No Insurance

• By Jennali
• Posted February 3, 2009 at 12:50 pm
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She needs to talk to the person at the hospital in charge of financial aid for outpatient procedures. She will probably qualify for indigent aid. Also have her ask either her doctor or the same person at the hospital about qualifying for free drugs. There are usually several programs available for that.

Also, she may qualify for SSI disability, which might be more than what she is currently receiving. Ovca is now on their list of qualifying conditions. If she has enough SS credits, she will get disability every month. After two years on disability, she will automatically receive Medicare.

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• By momanderson920
• Posted February 3, 2009 at 2:30 pm
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That is right, ovarian cancer is considered a condition for SS disability...and that is automatic Medicare. I pray she can get some help.

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• By kmarienap
• Posted February 4, 2009 at 10:10 am
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Ovca is now in the top 50 for not having to wait on all the red tape for disability. I don't know if the wait period for medicare is still the same or not. I understand there are also other cancer organizations that will help you. I will try to get some of the names to post here. A few years ago I was told by a case worker that an unknown fact, at least in Florida, was that if you incur large medical expenses, you have 90 days to submit them to the state for medicaid to pay-this is like an emergency situation that they of course don't publicize.

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• By gg1
• Posted February 4, 2009 at 10:31 am
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I have used the Patient Advocate and they are wonderful. They are a non profit organization to help with things like that. I 800 532 5274

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• By GL71
• Posted February 4, 2009 at 11:08 pm
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I worked for SS Disability and if they think she is going to be ill for longer than 12 months or has already been ill for 12 months she can get SS Disability Insurance. There are ways to expedite the process if they think she may be terminal.

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• By Dodie1
• Posted February 5, 2009 at 8:09 pm
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My SSI & Medicaid are based on my husbands income...or lack of should I say. He's being short-timed and laid off all the time. The Social Security Dept. that mine goes through "guesstimates" what my husbands income is going to be 1 1/2 - 2 months ahead and determines my eligibilty from that. There were months last year that I had to schedule my doctor appts. around my medicaid because his insurance at work isn't taken by a lot of doctors and hospitals. But when my OVCA came back I had to have my chemo, so now we've got bills and bill collectors.
I was born with muscular dystrophy and then was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.........2 of the diseases listed to automatically qualify you for disability BUT since I wasn't able to and never worked to put into the system, I DON'T qualify. It's a bunch of BS!

I hope she can get some help.

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• By Eileen1941
• Posted February 5, 2009 at 10:48 pm
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Hi Abbaschild,

All the suggestions posted here are very good advice.
If your friend has decided which cancer center that she would like to receive her treatment. Tell her to contact their social worker. That person will know all the programs that are available to help. They will also know what type of sliding scale fees are available for your friend's treatment.

Above all, urge her to follow through with treatment ASAP. It's the only way to save her life. Please keep us up to date on your friend's progress. God Bless.
Eileen

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• By gg1
• Posted February 6, 2009 at 9:47 am
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Here are a few more numbers she might try.

1 800 4Cancer.
1 888 477 2669 pharmaceutical assistance
1 800 999 6673 www.rarediseases.org
1 877 968 7233 chronic disease fund
1 800 366 7741 patient services incorporated
1 800 813 hope cancer care

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