any ideas

[Mary4now]

Now that I have been fired, and I am scheduled to have my biopsy on the 19th of this month, I'm not sure how long my insurance is good for after being fired?  Am I screwed?  What gives, what do people do?  I will have to ask my PA when she gets back from vacation, she seemed to know quite a bit.  This country GREATLY needs universal health care.  Let me know if you have any ideas...

[Mary4now]

I called Blue Cross, they said I have 30 days from termination to apply for Cobra, and my employer by Fed law has 2 weeks to submit the necessary information.  I guess thats to Blue Cross.  anyway.... its been 10 days.  Thx.  I'm in the waiting game, waiting for biopsy, then I'll be waiting for results, then I'm waiting for job interview results.  Theres only so much I can do I've been massaging for 20 years, doing skin care for 8 years, but whatever comes up comes up.  At least I'm still here to tell the tale.. M

[wyntre9]

Here's a link to COBRA regulations.

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_cobra.html

wyn

[wyntre9]

COBRA is good for 18 months!

wyn

[Mary4now]

Wow, Thanks for the support.    Mary

[jdwithhcv]

Your doctor "friend" should not be practicing law without a license!!!  (Its a crime to do so)

She has NO CHOICE about COBRA.  It is federal law.  It lasts either 18 or 36 months, depending on the circumstances.

Do some research about the availability of civil legal services in your state.  Most states have some kind of program, and they receive federal "access to justice" funding for situations like these.

Meanwhile, don't make any threats or indicate in any way that you are going to consult an attorney.  Get from your employer all the information you can in writing, including the reasons for your termination.  Make notes about any conversation you have on the subject, (what was said, who was there, etc.)  Save everything they give you.  Don't discuss your plans with anybody until you have spoken to an attorney.  Let them think that you will go quietly. Keep careful records.

When I get back to the USA, I'll send you a private message and we can discuss, plan, strategize about this.  Its possible that you can make a claim under the ADA, but we will need more information first.

At all costs, keep your cool.  You're going to be ok.  Try not to get too anxious about this, anxiety can make you really ill.

I'll be in touch.
jd

[Mary4now]

Thank you,,,,,,   Thank you,,,,,, I hope to learn the ins and outs of this to help save others from having similar problems... and to help myself onto the right track.....i know that people can slip through the cracks and end up on the very short end.     M

[HARRYBEADS]

   Most insurance is based on the date of diagnosis, so let them know ASAP and see whats up on their end. You may still be covered. If so get in writing that they cover the drug treatment, you will need the DIN numbers, ours are different here.Don't know your policy but alot pay your sick time to. Check it out.

Harry

[sfbaygirl]

I don't believe that is true. Yes, there is an end to cobra, but then you can go on an 18 month cobra plan that either the feds or the state require. Not sure where you live, but I know this is how I continued for the 18 mos, after the 6 mos?  All I know is you can get an extention. I sure wouldn't talk to her, I would talk to the ins. co.   you have. They will know when your coverage stops and about cobra.  

[Mary4now]

Actually it is a woman doctor and she said I can purchase the Cobra for 6 months.  I always thought it was longer than that, knowing her, there is no way I'm covered for 6 months, she can squeeze a penny 6 ways.

[sfbaygirl]

Yuck.  Hard to prove why he fired you. If he said you don't get Cobra for 6 mos, that may mean you are covered by them until then. I was covered for quite a long time before I got Cobra. Cobra is expensive, but I had great ins. and it covers me, John and his kids too, so it is worth the 1400. a month. We have dental, vision etc. With all the hospitalizations I have had it has been well worth it. I think my last stay was 250 thousand bucks and that doesn't cover the 9 dr's I had.  Hopefully you can afford Cobra. There is Commitment to Care that will pay for drugs and other companies that will give you free drugs. Get all your tests done now. If you don't get Cobra you may have to pay for tests on tx. These aren't so cheap.  I am still on Cobra after 3 years, don't plan on stopping it either.  Good luck!

[Mary4now]

No the doctor I worked for did not let on that she knew about my HepC, never mentioned the word.  My hepatologist asked me about my thinking during our consult.
The doctor who I worked for said that I made alot of mistakes, and that is why she is firing me.  We did have this conversation before and she admitted that I am doing to many different things, so she interviewed and hired additional people, then she fired me.
I believe she knew I had hepC, The office manager tells her everything and her personal nurse of 7 years also knew.  Anyway, they also knew I had a needlestick injury (which was not the cause of my HCV) and that I have been having additional doctor visits after that.  Its hard to prove they fired me for that reason, but I am considering filing a complaint, because she hired at least 2 people to take my place and I think that shows that I was spread to thin.  Just my impression.

[alagirl]

waitaminute, let me get this straight.  your boss, who is a DOCTOR, fired you and asked you about your hepc and cognitive abilities vis a vis the hepc while doing it?

[Mary4now]

Thanks for all your info, the doctor I worked for said I would be eligible for Cobra for 6 months.... I haven't heard anything from them yet and i did email the office manager telling her I wanted to review the information.  I guess they will mail it to me.  Its funny just 2 months ago the doctor was calling all her employees her family,,, HA!
We have got to get universal medical care in this country this is horrendous.  Mary4now

[Mary4now]

Well, the doctor I worked for said I was making alot of mistakes,  I'd been there about a year, helping start a skin care business (lasers, microderm, etc $$) but I was also doing the development, assisting w/ the marketing, scheduling, sales, treatments, so I was spread thin, we decided we needed a permanent front desk person, so I could do treatments, so she hired another esthetician part time, and a nurse to do botox, restylane, and a full time front desk, I went on vaca, came back and she fired me.  The office manager knew I had tested positive for HCV antibodies, told the Dr.s nurse (osha supervisor) and I believe the doctor knew and fired me.....they treated me like a criminal.  It was twilight zone weird.  I dont believe my thinking is compromised, the doc asked me that too.  If anything my cognitive abilities may be more compromised by my age, and maybe my paranoia, anxiety level is higher at this point.  Work became a weird scene, office politics, everyone is paranoid there.  thanks for your interest.

[jdwithhcv]

If you are eligible for COBRA your carrier must offer you coverage for 18 months (36 months if you lose coverage because of divorce or death of covered spouse).  This is insurance at your expense and your ex-employer can add an administrative fee (the amount is limited by statute).  You have some time to arrange COBRA coverage but eventually you will have to pay the premiums.  Your employer must send you information about COBRA and an application.  

Good luck.
jd

[glucklich]

If there was an HR person ask them
were you fired because of the performance due to HCV

[jools57]

Usually your insurance is good until the date the next premium is due. Your ex employer should send you a form for COBRA, if you don't get one soon call them and ask for it.Insurance co's consider Hep c a preexisting condition, so it is very hard if impossible to get insurance on your own once diagnosed. Definitely get COBRA from your ex employer, even tho it is expensive, this way you have insurance for all the blood tests, meds etc. you'll be getting. I was in the same boat, and pay $333.90 a month for cobra. I've had to go on procrit for anemia, and get weekly blood tests so it's been worth it to pay the cobra premium. Plus I can get other medical stuff done while I have insurance. (All those once you reach 50 tests!)
I'm sorry you've lost your job, that is the last thing someone starting treatment needs. I'm keeping you in my prayers, and let your Dr. know what is going on. My Dr. gave me lots of help with getting on a assistance program for the peg, and copeg.
Wishing you the best.

[working dog]

i would go ahead and get the bx no matter what...worse case you have to pay it off over time...you'll feel a lot better after you get through the bx ...it will help with your anxiety....good luck...lots of us have no insuance...i just can't get over the fact that folks aren't tested for hep and how we end up finding out we have it...good luck ..it will take about 10 days after the bx for results...billy

[alagirl]

Not sure, but many of them in Alabama and Tennesse still are.  The county I live in is dry, but many of the cities are wet.  They use the money for the school districts, so the county schools aren't very good... lol

I am trying to remember the name of it but my cognition is so bad lately I can't think of it.  Anyway, there is whiskey or bourbon, whatever you want to call it, maker in Tennessee that I used to pass when I would visit customers I had there.  It was for a different job than I have now.  Someone told me that the entire county it's in is dry, no exceptions.  So even in their plant tours, they apparently don't offer samples.  but apparently they've been there for so many years, way before there was such a thing as wet or dry counties, that its tradition, and they'd never move.  

Anyway, or something like that.  I have no memory anymore.

[Willy50]

I've got to agree.  You have a certain amount of time following any termination to line up a cobra insurance policy.  Contact the employer to find out who carried the policy.  You will have the right to continue the policy.....but at a cost.  The deal is...... that a biopsy will probably run you 2-3 thousand or so depending on how many trips you take.  The hospital in my area does a ultrasound one day and a biopsy on another day each one generating a seperate bill and copay.  I assume there are also bills for drugs, labs and a specialist to interpret your score.  This is important and a kind of pricy procedure.  Make sure you get a "good" one and have it explained to you.  It should keep you for 5 years or so.  

IF there are other things you want done get em all done depending on what kind of insurance your employer carries;
dental
eye
biopsy, Hep A and B vaccinations LFT's Iron panel, liver panel, viral load, genotype test,
tumor marker, any other extra-hepatic screens for diabetes, RA, thyroid etc.

Sorry....I don't know your history but with no job you may not be able to have insurance for long.  

IMPORTANT:  Whatever work you get done..... get copies.  OK?

best,
Willy

Hey Ala...... many years ago I worked in Decatur; mid 70's.  Is it still a dry county?

[alagirl]

Ok, well.. the drug companies do pay for some people's meds who don't have insurance.  There are people here who have those numbers.  Or you can search the archives.  Also, dependent upon how long ago you lost your job, everyone, after losing employment, has to be offered cobra - cobra is the right to pay for your insurance you had with your job yourself.  You usually get thirty days, or something like that after you leave your job to arrange it.  It can be expensive, but well worth the money and it usually lasts a year or eighteen months, something along those lines.

Others who know more will probably jump in with additional info.  My brain is on the blink lately.