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For surgery, Dr. Daniel Cottam has an exclusively bariatric practice near downtown. He is excellent and has a year-long follow-up program that is included, group sessions on everything you need to succeed. I had him do mine in 2010. I have regained maybe 20 lbs over the years, entirely due to my own fault. Back then, he and the hospital charged about $40K but Medicare and Blue Cross paid. I had to pay about $500. No clue about Medicaid but you could call and ask his insurance people. They will know, not guess.
Thank you. I will do that when I get things set up for sure to be in Utah. I want to make sure I am doing the right thing first.
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Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah
P.S. if anywhere, live in Salt Lake City itself. Plenty of choices for everything.
Isn't Layton pretty close to SLC already, but with lower housing prices, crime etc?
Poison_Ivy -- TANF is the acronym for what used to be called AFDC and it is only possible to be on this program until your youngest child ages out of the program, which is when the child has their 18th birthday. After that, you will no longer be eligible. A person could be eligible, perhaps, if they were the guardian of a child not their own [like a grandchild] if the child is less than 18. But if your own child turns 18, eligibility ends.
If you do pursue work with a medical practice, I would strongly suggest looking for work with a large enough practice to offer medical benefits to their employees. Doctor's offices are notoriously bad with offering good benefits to their own employees, because, like any small business, the costs are very high. A likely place to have benefits would be some type of a large clinic, like a CIGNA or KAISER, or perhaps a large jail or prison [think outside the box]. Or perhaps a job in a billing or admission dept in a hospital, or maybe the scheduling dept. You have to get your foot in the door, so-to-speak.
Here is a link to some information regarding Medicaid for adults in Utah. It is not easy to qualify, and these rules will apply also to your daughter, as soon as she turns 18. Adult Expansion | MedicaidAdult Expansion | Medicaid Sometimes I don't do the hyperlink right -- I hope this will work!
I did Google extended-stay hotels and have to say, I only looked at what I thought would be more reasonable [not Courtyard by Marriott]. I found one called In-Town Suites and they were between $309-369/week, But that was the weekly price, not the monthly price. I'm assuming you would have to get 2 queen beds for 3 people, and I suppose there is a tax on top of that. So I would guess $1500+ a month. But there may be some cheaper alternatives.
I still am thinking, with your health issues, a state like Colorado, California, Washington will offer a better safety-net, so-to-speak. Smaller cities have lower living costs, no matter what state it is. But the political climate covers the whole state when it comes to Medicaid, and coverage varies from state-to-state in the U.S. You need to be cautious with your chronic health issues.
What about living near your adult children? Is that an option? What about applying again for SSI?
You are getting lots of good advice, except the part about the TANF program - but maybe they didn't see that your youngest will be turning 18. It could buy you a few months, perhaps, but it stops when your Kiddo turns 18.
I looked at a few places in Colorado before I ever considered Utah, but even the small towns had outrageous prices for everything, not just housing. Colorado is apparently a very popular state to move to.
Same with California really. The cheaper cities that I found there, were to be quite frank, ugly as heck. I don't want to make the last move I ever make, to be somewhere I am going to hate looking at for the rest of my life. I grew up in AZ, and although I loved all my family and friends, I hated the way the place looked. It was so dead and barren to me. (others find it beautiful and to each their own) It's why I moved up north and pretty much have stayed in this vicinity ever since.
I tried Texas and Missouri for a while but both were too humid for me to enjoy, so it was back up north from them as well and here I have been again ever since. Washington has some very pretty places but you have to like rain to really enjoy being there because I've lived there before too and it was an almost every day thing. I had to start taking vitamin D there because I never got enough sunshine.
Plus, I moved to all those places for me, because I wanted to and never really looked for places the "kids" would be happy too. Now, I'm listening to my daughters and they have things they are looking for in the next place we go. (as I mentioned before -- zoo, aquarium, their favorite fast food places (sonic) and a history of Halloween activities etc) Believe me when I say I searched. Yes, there are places other than Utah with those things but not in the sorts of climates or cost of living that we wanted to be or could afford. Utah and Boise were the only 2 that seemed to fit the bill on everything we were searching for and were close enough by that I could safely drive us with my medical conditions hopefully not being an issue. With everyone saying I am making a mistake, I am second guessing everything now, but still doing some research.
As for living near my two adult boys, one is living in Illinois. I love him and his wife but I have no desire to live in that area. The second is traveling around a bit right now but plans on going back to Missouri to settle down after, and again, I have already lived there and didn't enjoy it either. So both of those are out, really.
I will admit that having to pay taxes again is going to make me cringe after living tax-free these last few years. It is nice being able to just pay the price you see on the sticker of something, and not having to account for extra to cover several hundred in taxes. If only Montana had more to offer than they do. Do you know there isn't a single real zoo in this entire state? Even the one they claim is a zoo only carries animals native to the state that you can see, stepping right outside your door on any given day anyway. (bears, wolves, beavers, owls, etc) Who wants to pay for that? My girls want things like gorillas, and zebras and giraffes, like a real zoo, has. Plus though they boast being friendly...they really are not. Especially to someone my size. Everyone here is so outdoorsy and in great health, that someone like me stands out like a sore thumb and I am gawked at whenever I manage to go to the store or anywhere else.
It's beautiful here. Really. But my girls feel like they are stranded away from being able to "live." Where we are, the only 2 fast food places are a local place and a Mcdonalds. They miss having choices. There is no Walmart, no Target, nothing but a small Shopko with sky-high prices. There are no amusement parks nearby, nor things for the younger crowd to want to see or enjoy. Plus with no hopes of ever getting bariatric surgery here and the long winters where I can't get out much, I have to admit I am afraid that I might end up dying here because I also didn't have options.
Sorry if this was long winded....just trying to explain my reasonings.
It sounds like you are really looking at lots of things and that is wonderful. The bottom line is that you will need to make the final decision, so you and your family will be happy. Happiness is important, as you said.
I’ve been meaning to post, but the week got away from me.
I know Big Sky, so I know that your employment options are pretty limited. If you do decide to take the plunge and move to Utah, I wouldn’t expect you or your daughter to have much trouble finding work. The concern (especially for you) would be whether the job will pay enough to get by and get ahead. On Indeed.com (my favorite job site) I see a few openings in and around SLC for medical receptionists, but a lot more for data entry, medical records techs, and medical registration clerks for local hospitals and clinics. Many of them offer a good benefits package.
I think it’s good to be aware of the Medicare issue, but false logic to let that dictate where you live. You said that you’re motivated to work. Your primary objective is getting your income up to a comfortable level, and you can’t do that unless you move.
As far as an extended stay hotel, there is a fairly low cost option in Ogden. The Woodspring Suites is right off I-15, has four stars on Google, and a 28 day stay comes to just over a $1000 per month if you book online at Hotels.com. (The nightly average was $37/night). The area is safe, but isolated and not very appealing.
You ask about commuting from Layton to SLC. Most days you’re looking at about a 40 minute commute. It’s do-able, but not ideal.
It sounds like you are really looking at lots of things and that is wonderful. The bottom line is that you will need to make the final decision, so you and your family will be happy. Happiness is important, as you said.
I wish you and your family health and happiness.
Thank you! I appreciate your kindness. This hasn't been easy.
I’ve been meaning to post, but the week got away from me.
I know Big Sky, so I know that your employment options are pretty limited. If you do decide to take the plunge and move to Utah, I wouldn’t expect you or your daughter to have much trouble finding work. The concern (especially for you) would be whether the job will pay enough to get by and get ahead. On Indeed.com (my favorite job site) I see a few openings in and around SLC for medical receptionists, but a lot more for data entry, medical records techs, and medical registration clerks for local hospitals and clinics. Many of them offer a good benefits package.
I think it’s good to be aware of the Medicare issue, but false logic to let that dictate where you live. You said that you’re motivated to work. Your primary objective is getting your income up to a comfortable level, and you can’t do that unless you move.
As far as an extended stay hotel, there is a fairly low cost option in Ogden. The Woodspring Suites is right off I-15, has four stars on Google, and a 28 day stay comes to just over a $1000 per month if you book online at Hotels.com. (The nightly average was $37/night). The area is safe, but isolated and not very appealing.
You ask about commuting from Layton to SLC. Most days you’re looking at about a 40 minute commute. It’s do-able, but not ideal.
Thank you. I looked into The Woodspring and made a tentative reservation for in March. I've applied for jobs online too. I apply for anything between Ogden to SLC. I don't just apply to medical areas, I am also applying at call centers. As long as I can sit down for the job, I should be able to do it.
Medicaid eligibility is a BIG issue for you. Utah is one of the states that did NOT take the Medicaid expansion offered with Obamacare, so it is unlikely that you would be eligible for Medicaid. That means no health insurance for you or your girls until you've got a job, and have been there for a while, maybe 3 months. Also, that private insurance would have a hefty premium, and high deductible, most likely.
Are you coming from Washington State? In the intermountain west and west coast area, Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah did NOT take the medicaid expansion. The rest of the states did. So, if you have health issues, I don't think you would want to move to those three states. Here's a map of which states took the expansion, and which declined it.
So, for this reason alone, I would strongly urge you NOT to move to the states which didn't accept the Medicaid expansion. Maybe you should consider Las Vegas area, or New Mexico, or Arizona?
The other thing you should consider is that, in general, although Utah of course does have people of all different races and body types, it's predominantly Mormon, with a higher percentage of people of Scandinavian ancestry, since the church recruited heavily there in the 1800s. That means a lot of tall, thin, fair-haired, blue-eyed people. And the church puts a lot of emphasis on how you appear, especially for women - so people tend to pay a lot of attention to grooming and appearance. That translates into even more prejudice against people who don't fit that mold, more so than in other parts of the country.
But... unemployment is very low in SLC right now, making it easier to find a job, but most entry-level jobs don't pay very well.
As for apartments, here's an okay (not great) complex, where a somewhat run down but safe 2 bedroom condo-like apartment will cost $640/month plus your utilities. That is the best deal in the SLC area right now. They're not advertising this minute that I know of, but it's a big complex. At that price, all they have to do is put out a sign. 326 E. Gordon Ln, Murray, UT (Murray is just south of SLC. This place is about 4200 S, 326 E.
For medical reception, private practices want to hire people who are warm and outgoing. You might do better at the U of Utah hospital, or IHC hospitals, or another of the big healthcare consortiums.
Still, I would urge you to consider a state that took the medicaid expansion. Good luck with your move.
Another thing most people don't realize about SLC. The air quality is horrible - the worst I've ever experienced in my life, anywhere. SLC is essentially in a bowl, surrounded by mountains, and the inversion smog can get so bad, especially in winter, that it's like a pea soup fog - but it's not fog. It's smog. For weeks.
When there's no inversion, it's beautiful. The mountains are very close by. There are lots of healthy outdoorsy types there, too, because of the nearby mountains, which offer close by fantastic skiing and hiking. There is a zoo in SLC, not a big one, but it's nice. Plenty of fast food places of every type.
And there is truly excellent medical care available through the U of Utah hospital, IHC hospitals, and various good community hospitals. The U and LDS have great training programs, so med students are drawn to train in SLC, then they stay because they like living there. So plenty of good doctors, good hospitals.
Medicaid eligibility is a BIG issue for you. Utah is one of the states that did NOT take the Medicaid expansion offered with Obamacare, so it is unlikely that you would be eligible for Medicaid. That means no health insurance for you or your girls until you've got a job, and have been there for a while, maybe 3 months. Also, that private insurance would have a hefty premium, and high deductible, most likely.
Are you coming from Washington State? In the intermountain west and west coast area, Idaho, Wyoming, and Utah did NOT take the medicaid expansion. The rest of the states did. So, if you have health issues, I don't think you would want to move to those three states. Here's a map of which states took the expansion, and which declined it.
So, for this reason alone, I would strongly urge you NOT to move to the states which didn't accept the Medicaid expansion. Maybe you should consider Las Vegas area, or New Mexico, or Arizona?
The other thing you should consider is that, in general, although Utah of course does have people of all different races and body types, it's predominantly Mormon, with a higher percentage of people of Scandinavian ancestry, since the church recruited heavily there in the 1800s. That means a lot of tall, thin, fair-haired, blue-eyed people. And the church puts a lot of emphasis on how you appear, especially for women - so people tend to pay a lot of attention to grooming and appearance. That translates into even more prejudice against people who don't fit that mold, more so than in other parts of the country.
But... unemployment is very low in SLC right now, making it easier to find a job, but most entry-level jobs don't pay very well.
As for apartments, here's an okay (not great) complex, where a somewhat run down but safe 2 bedroom condo-like apartment will cost $640/month plus your utilities. That is the best deal in the SLC area right now. They're not advertising this minute that I know of, but it's a big complex. At that price, all they have to do is put out a sign. 326 E. Gordon Ln, Murray, UT (Murray is just south of SLC. This place is about 4200 S, 326 E.
For medical reception, private practices want to hire people who are warm and outgoing. You might do better at the U of Utah hospital, or IHC hospitals, or another of the big healthcare consortiums.
Still, I would urge you to consider a state that took the medicaid expansion. Good luck with your move.
After hearing from people on here that I would not be eligible for Medicaid if I move to Utah, I decided to do something I probably should have done from the start, except that I really hate calling public assistance places and being on hold for over an hour. I called the head office in SLC and asked to speak with an eligibility worker. After an extended hold period, I finally was able to speak to one and was promptly informed that even if my daughter turns 18 I AM still eligible for Medicaid up until she is 19 IF she is going to high school. Unfortunately, she's not. So that canceled that possibility out. BUT, then she told me that there are several types of Medicaid programs. Ones that cover disabled people. Ones that just help prescription meds, etc. Basically, she told me that I would definitely qualify for something. I have current conditions that need medical treatment and they cannot just leave me hanging in the wind. Or so she said. So I feel better about that part now, and it is no longer something I am too worried about when considering the move.
Second, I would like to talk about the Mormon thing. I think I mentioned this already but I'm not a "neighborly" sort of person anyway. So my neighbor's business is theirs and mine is mine. I don't go knocking on doors and trying to introduce myself. Nor do I have young children looking to play with their children. I will be friendly and hope that they will be too when passing each other. If not, I'm okay with that too.
I laughed a little when I read the part you wrote about ""And the church puts a lot of emphasis on how you appear, especially for women - so people tend to pay a lot of attention to grooming and appearance.""... I'm sure you didn't mean it this way, which is why I laughed....but just because I am obese, doesn't mean I am dirty or walk around with my hair uncombed and wearing rags. Now, don't get me wrong. When I am home I am strictly a wearing my pajamas type of girl. All day, every day. lol But when I head out to shop, or whatever, I am clean, and I think dressed well. You won't find me on a "women of Walmart" meme on the internet. I don't try spandex and short shirts, or leave thongs hanging out. All my parts are covered up. I hate the way I look and sure as heck don't want anyone seeing any of my rolls, or skin. Plus, I will tell anyone who stares or cares to ask, that I HATE being this way and as soon as I can get surgery to correct the problem, I will no longer be a circus freak for their amusement. People just assume that I eat entire boxes of this or that to have gotten this way and that couldn't be farther from the truth. This weight just started happening to me after my last child and hasn't stopped creeping up since. Sure, I eat the wrong things occasionally. I'm a cheeseburger fan till the end of time. But I eat ONE. Not two or three and I rarely ever eat fries with it. Diet soda only, never full fat and only one a day. Could I make better choices? Sure, we all could. That being said, I will do my best not to stand out and cause any issues if I can help it.
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Originally Posted by parentologist
Another thing most people don't realize about SLC. The air quality is horrible - the worst I've ever experienced in my life, anywhere. SLC is essentially in a bowl, surrounded by mountains, and the inversion smog can get so bad, especially in winter, that it's like a pea soup fog - but it's not fog. It's smog. For weeks.
When there's no inversion, it's beautiful. The mountains are very close by. There are lots of healthy outdoorsy types there, too, because of the nearby mountains, which offer close by fantastic skiing and hiking. There is a zoo in SLC, not a big one, but it's nice. Plenty of fast food places of every type.
And there is truly excellent medical care available through the U of Utah hospital, IHC hospitals, and various good community hospitals. The U and LDS have great training programs, so med students are drawn to train in SLC, then they stay because they like living there. So plenty of good doctors, good hospitals.
Here where I am, we do not have inversions, but we do have forest fires almost every summer that pollute the air with thick smoke so bad you can taste it and it has even the healthiest person hacking and coughing. It lasted for a month this past summer. If it's no worse than that, I think we will be okay. I could be wrong. But I think we will.
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