I really just don't how to title this one...giving up?

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dfwtexas

dfwtexas

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So after our big storm, I was able to go to work today and got hit with some bad news. My boss called me and said medical insurance was up for renewal and change effective March 1st. When I started with this company 8 years ago, my cost for medical was $25. That has now gone up to $300 a month. It's a small company and over the years, not many kept it, opting out to be on spouse's coverage. But I found out today that it is only me and one other person in our "group plan". The news was that for the same coverage, my cost would be increased to $800 a month. My boss said the other person said she would drop it and go on her husband's plan, but my boss said she talked her into staying with proposing some changes. Instead of the premium going to $800, it would be $600 but all the copay and deductibles will be doubling or tripling.
I don''t make a lot of money, so adding another $500 a month to pay my increase premium and increased cost for doctors and prescriptions is not an option. It might as well be $10,000. So I need to decide, if I keep the insurance and go off my meds or become uninsured and go off my meds. I did call my neuro's office and ask about weaning myself off my seizure meds. The nurse was going to talk to the doc and call me back...actually she did try calling me back but I missed her.
My boss said I needed to let her know about the new insurance ASAP. I have just been crying and just feel so lost. My son talked with me but he is very distressed about it too, he knows the doc had told me when I got diagnosed that going off the meds would never be an option for me as my seizures are in my partiel lobe and it could be a very deadly situation.
I will see what the doc says, but there just doesn't seem to be an answer other than just to give up and roll the dice. Just venting and need a few hugs
 
First off, enormous hugs to you. I'm self-employed, and every year my insurance goes up a ton, and every year I switch to a cheaper plan with higher deductibles. I just have to keep my fingers crossed that I won't actually need medical care.

Being uninsured doesn't have to mean going without meds. Scroll down in the helpful list Endless created at the link below. Lots of great resources:

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/forums/f23/resources-11497/
 
Oh, gosh. I so feel for you... I was self-employed for years and paid my own health insurace, and watched the costs go up for years. My COBRA coverage will be up not too far in the future, and have been thinking about what I am going to do. I have no idea, really.

I don't know the insurance laws in Texas. Would private insurance be required to take you, if you've been under group coverage? How long can they exclude pre-existing conditions? Private insurance can be a ton cheaper than group, when you are a group of 1.

Do you belong to any organizations that offers group insurance to its members?

Would you qualify for your state's government discounted insurance plans? If texas has any?

Are there free clinics in the area that could help?

In a pinch, there's the guina pig option. You could find out if there are any studies going on in your area. There's a big study going on for Vimpat right now, to see if it can be used in monotherapy. You'd get care + drugs for free. But the drug wouild have to be Vimpat. There might be other studies going on, too.
 
Oh no! I feel so badly for you right now. I wish I could help you out - this sounds so unfair. Does your doctor have any sample supplies of your medication - I know sometimes they are given out here and if you indicate that you are in financial trouble the doc may allow you to take some, at least for a temporary solution. How about charities as well - I know that i've had St Vincent De Paul (Catholic Church charity) give a voucher for a chemist so that I could have my script filled. There was no requirement to be or prove membership of the Catholic Church and they just asked some general personal (name, address etc) and financial details. Sometimes individual churches will also help out (I know that our church have helped out members and others with grocery items so I am assuming the same would be done if someone requested help for prescriptions). I hope you find a solution to your problem.
 
Oh my gosh! What an impossible situation. ((((((Hugs)))))) I am sure that you will be able to find a solution. I will be thinking about you. Please let us know what happens.
 
dfwtexas said:
... now gone up to $300 a month. ... So I need to decide, if I keep the insurance and go off my meds or become uninsured and go off my meds. ...
Click to expand...

I'm confused. If you drop the insurance, you get $300/mo back in your pocket. How much do your meds cost per month? Maybe you can switch to another med (whether generic form of what you are currently taking or another one entirely) that fits your budget?
 
Bernard said:
I'm confused. If you drop the insurance, you get $300/mo back in your pocket. How much do your meds cost per month? Maybe you can switch to another med (whether generic form of what you are currently taking or another one entirely) that fits your budget?
Click to expand...

I can only take brand, for brand Keppra at my level cost 1100 a month without insurance.

Oh, by the way, if you make more than $20,000 a year, you can not qualify for any assistance. If I made less than $20,000 a year, I would be living in a homeless shelter
 
:( Jenn I am so sorry.

Is there an independant company you could be covered by? Surely you could find one that would be cheaper...???

****hugs****
 
I spent all day talking to nurses, social worker, Texas risk pool, etc. I have decided to keep the medical but only for emergencies. I have decided to just put this into God's hands.
My father had seizures when he was my age and only stay on seizure meds for two years, was weaned off meds and never had another seizure. He is now 77.
 
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