No more prescription coverage for me!

[SamIam]

The government has decided to punish me for daring to go out and making an attempt at employment by working part time for minimum wage at the Bates. I discovered last week that my Medicaid coverage has been dropped since my income is now too "high." Instead, I have been thrown onto some variant of Medicare part B that does not cover the medications I have been taking for two years now and that work very well for me. In fact, without them, I have great difficulty functioning at all, and I doubt that I'd be able to work at even such a simple minded job as the Bates.

What kind of sense does it make to take away the medication(s) that allow a person on SSI/SSDI to go back to work? I'm working and making a little extra money, so let's make sure you don't do THAT anymore. Wouldn't want somebody to attempt to make it off SSDI, now would we?

Of course, I have the option of paying for my meds "out of pocket" at over $500.00/month which is actually more than I earn some months at the Bates, depending on my schedule. WTF?

I can apply for an exemption which they may or may not give to me and/or I can apply to Medicare to cover my medication costs since I need to be on these meds in order to be productive. Maybe I'll get this help or maybe I won't. At any rate, its not going to happen overnight, whatever they decide.

Meanwhile, if I want to continue on these extremely helpful meds, I have to raid my small savings, and there goes my money to move to Durango and hopefully get a better job.

And on top of everything, the job at the Bates is temporary until they hire a new manager, although I had hoped to segue from there to a Durango job before the Bates has a chance to lay me off. So much for that thought.

I could just cry. Even Obama Care would surely be better than THIS.

[limey]

Oh Sam, how dreadful. I wish I could offer you more than my heartfelt sympathy. I hope a stateside Dwellar can be more effective ...

[infinite monkey]

Sam, I don't even know what to say except that freaking sucks beyond belief.

I've been of the mind, lately, as I watch the whole world stink on ice, to ask that the earth be stopped so I can get off it.

While there are those who skate around the stench with nary a twitch of their nose to tell them that not everyone is charmed (or sold their soul to the debbil...or whatever the EFF it takes to be that person) people out here in the real world are struggling.

I'm pretty done with it all right now. I'm so sickened by what I see around me I can't even stomach a good Santorum joke.

Hang in there, Sam.

[classicman]

Call you representatives immediately, start local. Badger the shit out of them.
Send them letters, emails and call daily. Try the local press as well.
Do not go quietly.

[Spexxvet]

If you care for Sam's wellbeing, vote Democratic

[classicman]

Oh boy ... here we go again.

[pastortoy]

Seriously sorry to hear this. I am with you that it makes no sense to pull all support in your circumstance. The government doesn't know the word "gradual."

[Trilby]

Sorry doesn't really cover how I feel about the morass that is this situation. I find myself agreeing more and more with infinite.

[Sundae]

Until I was offered 5 extra hours a week this year, I was worse off in work than I would have been out of work. I now bring in as much as I did on benefits, but again I am down on the extras.

I wasn't living the hi-life regarding what I received financially, but I did not have to pay prescription charges or dental fees. There were a number of other savings I was eligible for that ceased when I started work.

I understand, of course I do. A line has to be drawn somewhere and it will hit those closest to it the hardest. I think what bugged me personally was the fact that in my case, my medication helped me back into work.

So although our situations are not identicial, they have very definite parallels.

One of the many reasons I wanted to be back in paid work was that if it was only part-time, I could legally pick up extra work. I've done that all my life. Of course it's turned out that I have only managed one extra job on a short term contract. Sigh. Still looking.

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by Sundae

I understand, of course I do. A line has to be drawn somewhere and it will hit those closest to it the hardest. I think what bugged me personally was the fact that in my case, my medication helped me back into work.

Exactly! In my case my prescription insurance actually covers a fairly wide range of meds. What it does not cover now are the expensive meds which allow me be functional enough to hold down a job. Without the income from a job, I am thrown back on Medicaid as well as a number of gov't assistance programs because my Social Security payment is so low. The Government will actually spend more on me and other Americans like me by refusing me coverage. The Feds will end up paying the $500 after all plus about $650 in other assistance because my income is so low.

Social Security allows me to earn $1,000/month without it effecting my disability benefit - or my Social Security old age benefit when I reach 65. I wouldn't qualify for the other assistance programs though. Still, even with paying the extra $650 plus a Medicare part D premium, I'd be ahead of the game. And I would be far less dependent on the Government - something that would make me very, very happy. I'd rather earn as much of my own way as possible. That's a value my parents instilled in me, and it hasn't changed.

So, if Medicare covered my prescription, the Feds would still be $650 ahead of the game, because I could move to Durango, land a job that paid more, etc. But common sense doesn't seem to be part of the equation here.

[skysidhe]

I am not sure if this will help but I did a little Internet search.
http://www.rxassist.org/

I was remembering, when I was unemployed I found a low income clinic that had their own prescription plan. It was antibiotics which were cheap, so I don't know how other med are covered. Maybe there are low income clinics there with the same?

I'm sorry sam

[SamIam]

My doctor wrote a letter to the insurance company informing them that I need my meds if I even just want to get through the day. She told them that she had not put me on my current meds for some frivolous reason, but because she and other clinicians had tried all sorts of alternative meds on me and that I just didn't respond to them.

So, Humana reluctantly restored my prescription coverage. Yay!

Way to go, Doc! Thank you so much for going above and beyond!

[infinite monkey]

:applause:

That's great news, Sam.

[classicman]

Excellent. Glad that this worked out for you.

[Big Sarge]

sam this is great news!!! i'm so proud you are back on your meds. i feel your pain in dealing with the system.