About 3 weeks ago I get a call from a close friend, she tells me that her mom is in the hospital! I ask her what "happened?" she tells me that her mom has problems with blood clots and that she was admitted into the hospital because she was in a great deal of pain due to a blood clot in her leg. She is suppose to be on a medication that keeps the clots under control!
Unfortunately, she is unable to keep current with her medications because of the lack of a steady income and no health insurance to help in bringing the costs down so she could afford them and to be able to see a doctor on a regular basis. Thankful the hospital that she was admitted at and the attending physician arranged a way that she could obtain her medications at a very low price but only for the month.
That's a great thing what they did but now what happens after that month is gone? She goes back to how things were before, with not being able to afford her medications and not being able to see a doctor on a regular basis. She will then wait with dreaded anticipation when her next blood clot will strike! only to come closer to deaths door.
I know that really sounds intense and scary but it is true, blood clots are a a serious matter. My friends' mom is 56 years old and has health issues, she's way to young to claim social security and has already been denied disability benefits. Even though it is evident that she has health problems that prevent her from working she cannot obtain benefits.
This situation really saddens me because I feel that this should not be happening! there are a lot more people in this kind of situation and they are stuck. These people are good people. They are out there doing their best to do what is right! They are law abiding citizens trying to make it on what they have which in most cases is nearly not enough! They basically get a slap in the face!
There are so many other programs out there that people qualify for or don't qualify for, which I'll come back to about that later. About how these programs should seriously reconsider how they decide if a person qualifies for something or not, let me say they should not base it on gross income.
Back to my friends' mom, if she is able to qualify for something lets say food stamps for example then I think she should certainly be able to qualify for some kind of health insurance. Come on, isn't there something? Even if it is just temporary or supplemental. And if it is something that needs to be life long then there should be a rule for them to follow, in terms of having to reapply ever so often. Just so these programs can keep track of changes and decide whether or not there should be a decrease or increase.
I don't know, some thing to that nature would be nice for these people who really deserve it! It's not impossible! All I know is that it really saddens me to see this happening. Especially to my friends' mom and there is nothing you can do. What if it's your mom,a close friend of yours or other loved ones as well?
Hi Cathy, what a sad story. What state does your friends mom live in? Medical insurance is very important. While PJ and I lived in Az. we had to pay for our insurance out of our pocket and for the four of us we paid $750.00 a month. It was ridiculous but it was the lowest we could find. However, in the state of Az. if a person qualified for food stamps the state offered a state insurance for free. I think this should be applied in every states.
ReplyDeleteHere is a website I found that may offer some good advise on how to purchase expensive prescription drugs at a low cost, here's the website: http://www.ehow.com/how_5311817_paying-medication-prescriptions.html
I don't know your friend or her mom, but my heart aches to know there are people in our country who are dealing with these same issues. They are in my prayers.
Hi Cathy,
ReplyDeletePlease give my best wishes to your friend and her mother. Blood clots are a very serious matter. You are right, it just does not seem to be possible that good people suffer so much, but yet we all endure the best we can.
Out of curiosity, has she tried to contact the maker of the medicine she needs? Most drug companies these days offer a program for low income patients. I hope she can receive the help she needs.