I lost my health insurance benefits back in January. It was good insurance, too. BCBS. I'm on SSDI so I'll have Medicare as of September 2010 but nothing till then. It's so backwards....they agree I'm disabled but are making me wait 2 years to be covered by Medicare. I depend on generic meds and a reduced rate at the doctor's office (you have to ask for it). But it's still a struggle. I just hope I don't get really sick and require medication that isn't on the $4 generic list. Or a hospital stay.

I was offered COBRA but it would have been nearly $800 a month and I definitely cannot afford that. I checked to see if I qualified for the discounted COBRA that was offered but my employment termination date was well before my insurance canceled so I didn't qualify. It was part of my severance package that I got to keep it through 2008...which was nice.

I've always had some sort of insurance....whether it was from my parents policy while I lived at home or my DH's after I married. This is all new to me, too. And it is frustrating so I understand your aggravation.

I'd check with the county hospital and see if there are any clinics or services geared towards those with no insurance. It's at epidemic level now due to all the job losses. They're going to have to do something.