[Chazen18]

Why is America so bad with health care coverage for people??

I got fired and am planning on (or at least was) doing COBRA. I have been waiting for the new forms associated with the Obama stimulus pkg to come in the mail so I only have to pay 35% of the premium. I haven't received them yet. I was informed by someone that you could still use your insurance card because you have 60 days to do the COBRA. If you use the insurance, I figured you would just be obligated to pay your premium for COBRA...

Not the case. The lady at the doctors office said that I would have to "self-pay" for my two appointments I have next week.. I told her to forget it.. Im unemployed.. I have NO money... Then she proceeded to tell me that even after the paper work and the money had been sent in that there is usually a significant delay for active coverage to begin.... So what is the effing point of COBRA if it isn't there to help you???

I'm about to throw in the towel and say screw it.. just not go to the doctors anymore... just not give a flying F... I don't know what else to do.. I am so emotional today... my legs up to my belly button are tingly and driving me nuts but I can't go to the damn doc because I don't have insurance and I had tried to apply for medicaid and left a couple messages for them to have my interview with them. Did they ever call me back? NOOO...

What is a person to do to get some effing health care coverage in the country??

I would file for diability... but I have to go to the doctors to do that... lol... it a freaking catch 22...

Does anyone know what the heck I can do?? I am so frustrated and so annoyed and scared too.... My legs keep getting worse... I need to go to the doc... no way i can tho.....

[FluteMaker]

well theres some bad news for you with disability too. neither disability nor medicare are instant start ups. once you submit your papers for disability it can take upwards of 6 month before your papers are even looked at. and then they have to be processed.
also,as i understand it(and i may be wong) the medicare doesnt kick in for a year or two after you get approved for the disability.also, next to nobody gets approved for disability on the first try.some people get turned down two or three times.
one thing you might try would be to check with your local hospital about indigent care programs or talk to a teaching hospital. it still wont be free, but you may pay only a few thousand dollars instead of 10s of thousands of dollars.beyond that; theres not much you can do. maybe public aid?

[SandyC]

I am so sorry this is happening to so many. My mom has been paying Cobra and it runs out this September. She's been paying full price for hers, the stimulus never got approached since she's Medicare eligible in May. I am wondering why Medicare doesn't pick up drug cost. Nope, mom had to get a drug program and supplement because she sees the doctor so much. It is cheaper than Cobra though. *sigh*

You can check with your local hospital. Some have low income coverage for those out of work. It's based on your income or something like that. Not sure if it covers outpatient but your could ask.

[Kitty]

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.

[coletaterbug]

Originally Posted by Chazen18

Why is America so bad with health care coverage for people??

I got fired and am planning on (or at least was) doing COBRA. I have been waiting for the new forms associated with the Obama stimulus pkg to come in the mail so I only have to pay 35% of the premium. I haven't received them yet. I was informed by someone that you could still use your insurance card because you have 60 days to do the COBRA. If you use the insurance, I figured you would just be obligated to pay your premium for COBRA...

Not the case. The lady at the doctors office said that I would have to "self-pay" for my two appointments I have next week.. I told her to forget it.. Im unemployed.. I have NO money... Then she proceeded to tell me that even after the paper work and the money had been sent in that there is usually a significant delay for active coverage to begin.... So what is the effing point of COBRA if it isn't there to help you???

I'm about to throw in the towel and say screw it.. just not go to the doctors anymore... just not give a flying F... I don't know what else to do.. I am so emotional today... my legs up to my belly button are tingly and driving me nuts but I can't go to the damn doc because I don't have insurance and I had tried to apply for medicaid and left a couple messages for them to have my interview with them. Did they ever call me back? NOOO...

What is a person to do to get some effing health care coverage in the country??

I would file for diability... but I have to go to the doctors to do that... lol... it a freaking catch 22...

Does anyone know what the heck I can do?? I am so frustrated and so annoyed and scared too.... My legs keep getting worse... I need to go to the doc... no way i can tho.....

Its all very frustrating. I know some drs have programs that it could be free just depending on income. My husband lost his job in January and I went without insurance for several months until I fought tenncare and finally was approved. I don't know what they expect people to do. It is very frustrating I haven't been to the doctor since January until just last week although I have been needing to go but if you have no money what is one to do. Hugs and I hope you are able to find a solution soon although with todays economy it is near impossible.

[ras1256]

Chazen18,
I just happen to be the HR person in my company, although since the stimulus came into COBRA I have been in the office much due to my illness.

This is a link you really need to read! Let me know if you have any trouble opening it.

http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/...stimulus_cobra

You should call your ex employer - they are responsible for getting the COBRA and stimulus notifications out to you. How long have you been gone from there? Also, the reason for termination can come in to play with the ability to access the stimulus benefit.

Then, you should call your insurer too. Get details from them on how they suggest you handle the situation. They may or may not be helpful. It depends on when your company terminated you in the insurance system, but they should be able to provide you with accurate time frame information as to when you should receive notification, how long it should take to get you reinstated to the point that your doc can call to confirm your coverage, etc.

You need to be prepared in any event to pay your portion of any premium back to the time you were 1st terminated from the insurance. This is the only way you will show as having been continuously covered with no lapse for future insurance needs.

Best of luck. In the mean time, definately see if you can get some arrangement through a hospital to be seen. Many of the drug companies also have programs to help with necessary medications when you are in a position like yours with no income/insurance.

Let me know if I can help. Feel free to send me a PM, cause I kind on jump between several forums as they haven't dx'd my "secondary" condition yet, so I don't always get back into all the threads.

Originally Posted by Chazen18

Why is America so bad with health care coverage for people??

I got fired and am planning on (or at least was) doing COBRA. I have been waiting for the new forms associated with the Obama stimulus pkg to come in the mail so I only have to pay 35% of the premium. I haven't received them yet. I was informed by someone that you could still use your insurance card because you have 60 days to do the COBRA. If you use the insurance, I figured you would just be obligated to pay your premium for COBRA...

Not the case. The lady at the doctors office said that I would have to "self-pay" for my two appointments I have next week.. I told her to forget it.. Im unemployed.. I have NO money... Then she proceeded to tell me that even after the paper work and the money had been sent in that there is usually a significant delay for active coverage to begin.... So what is the effing point of COBRA if it isn't there to help you???

I'm about to throw in the towel and say screw it.. just not go to the doctors anymore... just not give a flying F... I don't know what else to do.. I am so emotional today... my legs up to my belly button are tingly and driving me nuts but I can't go to the damn doc because I don't have insurance and I had tried to apply for medicaid and left a couple messages for them to have my interview with them. Did they ever call me back? NOOO...

What is a person to do to get some effing health care coverage in the country??

I would file for diability... but I have to go to the doctors to do that... lol... it a freaking catch 22...

Does anyone know what the heck I can do?? I am so frustrated and so annoyed and scared too.... My legs keep getting worse... I need to go to the doc... no way i can tho.....

[Dejibo]

Please contact your local town hall, and ask for help with social service programs. Please seek help at some local churches. The pastors have a HUGE big book full of programs that are available to low or no income families. They can and frequently do cover the cost of seeking medical care to qualify for medicare/medicaid type programs, but its a matter of who to start asking.

ALWAYS ask for a discount if you are paying cash for ANY service. From having your teeth cleaned to an MRI. Most places are happy to discount for a cash payment. It doesnt matter if that cash is yours, or the church's cash.

IF you can qualify for social security disability income SSDI it take 2 years for medicare to go to the head of the line and provide medical services for you, BUT if you qualify through disability, and financial programs, medicaid will pay for your medical care for those 2 years.

Please, start at town hall. Ask for the welfare officer. Then go to a local church or two, and ask for help in finding where to turn. They have many programs from heat assistance, to food assistance, and are quite good at not only knocking on doors, but knocking down doors.

Dont give up! just take those two baby steps.

[patientx]

I think the lady at the doctor's office mislead you. I was in a similar situation last year, where I was between jobs, and needed to see the doctor, but I hadn't paid my Cobra premium yet. I just went to the doctor, telling the office I still had the same insurance (they already had my card on file). As long as you pay your premium before the claim is received by the insurance company, there shouldn't be a problem. And if the claim is reviewed before you pay the premium, it will just get rejected and will have to be re-submitted.

Either way, you shouldn't have to pay up front for the entire cost of the visit. And there is a grace period that you have to pay your premium (I can't remember exactly, but the 60 days sounds correct).

[Chazen18]

Well, I received the stimulus cobra info yesterday in the mail and I ended up having to scan and email it to my mom... my comprehension level is HORRIBLE anymore.. from what I read, I would have to pay 100% of the premium until I am "approved" for the stimulus pkg benefits... My mom was throwing a fit and made me send the stuff to her.

She is very smart in all that insurance mumbo-jumbo crap.. I just don't get it... I could read the papers 100,000 times and still wouldn't have a clue what it said... I don't comprehend what I read and get too frustrated to try and figure it out on my own.. I give up quite a bit... I'll start something and not understand a part and just throw in the towel and say screw it.... probably not a great trait to possess when you have MS.. the most confusing disease ever......

Thank you all for you suggestions... As far as the churches and town hall go.. I need to work on my pride... and giving it up... I have always been very against myself using assistance programs for pride reasons...

I am going to job and family services tomorrow to plead my case to see if I can get on Medicaid ASAP.. and also maybe pick up food stamps... unemployment has really hurt us... that is another pride issue there... but we need to eat and have to pay bills.. so it is kind of a necessity... ugh.. why can't things be done when I snap my fingers?? I don't have the energy for all this running and thinking to get all this done...

So anyways.. hopefully the medicaid will be approved and I can get back into the docs.... We'll see what happens...

[Chazen18]

Originally Posted by patientx

I think the lady at the doctor's office mislead you. I was in a similar situation last year, where I was between jobs, and needed to see the doctor, but I hadn't paid my Cobra premium yet. I just went to the doctor, telling the office I still had the same insurance (they already had my card on file). As long as you pay your premium before the claim is received by the insurance company, there shouldn't be a problem. And if the claim is reviewed before you pay the premium, it will just get rejected and will have to be re-submitted.

Either way, you shouldn't have to pay up front for the entire cost of the visit. And there is a grace period that you have to pay your premium (I can't remember exactly, but the 60 days sounds correct).

Ok, see this is what I was told too.... that I could still use my insurance card and just pay the premium... but that lady (who had the most annoying voice in the world by the way) told me OH NO... that's not gonna work.... ugh.. people I swear....