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I have no insurance other than some state-sponsored indigent care assistance, which helps a little with office visit co-pays. Lab work and prescriptions are all out of pocket, which is difficult since I am on SSDI and not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare. My thyroid was removed due to cancer and I have severe rheumatoid arthritis. The only doctor I have been able to get in to see without a 6 to 12 month wait is one of the most incompetent medical professionals I have ever had to deal with. He gives me the wrong dosages of my meds, and refuses to return my phone calls. He will not give me my lab results over the phone, nor will he refill my prescriptions without a physical office visit and related co-pay, although I pay upfront for the lab work and am promised a phone call with the results. Right now I have been off my meds for over a month. It is difficult for me to leave the apartment due to the RA, and sometimes it is a choice whether to pay the rent, buy food, or get meds (when he will give me the prescriptions.) Of course my latest lab work to the tune of $105 came back abnormal because I have been off my meds due to his error in prescribing the dosage. I made it in there and got the blood drawn, explained to them –again- that I was out of meds and that it was unlikely I would be able to get down there again within the next couple of weeks due to the difficulty of getting around. The next day I called for my lab results, and was told I had to come into the office to get them and to get my prescriptions. I explained that I couldn’t do that, nor could I afford another co-pay. My husband called and threatened them with legal action if they did not call in my prescriptions, the pharmacy sent them a request, but to no avail. No office visit, no meds.
He has pulled this crap before. What typically happens is I get myself down the stairs (not an easy task when you can’t walk), get to the office, wait in the waiting room for 3-4 hours, another hour or so more in the examination room waiting for the doctor to come in. When he does make it in there, he has no idea who I am, what’s wrong with me or why I have come in to see him. The last time I asked him for some pain meds and he asked my why and where I was hurting, which I told him. He then said “maybe you have rheumatoid arthritis”. Really?! If it was so urgent for me to come in there in order to get my lab results and my prescriptions, shouldn’t he at least pretend to know why I am there? I provided him with all of my medical records, which included my heart attack, a brain tumor, the RA, and a rare breast tumor (he had never heard of it and accused me of making it up!) This man obviously doesn’t care about his patients, only how he can pad his wallet. There is absolutely no reason why I should have to go all the way down there for this other than he just wants to collect another co-pay I can't afford.
If I can’t get the RA meds, so be it, I will just be in pain. I can’t afford the heart meds anyway. But I can’t live without the thyroid replacement. The prescription costs $4, but it costs me over $100 to get it every 2 months. It’s not like I can get another doctor, there aren’t any accepting new patients that take the program I am on. The ER tells me to see my primary care doctor.
This whole situation is very frightening. I am 55 years old, have worked my whole life, raised two kids on my own, and now am forced to sit by and be treated like this. I have called everywhere to get help, to find another doctor, anything. I thought doctors took an oath to “do no harm?” Isn’t holding a prescription hostage for an unnecessary office visit to get $$$ considered harmful in this country anymore? I call it extortion. What would you call it?
I'd call it, I don't know why you wouldn't be eligible for medicaid. SSDI doesn't disqualify you for it. I'm not understanding why you have to go to -that- doctor either. If it were me I'd get in touch with the local social security disability office and let them know what's going on, and ask their advice.
Most drug companies have programs to supply meds at steep discounts to low income folks. Research and provide the doc with the letter he needs to send.
I have no insurance other than some state-sponsored indigent care assistance, which helps a little with office visit co-pays. Lab work and prescriptions are all out of pocket, which is difficult since I am on SSDI and not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare. My thyroid was removed due to cancer and I have severe rheumatoid arthritis. The only doctor I have been able to get in to see without a 6 to 12 month wait is one of the most incompetent medical professionals I have ever had to deal with. He gives me the wrong dosages of my meds, and refuses to return my phone calls. He will not give me my lab results over the phone, nor will he refill my prescriptions without a physical office visit and related co-pay, although I pay upfront for the lab work and am promised a phone call with the results. Right now I have been off my meds for over a month. It is difficult for me to leave the apartment due to the RA, and sometimes it is a choice whether to pay the rent, buy food, or get meds (when he will give me the prescriptions.) Of course my latest lab work to the tune of $105 came back abnormal because I have been off my meds due to his error in prescribing the dosage. I made it in there and got the blood drawn, explained to them –again- that I was out of meds and that it was unlikely I would be able to get down there again within the next couple of weeks due to the difficulty of getting around. The next day I called for my lab results, and was told I had to come into the office to get them and to get my prescriptions. I explained that I couldn’t do that, nor could I afford another co-pay. My husband called and threatened them with legal action if they did not call in my prescriptions, the pharmacy sent them a request, but to no avail. No office visit, no meds.
He has pulled this crap before. What typically happens is I get myself down the stairs (not an easy task when you can’t walk), get to the office, wait in the waiting room for 3-4 hours, another hour or so more in the examination room waiting for the doctor to come in. When he does make it in there, he has no idea who I am, what’s wrong with me or why I have come in to see him. The last time I asked him for some pain meds and he asked my why and where I was hurting, which I told him. He then said “maybe you have rheumatoid arthritis”. Really?! If it was so urgent for me to come in there in order to get my lab results and my prescriptions, shouldn’t he at least pretend to know why I am there? I provided him with all of my medical records, which included my heart attack, a brain tumor, the RA, and a rare breast tumor (he had never heard of it and accused me of making it up!) This man obviously doesn’t care about his patients, only how he can pad his wallet. There is absolutely no reason why I should have to go all the way down there for this other than he just wants to collect another co-pay I can't afford.
If I can’t get the RA meds, so be it, I will just be in pain. I can’t afford the heart meds anyway. But I can’t live without the thyroid replacement. The prescription costs $4, but it costs me over $100 to get it every 2 months. It’s not like I can get another doctor, there aren’t any accepting new patients that take the program I am on. The ER tells me to see my primary care doctor.
This whole situation is very frightening. I am 55 years old, have worked my whole life, raised two kids on my own, and now am forced to sit by and be treated like this. I have called everywhere to get help, to find another doctor, anything. I thought doctors took an oath to “do no harm?” Isn’t holding a prescription hostage for an unnecessary office visit to get $$$ considered harmful in this country anymore? I call it extortion. What would you call it?
You are in a city with a medical school. Call them.
There are several in the list who are both internal medicine and rheumatology. When you call, they should be able to link you with someone who can find out what financial assistance you may be eligible for.
With SSDI, you should eventually be eligible for Medicare, but there is a waiting period. What is the effective date for your SSDI?
There are several in the list who are both internal medicine and rheumatology. When you call, they should be able to link you with someone who can find out what financial assistance you may be eligible for.
With SSDI, you should eventually be eligible for Medicare, but there is a waiting period. What is the effective date for your SSDI?
Get real---medical schools don't provide low-cost nor "free" medical care. I've gone to Baylor in Houston, they are some of the highrst bills I've even incurred!
the OP probably doesn't qualify for medicaid because her income is too high, and doesn't qualify for medicare yet because there's a 2.5 year waiting period, and even with medicare, meds aren't automatically covered, that's part B for doctor visit and Part D for prescriptions, all which take at least anothe $150/month out of a pitiful SSDI check. She's simply SOL---sorry, OP!
Do you not have any insurance at all? I take it you do not qualify for medicaid, and probably are still in the waiting period for medicare.
Do what all the illegal immigrants do---go to the ER. go every month if you have to. sit there for hours, you will sit for hours, anyways, in a doctor's office. Just tell them you are out of meds, they will eventually write you an RX. Just keep showing up on their doorstep, rotate ERs if you have to, hey, if the illegals do it, why can't you?
Sorry, its come to this, your only option---so hope you can find something. Your story is another fine example of how the system fails people, people like you who have worked hard all their lives to be shut out of the very system they paid into. good luck to you----
Get real---medical schools don't provide low-cost nor "free" medical care. I've gone to Baylor in Houston, they are some of the highrst bills I've even incurred!
the OP probably doesn't qualify for medicaid because her income is too high, and doesn't qualify for medicare yet because there's a 2.5 year waiting period, and even with medicare, meds aren't automatically covered, that's part B for doctor visit and Part D for prescriptions, all which take at least anothe $150/month out of a pitiful SSDI check. She's simply SOL---sorry, OP!
First sentence of the OP's first post:
Quote:
I have no insurance other than some state-sponsored indigent care assistance, which helps a little with office visit co-pays.
In ordered to get state-sponsored indigent care, you are supposed to be an indigent. That means, you have no income at all, no means of support, no savings, no equity. Since he has none, then he qualifies for medicaid. If he doesn't qualify for medicaid because his income is too high, then he doesn't qualify for indigent care and shouldn't be getting it.
In ordered to get state-sponsored indigent care, you are supposed to be an indigent. That means, you have no income at all, no means of support, no savings, no equity. Since he has none, then he qualifies for medicaid. If he doesn't qualify for medicaid because his income is too high, then he doesn't qualify for indigent care and shouldn't be getting it.
Watch out, SHE might actually get some meds, like for her thyroid, or RA, that she might not qualify for---oh MY
I think she knows what she qualifies for, she just menitoned she doesn't qualify for certain programs to pontt out those aren't options, not for others to take issue with.
The rules for medicaid are complex, and unless you are an expert on it, I don't think your opinion matters!
Do you have any idea how much those d**med medicines cost? On top of her already going to the doc, paying the copay, and for tests, now the doc refuses to write an RX, hey, she needs thyroid meds, is that so awful? Or, how about something for RA? Ra is NOT equilivant with laziness, or "all in your head"
But, guess the system is working, she's not getting one more pill than she's "entitled" to.....try going to the ER and pretend you don't speak English, you get better medical care that way!
In ordered to get state-sponsored indigent care, you are supposed to be an indigent. That means, you have no income at all, no means of support, no savings, no equity. Since he has none, then he qualifies for medicaid. If he doesn't qualify for medicaid because his income is too high, then he doesn't qualify for indigent care and shouldn't be getting it.
And, BTW, you are seriously off-base with your information. I've known people with FT jobs who qualified for medicaid, due to their income, family size, etc. Medicaid, depending on the state, usually allows something, some savings, a house, car, etc......its not just for those with ZERO
And no, don't jump me, I'm "fortunate" enough to have income, "means" etc, we currently pay $748/month for medical insurance, and that only pays 70% of most bills after a big deductible, not sure now what it is, and don't feel like looking it up, but somewhere around $1000 deductible, family out of pocket around $10,000...........thats' why we can't manage to save anything, see, I have RA and thyroid issues, too, thank God I am not in the OP shoes.........
Wow, Marylee is right on the money. I get too much SSDI to qualify for Medicaid, and I still have 19 months before I qualify for Medicare. Indigent care is for people with no insurance and no way to pay for it, you can still have an income and qualify. Unfortunately, very few doctors or pharmacies will honor it, so you are somewhat stuck with whatever you can find.
As far as filling out paperwork for assistance from the drug manufacturers, I have checked into this. The doctor will not fill out the forms without an office visit, and will charge me to fill out the form on top of that. I have no doubt that he would also require a paid office visit in order to pick up the meds if the manufacturer approves me, since they send them to the doctor, not the patient.
I have spent many hours in the ER, the last one being two weeks ago when I had a severe allergic reaction to Deep Woods OFF! They sent me to a specialist, another lovely co-pay we didn't need and a $35 prescription for steroid cream.
It is funny that Marylee mentioned telling them I am illegal, since that is a real sore point for me right now. I see them get all the food at the food banks, free medical care, subsidized housing, food stamps, etc., and still manage to drive a late model Lincoln Navigator, yet still grumble if someone has the audacity to expect them to learn to speak English.
Thank you for your kind words, Marylee. At last someone who understands what's REALLY going on in the world and not just assuming that I am stupid or lazy for having a hard time finding help for some real problems for which there appears to be little assistance for citizens of this country.
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At last! Someone who understands!
