Oh man, You are so not going to believe this one....... I got a letter in the mail today, from Welfare, about medical coverage. Effective January 1st... My God, Rob and I are loosing our medical coverage. He will still be covered under Medicare, they cover 80/20 but I will have nothing...... And before anyone ask, yes I called welfare, to make sure it was correct and I plead my case to no avail...

I have just spent the last hour and a half doing follow up calls on applications I have submitted. I have more calls to make but I am ready to strip naked and run down the street screaming until the men in little white coats take me away...

OH and our monthly income starting January first will be all of 1,758 dollars a month for a family of five (6 if you are including Callie) and we make tooo much money.. So much money, that I can't even pay my bills and buy food.... GRRRRRRRR I am so dang mad.. Okay God, what next???? I am ready..

What am I going to do about my medicaion??? I will be lucky to find a part time job with no insurance. I am so ready to scream......... or hurt somebody..

Cuss word, Cuss word, Cuss word.................

By Amecmom on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 01:43 pm:

Oh Bobbie, I am so sorry! You probably checked this out, but are you entitled to COBRA? I don't know if it applies to benefits recieved through welfare or just to benefits from work.
$1,758???? What planet are they on? That would just about cover half our mortgage!
Oh lots and lots of hugs!!!
Ame

By Sandysmom on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 01:51 pm:

I'm so sorry to hear about this Bobbie. Why does it seem like the people who need it the most are the ones who have the most problems with the system? Then, there are others who just take advantage..... It's not fair to you and your family. Is there any way you can contact your local representative? Do you think that might help? ((((hugs)))) Also, I'm sorry to hear about Callie's jaw. I hope she gets better soon.

I remember when my dearest friend was going through chemo & radiation treatments. She was unable to work and they lived in a trailer and their income was not matching their incoming bills. She looked into assistance and they said something to the effect that she would have to sell her car and basically use that to help her cause. (don't remember the whole story, it was a long time ago and she has since passed away ) But she needed her car to get her to all her appointments. It was such a sad thing because with all she was going through, the added stress of finances didn't help matters any.

Anyway, just a suggestion, for your utility bills, do they have a program that will help pay for them if your income is under a certain amount? It goes according to income and size of family. Look into it if you get a chance.. Every little bit helps. (((hugs again)))

By Sunny on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 02:03 pm:

I am so sorry! That sucks (can we say that here?). What a way to start the holiday season. My suggestion is to scream into an old throw pillow, then beat the living daylights out of it. It won't help your situation, but it might relieve some of the stress. Other than that, I don't know what to say. I wish I had advice that would help you through this, but I can only pray for strength for you and your family. (((HUGS)))

By Vicki on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 02:56 pm:

I am so sorry that you are going through this. I have no words of wisdom to offer, but I do have a bug ((HUG)) for you!!

By Claire on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 04:54 pm:

(((Bobbie)))

By Rayelle on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 05:26 pm:

I am so sorry Bobbie. That sucks. I know what you mean about finding a job period let alone one that offers health care. Decent, affordable health care forget about it. I don't know if this is any help and I don't know what it's like where you live but where I am there is a doctor's office that accepts people without insurance. They charge on a sliding scale. They also have an arrangement with a pharmacy to lower the cost of prescriptions. For example, I went there today and found out I have a bad sinus infection. The office visit is usually $66, but I was charged $12 and the medicine was $5. Many people think it's some kind of emergency clinic but it's not. (((HUGS)))

By Yjja123 on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 05:36 pm:

(((Bobbie))) I am sorry that you are going through this!

By Mom2three1968 on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 06:12 pm:

Bobbie,

I'm sorry to hear about your latest issue, I wish I had some suggestions for you, I like Sunny's idea to take out some frustration.

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 06:18 pm:

Bobbie, don't take the word of the people who work for the various government agencies. In Pennsylvania we have something called Community Legal Services - free legal help for people who meet the income guidelines, and sliding scale for others. I suggest you try to find the equivalent in your area and ask for a consultation. Given your income, your dh's problems, your son's issues, and your own health issues, I suspect that you would fit into a category for medical assistance if someone was willing to check the rules, but government employees are often not so inclined. The other thing I think you should do is immediately call both your state representative and state senator, and your congressional representative and your senator's offices. They all have people whose job is to help voters who call with problems.

By Reds9298 on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 06:20 pm:

I'm so so sorry you are going through this!! Lots of great big hugs coming your way.

By Tink on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 07:08 pm:

I'm so, so sorry, Bobbie. I have no suggestions whatsoever but I wanted to add my support to you. {{{Bobbie}}}

By Mlee on Wednesday, November 28, 2007 - 09:17 pm:

I second Ginny's suggestions.

Bobbie, I'm so sorry! Just about only time I've really lost it and actually screamed and stomped was about medical insurance----I hate, hate, hate this whole system!!!
(Our issue turned out okay, but not without days of stressful telephoning.) I hope something works out for you.

By the way, I'm new and don't know who Callie is.

By Wandilu on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 12:12 am:

Ohhhhh Bobbie !! I am so sorry that this is happening.Please take Ginny's advice. And check into the clinic's for people without insurance. We have 3 or 4 here in the Nashville,Tn area. The one that we go to (when we have no ins,like now) are great people.Also, what about that thing that Montell is associated with, that helps people get the meds free?Biggggg Hugggggs to you !!

By Bobbie~moderatr on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 01:33 am:

Mlee, Callie is my 18 year old daughter. I have four kids actually. Dillan is 15. Emily and Katelyn are 10 year old fraternal twins.

Ginny, it is called the Legal Aid Society around here. An attorney isn't going to help in this case. This is the Welfare Reform everyone is pushing for, impacting right in front of the eyes of everyone that will read this board.. Please know, I have been doing this for six years, I know how it works and I know that what I was told today is correct. It can happen and it has.. We had been just falling under the maximum for a family of 6 for years... Now we are considered a family of 5, even though Callie lives in the house and we make the same amount of money as we did when we were a family of 6. Thus we are above the maximum amount, I should have seen this coming but with everything else going on I just didn't think about it until the mail came today.

I will save everyone a rant on how the system actually works, or this might end up on the debate board.. LOL Ginny, I will be okay and it will all come out in the wash.....

There is only one answer, I will be getting a job.

By Luvn29 on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 03:24 am:

I don't know much of your medical history, but if your health is not good, and that is one reason it is hard for you to work, have you thought about signing up for SSI? That would take care of your insurance.

By Ginny~moderator on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 03:36 am:

Sorry, Bobbie, I had my families mixed up. But still, while you know the system very well, please do talk to the political offices - they may know some work-arounds that you aren't aware of because they are sort of "hidden" in the system. And yes, I agree with you about welfare "reform".

By Amecmom on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 08:37 am:

Bobbie - could your Dh take a "pay cut" for a little while? If you are making just over the max amount, maybe it would all wash out in the end until you get a job?
I know it's not a great idea, but if it gets you insurance, it might be worth it.
Lots of hugs!!!!
Ame

By Karen~admin on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 09:21 am:

Bobbie, are you on, or have you started the process for SS Disability? I would think with your health issues, you could do that. I'm so sorry, I am facing similar issues in the very near future. Callie is not considered a dependent, probably because she's 18 now. I am not very knowledgeable about insurance in your situation, so I don't have any advice. But I am so sorry you're going through this, and I hope you can find a solution. Also, I'm not familiar with your area - do you have a Starbucks nearby? Part time employes there are eligible for health insurance.

Again, I'm so sorry, I KNOW how stressed and worried you are, and I hope you can find a solution.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}

By Beth on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 10:09 am:

I work in social work. So I could give you all the tips and pointers. But you really sound like you do know them all. So I will just give you a ((hug)). I will ask though if you have thought about applying for any state jobs. Your state should have a website and not all jobs require a college degree. They have the best benefits. I was told about our state one by a friend at work yesterday and I am going to apply. It's a long wait sometimes. So even if you get something now. You may want to consider looking into it for the future. Good luck I am sorry all of this is dumped on you right now.

By Bobbie~moderatr on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 11:38 am:

Ame, Rob is on a set income, there is no way to take a pay cut.

No I am not on SSI but I just spent a half hour on the phone opening an application for SSI.. I will be doing a phone interview on December 10th @ 9 in the morning. I don't feel that I will be approved but I figure it can't hurt to check. Whether or not Fibromyalgia is a covered disease is still up in the air. But I also have Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and Degenerative Disk Disease. Here is the major issue.... It can take any where from 30 days to 2 years to be approved. I will likely be denied and have to appeal. It will depend on how well my condition has been documented by my doctors.... This concerns me.....

So, now what to do?? Rob says I should wait until I talk to the intake on the 10th. I see two of my doctors next week, he says I need to focus on getting through those appointments. The trip to one of them is a two hour drive and that long in a car is rough on me. The other is a place we normally end up in the waiting room for up wards of 3 hours, I can't believe the let their office get that far backed up but oh well. I sit for 3 hours and am seen in 15 minutes, they must be triple booking. He says, you aren't going to start a job tomorrow and even if you do it won't insure you for 90 days. He wants me to calm down and refocus myself. Thinks I am driving myself to hard and I am paying for it.

The federal jobs in my area.. They are hiring with degrees and prison guards. Our Welfare office has been taking cuts and our Social Security office is under a hiring freeze until after the first of the year. Our Sheriffs office and Police Department are also under a hiring freeze and they are both looking at cuts in 2008. Our local health department has one opening for an RN, they are not taking applications at this time. CPS has one position open for a case manager, I do not have the qualifications. They only hold applications active for 90 days and they will not be hiring with in that time frame because of the end of the year budgeting. I have already checked into all of the above.

Starbucks, we just got a Starbucks in September and it is fully staffed, they are holding my application for 60 days.

I guess I will let you know what happens on the 10th. Until then, I think I need to step back a bit from the job hunt. It has been the primary focus of my time for over a month now. I have so many applications out there that we are having a hard time remembering where all I have applied. I am limited as to what I can do physically, so factory/foundry work is out of the question, as are many other jobs like waitressing, house keeping and the like. So the rest is up to God because I am spent... I know this will pass but me killing myself to make it happen isn't helping me or my family..

By Dandjmom on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 11:49 am:

Look into a state health insurance program, No not through Welfare. Like here where I am , I make too much money to to qualify for anything, in fact I make so much that I get to spend and budjet a whopping 100.00 pet month at the grocery sometimes. I think there isn't anyone who coupons and refunds as much as I do to make ends meet.

But back to the insurance program. If you don't qualify here for medicaid through welfare for what ever reason. we have a program called dc healthy families, ( if your income falls with in the guidelines your usually approved) we also hae a program for people that work, dont' work, child less, or just don't have health insurance call Amerigroup. None of those program are benefits through the wealfare system, but state programs, and 90% of the time you still get to the same doctors that accept medicaid.

When it rains it pours, and the rain will end and the sun will shine. I hope and pray that it shines upon you and your family sooner rather then later. But that, that doesn't kill us only makes us stronger.

Take care and please don't run down the street in your birthday suit, for the liltle men with the white suit to come and take you away. LOL

By Bobbie~moderatr on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 12:04 pm:

Ohio does not have a state insurance program other than the one through Welfare. Many states have them but Ohio does not. The only people that are insured in the state of Ohio are children through the SCHIP program, for them to qualify you have to provide proof that the child can not get insurance by any other means.

We have a "Free" clinic here in town, which actually isn't free, care it is done on a sliding scale. They are not legally able to give me my medications at the level at which I take them, I have to see a specialist in the area of treatment to get enough medication to even curb my issues. I have already checked into it.

By Mlee on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 03:06 pm:

I've heard the same thing about SS Disability taking from months to years. And the whole turning 18 thing(Is she out of highschool? Does that make a difference? You probably know all that) I went through that with DS's GF last year. This was basically a kid without any consistent family support. (Her father had taught her to retreive bread from the bakery dumpster, yet gramdma would take her on expensive clothes shopping trips.) On the advice of a public health clinic nurse, I finally spent a day in the ER with my arms folded saying "I know this is not an emergency, but it's the only way the state and this hospital are going to straighten out her health care." The hospital sent her a bill for $800 for that ER care, but they must have pressured the state agency a bit, too, because the "lost" paperwork got found...

That's just by way of saying, I've seen the system and it's crazy. You've got my sympathy, Bobbie.

The other side of this is-- you WILL get the help you need. I've dispaired about family members and "the system" several times. SS, welfare, Title thisnthat. And then, the system figured out how it was going to pay itself, the right drugs got prescribed (or invented!), and the person got better. Not perfect, but better.

Legend has it that Marie Antionette's hair went white instantly from the sight of the howling mobs, but I think it was really from dealing with healthcare bills.

By Breann on Thursday, November 29, 2007 - 03:22 pm:

No advice, but lots of ((((hugs))))