Aa
charity
has anyone ever heard of an entity that will help you pay bills during treatment
when you cant work?
when you cant work?
this is not a probolem that is exclusive to the USA - Canada is falling into the "2 income society" as well...
I was fortunate enough to be able to take a year off of work while on treatment...My husband and I do not have a boat load of money, but we planned it so the income loss would not devistate us...
We have drug plans here in Canada that help pay for meds, but we do not have to pay for anything else (well we do in our taxes but that is a story for another day)
Our drug plan has a 10% co pay so it only costs me $188.00 for 4 weeks of Pegasys out of my pocket...We can handle that no problem - Well, 3 weeks ago I was told I needed a blood booster drug called Eprex (Procrit in the States) that costs $675.00 per shot and I need it once a week - $2600.00 for 4 weeks - another $260.00 a month out of our pockets, no problem...Well - once I get to the drug store to pick it up they tell me I owe $1100.00 I went ballistic!!! Apparently the Drug Stores can charge as much as they want and call it "dispensing fee" if it is higher than other places...Well - I cannot afford another $1100.00 a month, no way Jose! I call my Hep Nurse crying and she tells me to call the Victory Program, it is assistance program that Ortho Biotech has for those that cannot afford their meds...I call them and expalin my situation, they just about laughed at me when I told them what my family annual income was - No help from them at all...So - I call my Hep Nurse back again - she came up with 4 weeks of left over meds for me...But if my hemoglobin is not at 12 in 2 more weeks I will have to start paying for the drugs myself which will mean my husband and I will have to cash in retirment fund accounts that we have been saving for years....Now if I were poor, or on welfare my meds would be free but becasue I have assets (even though I have a debt that takes up most of my left over income) they expect me to cover the cost or go without! Now, you tell me is that fair??? I don't think so...I honestly never in a million years thought I would have to worry about being able to afford my drugs...What do people do in this situation, sell your assets, or go off treatment I guess...
So Debby I totally agree with you....the rules are not made for all people - so much for "all men are created equal"..
PS - I am sorry about your husband I did not know he passed away, you have my most sincere condolences
*dip*
I was fortunate enough to be able to take a year off of work while on treatment...My husband and I do not have a boat load of money, but we planned it so the income loss would not devistate us...
We have drug plans here in Canada that help pay for meds, but we do not have to pay for anything else (well we do in our taxes but that is a story for another day)
Our drug plan has a 10% co pay so it only costs me $188.00 for 4 weeks of Pegasys out of my pocket...We can handle that no problem - Well, 3 weeks ago I was told I needed a blood booster drug called Eprex (Procrit in the States) that costs $675.00 per shot and I need it once a week - $2600.00 for 4 weeks - another $260.00 a month out of our pockets, no problem...Well - once I get to the drug store to pick it up they tell me I owe $1100.00 I went ballistic!!! Apparently the Drug Stores can charge as much as they want and call it "dispensing fee" if it is higher than other places...Well - I cannot afford another $1100.00 a month, no way Jose! I call my Hep Nurse crying and she tells me to call the Victory Program, it is assistance program that Ortho Biotech has for those that cannot afford their meds...I call them and expalin my situation, they just about laughed at me when I told them what my family annual income was - No help from them at all...So - I call my Hep Nurse back again - she came up with 4 weeks of left over meds for me...But if my hemoglobin is not at 12 in 2 more weeks I will have to start paying for the drugs myself which will mean my husband and I will have to cash in retirment fund accounts that we have been saving for years....Now if I were poor, or on welfare my meds would be free but becasue I have assets (even though I have a debt that takes up most of my left over income) they expect me to cover the cost or go without! Now, you tell me is that fair??? I don't think so...I honestly never in a million years thought I would have to worry about being able to afford my drugs...What do people do in this situation, sell your assets, or go off treatment I guess...
So Debby I totally agree with you....the rules are not made for all people - so much for "all men are created equal"..
PS - I am sorry about your husband I did not know he passed away, you have my most sincere condolences
*dip*
It's so unfair that our government will make sure (and nobody shoot me here) that people who aren't even legal members of our countrys kids have medical cards and tuition assistance and food stamps and every other "help" out there but someone who actually works their ENTIRE LIFE and pays taxes to this same country...is not really entitled to anything.
When my husband just died he really had nothing and I had to come up with the money to pay for him to be buried. Well nicely the country gave me $255 to help with this. Out of the thousands and thousands of dollars it cost it really helped me a lot. Oh yeah, I still haven't even gotten it.
Believe me - I wouldMUCH rather designate that my tax money go to someone who has worked all their life but fallen on hard times and needs some temporary assistance over the people who use welfare as a way of life and pop out more babies for bigger checks or senators who use the money to take helicopters and limo's out for the hell of it (and paying a president for F;ing up the entire country)...
I'm sorry - but I've just had it. I don't know why hard working people are penalized but we certainly ARE. The only way any of us can get assistance is to quit working at all. It just makes no sense to me whatsoever.
I hope to God you can find some help. If you can let us know because there are alot of us who could use it.
When my husband just died he really had nothing and I had to come up with the money to pay for him to be buried. Well nicely the country gave me $255 to help with this. Out of the thousands and thousands of dollars it cost it really helped me a lot. Oh yeah, I still haven't even gotten it.
Believe me - I wouldMUCH rather designate that my tax money go to someone who has worked all their life but fallen on hard times and needs some temporary assistance over the people who use welfare as a way of life and pop out more babies for bigger checks or senators who use the money to take helicopters and limo's out for the hell of it (and paying a president for F;ing up the entire country)...
I'm sorry - but I've just had it. I don't know why hard working people are penalized but we certainly ARE. The only way any of us can get assistance is to quit working at all. It just makes no sense to me whatsoever.
I hope to God you can find some help. If you can let us know because there are alot of us who could use it.
I've been thinking about your question. My advice would be to track down some AIDS organizations and see if they also help people with HCV. Many AIDS victims are co-infected.The HIV/AIDS groups are much more organized. Give it a try. Whatta ya got to lose?
There are some churches etc, that will help but as for food stamps or cash assistance its nearly impossible...depending on the state here you have to make a min. of 400.00 a month...which since they raised the min wage to 7. something almost no one qaulifies....as for ssi or ssd I am in the battle right now and it stinks...I just want to get back to normal if you need any help just let me know...
No chicken bone legs here my friend. At 240 lbs they'd collapse under the weight of all those cheese burritos under my belt. I've always been pretty lucky that my weight distributes very evenly on my body. If I ever get chicken bone legs that means I'm near death. Send big macs. I've been laying out in the sun every afternoon since ending treatment. I'm looking very local, almost latin, but I still can't speak the language.
This might be a stupid question.....but do you live in the U.S ? I am in Canada and was able to get CPP disability....not a huge amount but has helped.....I know the states have different laws pertaining to all of this. Isn't there some sort of disability?
ah the infinite ponderings of a true and natural bohemian! the philosophical meanderings of a man floating in free space! im feeling better already! i horn to the rescue! i actually gave up the rat race (not completely) years ago and am paying for it by starving to death! (not really but kinda). it was the best decision ive ever made. they always threw me out of starbucks so that was one slave behavior i easily avoided. believe it or not i have a "pay as you go" cellphone and only spend $120 per year and only use it when i go out of town. lets have a toast to the "no phone, no job, no spouse life.
oh by the way, you might want to reconsider the long pants thing, i heard your legs look like chicken bones! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
oh by the way, you might want to reconsider the long pants thing, i heard your legs look like chicken bones! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
No thanks. I 'dropped out' a few years back and I ain't dropping back in. I'm like Peter in 'Office Space'. My goal in life, is to do absolutely nothing. I don't have to be anywhere, I don't have to listen to anyone, I don't have to keep up with anyone. I don't have to impress anyone. It's a simple goal, but harder to achieve than one might think but I'm gonna get there my friends, I'm gonna LIVE MY DREAM of never WEARING LONG PANTS again.
Ladies and gentlemen I ask you to follow me in my pantless dream. Together we can achieve the year round tan, the perfect lawn, the 12 minute mile and the cellular free life. We can strive to be anonymous and scoff at the labor day sale. Together we can drive by Starbucks and drink coffee from a shell station, like normal people. We can reject the wireless chains that imprison our souls. We don't have to be made in China any more. Together we can do nothing for together we are less than we are as one. We are, an army of none.
Ladies and gentlemen I ask you to follow me in my pantless dream. Together we can achieve the year round tan, the perfect lawn, the 12 minute mile and the cellular free life. We can strive to be anonymous and scoff at the labor day sale. Together we can drive by Starbucks and drink coffee from a shell station, like normal people. We can reject the wireless chains that imprison our souls. We don't have to be made in China any more. Together we can do nothing for together we are less than we are as one. We are, an army of none.
sounds like the child support payments could have been as rough as the treatment!
good show. you did manage to work full time didnt you?
i cant imagine how you can wait any longer for a pcr.
i guess some of the other posters advocate the concept of getting your head straight and feeling better before getting any possibly bad news. i know that when i reach the post stage the first six weeks will be the most agonizing and dragged out wait in my life. i guess this anxiety is unavoidable for all of us. are you any nuttier than usual
at this point? as straight laced as you are, the extra tension is probably doing you some good. HA HA HA HA HA. i know there hasnt been much inspiration lately for a poop post (thank god) but the warriors could use some good old ihorn entertainment!
let it rip court jester!
good show. you did manage to work full time didnt you?
i cant imagine how you can wait any longer for a pcr.
i guess some of the other posters advocate the concept of getting your head straight and feeling better before getting any possibly bad news. i know that when i reach the post stage the first six weeks will be the most agonizing and dragged out wait in my life. i guess this anxiety is unavoidable for all of us. are you any nuttier than usual
at this point? as straight laced as you are, the extra tension is probably doing you some good. HA HA HA HA HA. i know there hasnt been much inspiration lately for a poop post (thank god) but the warriors could use some good old ihorn entertainment!
let it rip court jester!
I think some people here I've seen have applied for SSI. I think you have to get an attorney for that. I think some forms of public assistance are fairly easy to get...food stamps damn near anyone can get I think and with the price of food now days, that's 200-300/mo right there alone. I don't know the ins and outs but I think some things are easier to get than others. I got a lot of charity from hospitals, doctors, the drug companies, during my treatment. No help on the living expense side of things but my house and car were paid for so I was lucky there. Basically all I had to come up with was 1300/mo in child support and about another grand for other stuff and to make minumum payments on any CC balances. I suppose I could have called them to see if they'd suspend the interest on the balance for a while. My gym suspended my account...just start calling people and asking for help. Explain the situation and have proof handy. My experience was people are nice. No one that asked ever said no. I swore when I was done I would write them all letters and thank them. I need to sit down some afternoon and do that.
thanks for the sentiments but dont worry, it hasnt come to that yet. ive still got a long way to go and figured i should prepare for the worst just in case. this is the one type of assistance that ive never seen to be commonly availble. thanks for the tips.
I'm having that same problem...Churches will help with food, and the one where my estranged husband and I went to marriage counseling actually gave me $300.00 to help pay my car insurance...have you looked into your state's disability insurance?....I'm sorry you are having to deal with the money on top of treating...I've even thought of putting my old Guild F50 on ebay...just not at that place yet...i need my guitar!!!...we don't need this stress!!!...
you'll be in my prayers...J
you'll be in my prayers...J
I would try going churches in your community...they will help you with money or food and also different resources that you can use to help you get money to meet your bills.....
Blessings
Goldyn
Blessings
Goldyn
I've seen a couple of posts about that issue but can't remember where or when . . .
hopefully someone will chime in with info.
Jeeeeezzzzz . . . i sure hope you can straighten that out - it's a big reason for depression, CW . . . i know . . . .I've been dealing with it for 9 months. Fortunately for me between the medical leave, income disability and selling my house, I've been able to hold stuff together but it sure isn't easy .
Can I assume getting the meds isn't the problem?
I've been wondering what happened to you, CW, and I'm glad to see you posting again.
just wish you didn't have this problem on top of SX.
wyntre.
hopefully someone will chime in with info.
Jeeeeezzzzz . . . i sure hope you can straighten that out - it's a big reason for depression, CW . . . i know . . . .I've been dealing with it for 9 months. Fortunately for me between the medical leave, income disability and selling my house, I've been able to hold stuff together but it sure isn't easy .
Can I assume getting the meds isn't the problem?
I've been wondering what happened to you, CW, and I'm glad to see you posting again.
just wish you didn't have this problem on top of SX.
wyntre.
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