I was on disability, then I got booted off due to the old doctors I saw ditzing around with my diagnosis....basically, they did nothing, and I didn't know I had PN, and autoimmune issues.

So, I have not worked for 10 quarters...you lose your elligibility. My docs tell me NOW, I am fully disabled, but now, I would have to go back to work to qualify.

Best I can do now, after 25 years of work, is to live to 62.

So, in short, no, I can't qualify for Medicare until 65. So if hubby retires and the money runs out, I won't get treatment.

If Medicare is going to cover every one, for whatever care they want paid for, I think we had better get used to a substantial raise in medicare taxes, which is fine with me. I do think that some one needs to look at what expenditures are reasonable with medicare. How many opinions should it pay for? What is reasonable care at end of life? How far do we do with heroic efforts that we know will do no good in the long run? How long do we prolong life? These are really heady issues...huge issues. I know of a pacemaker put into an 85+ year old man, with severe dementia...is this reasonable? Would he have wanted that??

I was stuck in a private HMO, while my neuropathy raged, and all they did was tell me EMG normal...for years, I was told I had no autoimmune issues, and I was eating myself up. I was told, Fibro....

When I got to a PPO, I got good care, and they found my neuropathy, and my autoimmune issues. So, care depends a great deal on the resources of the system you are in.

If your system doesn't have the advanced care and won't refer you out, you are screwed.

As a culture, we have a lot to think about. These are very complex issues.

Yes, if the stupid social security examiner had not kicked me off, I would be on disability today. I don't care about the money, but the insurance would be very helpful. Now I don't think I have options.