get the care we need.

When I was in NY I was on Medicaid for a few months after my ability to pay for Cobra ran out. When I moved here to NC I applied for Medicaid here. I was denied because my income was "too high". My income is exactly the same as it was in NY, my SSDI but the standards in NC are different. I was told "off the record" that if I had to be admitted to the hospital Medicaid in NC would pick me up but short of that I'd have to meet a nearly $6000 "deductable" in order to get coverage. My stability was working against my being able to meet that deductable before I was eligible for Medicare.

Since my doctor is at Duke I applied to Duke's financial hardship program. I was finally accepted into that program and it now pays for my care at Duke. The balance that I had from my care prior to my approval I'm paying off with a payment plan (very small payments). Duke has been very understanding and accomodating. Do you have a university medical center where you can get care? Most of these centers have a financial hardship or charity program that you can apply to.

As for your meds, I've had success with www.needymeds.com. It's just a resource for information on the programs the different pharmaceutical manufacturers for getting meds at no or minimal charge to those who need them. There are forms to fill out and hoops to jump through but it really can work. I have gotten both Advair and Nexium this way.

I understand that you are in pain and you are discouraged. I can't say I know how you feel because I don't. But it's not too much of a stretch to put myself in your shoes and imagine how I'd be feeling. Please stay close to the board. There are folks here with ideas and information that might help and there is love and support here that will definitely help.

We're all glad you are here!

Beth

Age 48 Fibrotic NSIP 06/06

Change everything. Love and Forgive

Apria>>>> Hello everyone> Just a note about Apria. You know how much trouble some of us have hadwith them...especially me and Joyce. Well, something new has happened.>> Apria states it was a Corporate decision:> Apria will no longer

provide liquid oxygen to patients. Because of theincreased fuel and delivery men wages. It is not profitable for them.So, they have made the decision that if you are now on liquid oxygen,that they will replace liquid with a new concentrator which will handlehigh flow. That way it will not have to be refilled etc.>> Here's my problem with this. Concentrated oxygen was not good enoughfor me. I needed and still need liquid. And, portable oxygen tanks donot go high enough or last long enough for anyone to go to the Dr.,church, etc. Apria states that if you need this much oxygen, then you donot need to be leaving the house.>> Well...if they think we will just let them arbitrarily make ushousebound.. well they need to think again. My husband will go to thelocal TV station, write letters and do whatever is necessary. He hasalready called Cigna to complain and he is writing a letter. He

willalso contact an attorney.>> Apria said a letter will be delivered to us probably tomorrow, andwill tell us how much time we have to appeal, although they do not thinkan appeal will do anything. As we were told. THIS IS A CORPORATEDECISION!>> Apria!!!! I get so tired of fighting with them. So very tired.>> >

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