Okay....I don't intend for this to be a "downer" post but I see no other way.

I don't have any health insurance.....first time ever that I've been totally uninsured. I will qualify for Medicare in September of 2010. But what do I do in the meantime? What do others do? I need to research Medicare and see what it covers because I know there is some out of pocket expense for me.

I could not afford COBRA at nearly $700 a month. Luckily my meds are not expensive....but my Neuro wants $185 for an office visit which I cannot see paying.

Just wondering what others here without insurance do.

We signed up with a Walgreen store for discounts meds program., and we get Hubbys heart medicine from Canada (at almost 1/4 of the US prices )..and I ask everywhere I go for doctor treatments what they charge for non-insured, they almost always give a discounted price. It isn't the same as a co-pay...but at least they give me a little break.

It is very difficult living each day knowing that one of us can die, because we dont have "insurance"...or lose everything we own, which took years for us working to and aquire..when we can't pay our medical bills.

I was able to get my BP meds from a pharmacy in Canada. Apparently the generic is not available here in the states yet due to some patent red tape...but it should be available next year I'm being told.

I can get a 90 day supply of the generic for what I would pay for a 30 day supply of the brand. So....I pay $90 every three months instead of every month which is great. I just have to order through the online pharmacy.

Everything else I take can be gotten in generic form so it's only $4 a month.

I'm going to call my Neuro's office and explain to them that I have no insurance and see if they can reduce the office visit cost. I would assume that since I am on SSDI I have to keep my appointments with the Neuro......which is why I cannot understand the nearly 2 year wait for Medicare. What on earth do they think people do in the meantime?

I answered for Jim. He's on Medicare and Tricare. He is also covered by the va.

Kitty, the system is truly messed up. I don't understand the whole thing either. They give you disability but make you wait two years to be covered medically.

Kelly, I'm sorry you are in this predicament.

I don't see how they could expect you to make doctors visits, while living off the measily SSDI payment, and with no medical insurance. I think that would be a very unrealistic expectation . . . but I would call the SSDI people and ask "what am I supposed to do ... ?"

You have MS, and have been accepted for SSDI already. MS is a progressive disease, and they do not normally expect people to "get better" enough to work. Some people do, but not most. They must be fully aware of this kind of dilemma.

Even if your doc/neuro was to say "you need to go on Tysabri @ $100,000 a year", it's not going to happen. In fact, if he suggests you do anything differently, most things would not be feasible due to financial constraints. I don't see the point in visiting the neuro under those circumstances.

There are going to be times that you HAVE to see a doc, like for a UTI or bronchitis, etc., so I would save my $ for those emergencies.

Cherie

Medicare is my primary, but I have my employers plan, and then I am secondary on the hubby's plan. So, I have an amazing amount of coverage. The problem is, if medicare wont pay for a proceedure, or visit, the other plans wont pay for it either without a fight. I do have appeals process' to fight with, but what a PIA. I consider myself quite lucky.

I just found this article** on Yahoo about "Obama calls for generic biotech drugs"

(I cannot post ** yet....)

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Biologic drugs are produced from living organisms — not from chemicals. They are often the first-line treatments for diseases that involve the immune system, such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. But the medications are among the costliest, with many easily exceeding $1,000 a month. ................