The dramas of being me

[tohma2004]

I got my denial for disability while I was at Dragoncon. Got my letter for the termination of my Medicaid rights because of said denial today.

I hate my life. Seriously. I mean..how do they expect someone who works part time, has restricted physical capabilities, and has to get scans every 3 months really expect to pay for those bills?

$6000 everytime I get a PET scan
$600 everytime I get the port flushed.

Without Medicaid..I'm screwed.

I called my Medicaid person and left a message pleading for some sort of help. An answer that might keep me out of the poor house.

Basically the world is telling me: You suck for getting cancer. You should have died because we're just gonna make your life miserable by denying you coverage by any insurance company EVER, even the goverment one and force you to pay bills that you can't possibly afford.

Thanks. Really. I hate the government -_- I hate insurance companies. -_-

Sorry..those letters just send me right back to the place I thought I was finally free of. I'll stop feeling sorry for myself tomorrow...

Comments

[rukawagf.livejournal.com]

i know this might be tough but can any social worker help you?

[gallion-dlareth.livejournal.com]

So don't pay it. They may hound you for a year, but they'll eventually write off your debt because they can't take anything if you have nothing. No house to lien, etc. It sucks, but you need treatment and should not be denied it because you don't have a laminated card and a co-pay.

Whatever you do, don't give in to that defeatist attitude. Insurance is a load of crap anyway for punishing people who get sick. Like you asked for cancer. Like you were just sitting around one day thinking to yourself, "Gee, my life's pretty boring. Wait, I know! Cancer will spice it up nicely!"

It may be annoying as hell to sit around and fight the red tape, but do what you have to do.

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Holy crap, suckage. I'm so sorry! I you beat them into submission get it sorted out in a manageable way ASAP. What bastards.

...Thank you for the reminder why healthcare reform needs to be a priority.

[yashakizu.livejournal.com]

*hugs tight* I'm so sorry.

It's stuff like this that makes me go "We NEED a public option!" All those rich, insured bastards can sit around and deny we need it but I know and you know. I've spent the last year uninsured and gone without check-ups and getting meds and all that, which is nothing like what you've gone through and yet it's scary enough if I get an ear infection and can't get meds, and it's frustrating enough on a small level and scary on a big level.

I hope it works out. Fight them. Get a social worker. Anything. I'll ask my mom, who is a nurse, for some advice. She's a cancer survivor too.

[projectanime.livejournal.com]

Hey Tohma. I have a perhaps slightly hopeful comment? My mom is disabled, because she has multiple sclerosis, and when she applied for diability, the person she had helping her told that her that nearly everyone is denied when they first apply, and that you need to just keep applying. So maybe if you keep at it they'll give it to you...? I'm not sure, but I really hope so.

[moonu-uwalker.livejournal.com]

Subaru why? why were ou denied. Did they give a reason. even if it's long and medical sounding. why did deny that you're disabled?

[lizzyhamham.livejournal.com]

what?!

WHAT?!?!!?

I cannot type this reply angry enough. This is just frigging bullshit!

[maranda.livejournal.com]

Ugh what a terrible bummer you got this right after Dragoncon! It just boggles the mind that health care is so expensive in the first place. For the most part we can't control the things that go wrong with our bodies, how unfair that some people can't even afford the simple luxury of even living sometimes.

*hug* Yes, no feeling sorry for yourself. I'm sure there has to a way you can receive the financial help you need. Just have to hide the bodies some place good...

[jamochalicious.livejournal.com]

I'm going to echoed previous comments. Disability is a hard thing to get approved for.

I would simply fight for it, and if you don't get it right away, as ridiculous as it sounds, hire a lawyer. Many of them will work pro bono for a case like this, simply because it usually just takes a few angry letters from the to get things done.

I would also check with your hospital/doctor... if you can get something stating that you are not well enough to do X amount of work it helps.

[empress-tigress.livejournal.com]

*hugs tight*

I'm so sorry, babe. Ditto the re-apply. How do they expect you to pay for your medical care when you can't work? Just be persistent.

In the meantime, see if you can't work out a deal with your medical provider. Most of them will be willing to help you out if you ask.

[kousuke-no-baka.livejournal.com]

[nuzzles!] Don't say that. >>;

I suggest you see what your Medicaid person says--if they call back--and if not, reapply. It wouldn't hurt. <333 [lovelovelove]

[aduial-peredhel.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry! I sometimes think people who deny Medicaid to those who truly need it have never been faced with such financial straits before.

And I agree with another comment that was made: this is why we need a public option. It's an option, and it will really help out those who need it. It's not perfect, but it's really needed.

I wish there was more I could do to help. ;_;

[riventiana.livejournal.com]

Man I don't know what to say. That's awful, and the USA insurance system blows. Keep trying. Always thinking about ya over here. *hugs*

[angbunny.livejournal.com]

I hate to hear that they denied you, but I must confess that is how the system is designed. Reapply, get a lawyer involved, just don't give up. Have you seen the But You Don't Look Sick boards (http://butyoudontlooksick.com/boards/)? They have a whole section on SSDI with loads of information. Work with your doctor/hospital to see if they are willing to write off anything, that's what the hospital did for one of my surgeries while at Hollins. My insurance only covered a very small part and the hospital looked at my finances and wrote it off (but the doctor did not and I had to make arrangements to pay a little bit a month for almost two years).

As for people thinking that insurance = no bills, I have fairly descant insurance yet I have had to work with several doctor's offices to make payment plans as my insurance either said they would pay and didn't or won't cover the full amount leaving me to cover the differences. I have had to wait months for procedures because my insurance required prior approval, and one more than one occasion I have had to go without medication because I could not afford it and my insurance would not cover it as well as forgo procedure that had that been administered in a timely fashion may have prevented/curved major flairs.

*sending you healing Reiki and good vibrations*

[empress-tigress.livejournal.com]

My husband and I went through something similar two years ago, when his body decided to give him a 6 x 8 mm kidney stone (about the size of a pea) for his 30th birthday. There was no way he was going to pass that monstrosity on his own, so he needed lithotripsy.

Our insurance covered most of it, but we have a 20/80 plan, which means that we're still responsible for 20% of the expenses. While we were happy that we didn't have to pay the entire $10K, the $2K we ended up paying still hurt. Luckily, the hospital and urologist allowed us to pay as we were able, which helped immensely when I got fired shortly before Christmas and then spent 7 months unemployed.

My question is: Why the fark did treatment for one of the most common male ailments cost so damn much?!

[yuenmei.livejournal.com]

Get a lawyer, because that's a load of BS. Fight fight fight!