Omfg!

If it's not one thing it's another with me. Almost like I'm not supposed to get remicade because everything is being so fcking stupid. I had a reapplication(or "intrim report") due for food stamps and medicaid recently. I worked a lot during December because of the holiday and I am in retail. My hours have dropped drastically from 40 hours to 15 hours a week but of coarse they asked for verification in January. Well basically they decided I'm going to make $1045 a month because of Decembers amount. I only make maybe $600 a month. Anyway because of that they cut off medicaid. I got approved for "transitional medicaid" whatever the fck that is and food stamps got dropped from $300 to $155. Food stamps don;t matter as much to me. We've lived off $155 before but I'm pissed they dropped medicaid. How am I supposed to ever get better if they keep fcking with me. If I'm dropped from medicaid I have no way of getting better...I have no way to pay for my medicine and it'll end up killing me. I hope the fcking government is fcking happy. They charge out the ass for insurance so I can't afford a private plan insurance isn;t offered through my job and they only thing that actually helps they want to boot me and my son off because "I no longer fall below 90% poverty" This country is fcked up.

That is crap! They dropped me off of Medicaid as soon as I had my daughter. Luckily she is still covered. I'm scared of the election because Obama passed a law that made it to where my parents were able to put me back on their insurance but I am scared another president will take that away. At my job if you aren't an owner or general manager there is no way to even have the option of getting insurance so if I lose my parents' I'm screwed too..

I hope things get better. I feel your pain somewhat. I haven't tried Remicade yet, they still have me on Prednisone and another one called Asacol.

Yeah the doctors left e get really bad before diagnosing me(I mean if your shitting blood I think they'd want to take a closer look...instead they said "you'll be ok") Then I had to get a blood transfusion and hospitalized and then they diagnosed me...and the disease had turned severe by then. I'm maxed out on all of the pills. (4 pills lialda and 50 mgs of 6mp) so the next step is remicade and if that fails then it's a total removal but if I'm dropped off medicaid then I'm screwed. Left to die.

Holy shit!! That is absolutely ridiculous. I was fortunate enough to have good doctors so far.. *knock on wood*

Mine started in November. Since then it has been a bacterial infection of the stomach (its called H.Pylori), an abdominal ultrasound, blood tests, xrays on my chest, colonoscopy, endoscopy, gall bladder removed, an abscess now, lost like 35 pounds, and a diagnosis of Crohns too. The medicine they put me on costs $600 and my insurance doesn't cover it.. wtf are we supposed to do?

Ah hear don't get me started on what goes through their heads, they are the same the world over. I can't afford insurance either as they won't cover existing illness for at least 5 years and the premium would be through the roof. Before I was married I had to fight for medical assistance and had to be means tested but they would take the income of the house into consideration but I was living at home with family so what my siblings earned was nothing to do with me. What makes me mad is we want to work not sit on our ass getting sicker but yet they won't give us the help we need to be able to contribute to the country. I had a boss who had diabetes and he got over 6 figure salary and he was given free medical the works!!! Crohns is not recognized as a serious enough illness here in Ireland so I pay for hospital stays, meds, procedures. GO FIGURE!!! I feel guilty that my hubby has to work himself to the bone just to make sure I have what I need to be able to raise our children while he works, who in turn will be expected to work giving huge amounts of their pay in taxes and taxes on taxes to a government who couldn't find their way out of a paper bag.
I'm sending you hugs and best wishes and pray all works out for you.
Gwen xxx

I called legal aid to help fight the findings(the stupid worker also overestimated how much I get...not even considering my dumbass father of my child has refused to pay his court ordered child support for months now...and thats AFTER he got his child support amount reduced) she said I made $1045 and I only made $1005 in December. I can't get disability based on I'm not sick enough(haven't been hospitalized enough) but yet I'm sicker than those who are on disability which is frustraiting. I feel like I'm digging my own grave and no one cares. How do they expect me to continue being able to work and care for my child if they take away my medicine...how do they expect me to be able to pay for my care AND his care at the same time making a whopping $8 an hour and working 16 hours a week?? It's rediculous!

...and the father of my child wants me to take pity on him for having a shitty life take pity on him for not being able to take responsibility and pay child support...boohoo...

Can you look for a different job that offers medical benefits? I'd be lost without my group insurance through work. I'd work for free just to get good benefits! LOL

Omg hun I am in your boat with the father of child stuff except mine just doesn't pay me at all ever and wants to bitch to me about how hard his life is. Spare me.

I wish they would realize the holidays get people wayyy more hours and that money is gone as soon as you get it anyways. Crohns does not get recognized for how serious it is. Its complete and total crap if you ask me.

Seriously...I'm sorry but if any one of those people started shitting blood and have that feeling beforehand(you know like you ate glass and someones stabbing you at the same time and like someone is inside you with a knife carving into your flesh...all those feelings all at once) they would be much more understanding. Instead it's oh you poop a lot whatever...It's not whatever.

Don't get me started on the deadbeat daddy...totally different vent there. Just if he wants to bitch and moan about not being able to afford this or that(yet could afford a new flat screen tv, new couch and chair and a new computer with lcd screen) maybe he should get crohns disease and see how things go on a barley minimum salary. Peeves me...

chrisnsteph1022 said:

Can you look for a different job that offers medical benefits? I'd be lost without my group insurance through work. I'd work for free just to get good benefits! LOL

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Unfortunatly I don't have that luxury. I graduated from massage therapy before the symptoms began but with the need to run to the bathroom at any moment in time it's difficult to massage someone... Perhaps I could work as a receptionist or something but I don't know just sucks this position I'm in.

My mom thinks they kick people off medicaid as soon as they turn 25 but it doesn't make sence why theyd kick a 5 year old off. His shots alone cost 600 and to add to my 800 rent...not to mention the gas, electric and water how do they expect e to pay for that? even if I did make 1045 a month after rent I only have 245 left to pay for everything else. Frustraited

Deadbeat daddy is what I have, I just returned to work tonight for the first time since my surgery. He has been texting me all night bitching because he slept 11 hours and now has to work. Oh wow life is hard. Ugh.

Feeling any better?

I've been able to calm down a little, I still get stressed when I think about it but I'm to a point where I'm not flipping out every minute. There should be a law where if your diagnosed with a cronic illness you should automatically get some sort of medical for free. Wether it's a portion to pay for medicine or (if you qualify) it covers doctors, medicine ect. We shouldn;t have to worry about whether or not we can afford the next doctors visit or the next batch of pills. It sucks that we're basically working to pay medical bills. *sigh* this sucks

I'm glad it has gotten a little better. I agree, hard to say which I'd want them to do though. Maybe the meds since I know I'll be on them the rest of my life now. I swear I could open a pharmacy with what I have in my medicine cabinet from the diagnosis process a couple months ago. Gotta love seeing a doc and getting 3 prescriptions a week and them changing it again the next week..

You know if anything else happens I think im going to lose it. Today while driving to the mall to window shop/kill time the tire blew on the highway. Then to make matters worse while changing the tire all the lug nuts broke. This happens like 2to weeks after this car finally gets fixed. Im beyond myself. I don't understand why my life has to suck so bad right now. Ugh I don't know what to do. Maybe im cursed or something

Wow that is terrible. I'm so sorry! I've had a few times like that. I know it gets old to hear but it will get better. I have had a hard time telling myself it will. Sometimes you're like okay I've been waiting when the hell will it?! I hope it gets better soon.

I'm going tomorrow to put in some things for my case with the government. Adding a gas bill, my diagnosis letter and a couple of things reguarding my medicines and my latest much reduced paycheck. I'm also going to call my caseworker tomorrow and let her know the things have been dropped off and that I'd like her to reveiw the items. I also have to call legal aid since they didn;t call me back this week like they said they would. Hopefully she'll look over my paycheck and redo the math but soething tells me it's not going to be that easy. :/

On another note I signed up for a walk for crohns to help find a cure and fund research. *sigh* I don't know I've gone through so much stress the past couple of weeks it's not even funny

Good luck, try to stay positive. I know it's hard. The stress really does makes things worse. I have been realizing that here lately with my daughter's father. I really hope they look at those items and realize how different things are than what they think. That is awesome that you signed up for that walk. I was looking into those last night actually. There isn't any in my area.

lookame said:

Yeah the doctors left e get really bad before diagnosing me(I mean if your shitting blood I think they'd want to take a closer look...instead they said "you'll be ok") Then I had to get a blood transfusion and hospitalized and then they diagnosed me...and the disease had turned severe by then. I'm maxed out on all of the pills. (4 pills lialda and 50 mgs of 6mp) so the next step is remicade and if that fails then it's a total removal but if I'm dropped off medicaid then I'm screwed. Left to die.

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ha very true about the blood! they dont care one bit..:redface:

My stomache hurts today. Not because of crohns or a sickness or anything but because of issues with baby daddy and his girlfriend. Someties I think his girlfriend is worse than he is. *sigh* trying to be stress free isn't working for me at all :/

On another note I got a letter from my caseworker stating my food stamps got raised from 155 to 245. Thats great and all...but food doesn't help pay for my medicine or doctor visits...*sigh* they sent me anouther letter saying medicaid was denied and they'd continue transitional medicaid. Ugh WTF!? I'm trying to stay positive but everything lately has been on huge f-you. Like the world has decided to stick it's middle finger to me. :/ All I can say is I could use a lot of prayers.

On the flip side of things I do have happy news from my GI this morning. He is pleased with my progress on remicade. I've gained 5 pounds from my last visit and he told me I was looking much healthier than I did last time. My only hope is I can stay on medicaid so I can continue staying healthy. He is only concerned about how pale I look and thinks I may be anemic so he's checking my iron at my next blood draw.

I'm sorry about the gf. What is she doing?

I hope that the Medicaid works out! I wish people would realize how much this sickness does and how much it costs. My insurance deductible has already been met for this year.. I have my second surgery of the year on Tuesday. I hope you keep feeling better and I am glad the food stamps went up! Try to stay positive hun, I know it's hard. You can do this!

Doctors only care if you pay them to... and even then, they really don't. I went through what you are going through three years ago. In almost 2 years, I made one trip to the ER for my CD, and it was because I was bed ridden for 4 days, and I was forced to go by my mom. My wife made too much money for Medicade, or food stamps, so she was forced into working 75+hrs a week to put food on the table... I can't even articulate my grief because of her struggle, or my feeling of worthlessness, due to being reduced to a lump of shit on the couch...

Sometimes I think the people in charge would hope we die before we get our benefits. Thanks to deregulation, hospitals can, and will turn you away if you can't pay for your healthcare. The insurance companies will deny you LIFESAVING medications, so they can save a few fvcking dollars... It is a total scam!!!

I hope that you can get through this in one piece. It's a tough road, and you are not alone. Hang in there!

I can finally breath a sigh of releif. I feel so much better now! My attorney called me early Thursday moring to tell me that the state had replaied to her request for a reveiw of my application and found based on my income that I can go back on regular medicaid. No deadlines! I feel so much better They also raised my food stamps to a really high amount($376) so I am in awe that they did that. I feel so much better now.

Could anybody enlighten me as too what food stamps are never heard of these in the uk?

Food stamps are something to help provide groceries for your home from the government. They give you what looks like a debit card that can be used in most grocery stores but you may only purchase food with them. They give you so much money on the card a month based on your income and bills. Do you guys have something similar over there?

Lookame, that is fantastic! I'm so happy for you!!

we dont get anything like that here.. if you work a 40 hour week in the uk you get no help at all.. we do have a complex system to be fair

as a guide im not on any benifits but should be almost acurate i think

If you lose your job in the uk you get job support allowance aprox £75 Or $115 per week if you have children i think you then get an extra £40 $60 per child a week

You may then get your rent?motgage paid they would usually give you £500 or $791 per month or put you in a free state council hose/flat you could stay in this for free.. or if you start working again you would get the free council goverment property at a highley reduced rate compared to private rent or mortgage..


If you have a disability or illnes you can claim up too a max of £200 $320 extra per week for your support this can include a wage for a family member to give you full time carer! and also a brand new car! upgraded every two years

unfortunatly they dont class crohns as a bad ilness or disability so very few get the sickness benifits for this im sure most people with crohns in the uk would hope this would change

A perscriptions in the uk e.g 4 weeks worth of pred would cost £8 or $12.5 all other medical appointments tests hospital stays evan surgery are compleatly free to all you do however pay a set rate "National Insurance" out of your wage each month for this i think the adverage person pays £249 or $ 380 per year and if your a very high earner i think they can take up too £8000 or $12500 it goes on percentage of your wage

Only recently have systemic illnesses been included in the US definition of disability.. IIRC, it was in 2006. Lucky for me, I became disabled in '09.. Unluckily really..

Gabi and Look, are you aware that you could be eligible for Uncompensated Care for doctors appointments and hospital stays, tests, etc.? All of the states have this program where funds are specifically set aside for folks who have no insurance.

Call the doctor's billing office & the hospital's business office and request UCC forms. you will need to provide proof of residency, W2 form, & other forms (that varies in each state). Then based upon your income, you'd either be responsible for a small portion of the bill or none of it. It's good for an entire year.

Then after a year is up and you still have no insurance, you can just reapply and your status just gets reviewed again. I use to do medical billing for 4 yrs. at a local hospital so this is how I know about UCC (uncompensated care).

As for your baby's father, can't you give proof (take pictures of their "toys" aka big screen tv, computer, etc.) to the judge that they are stiffing you on child support, print out messages they send you via text, etc. It happened to a good friend of mine and she saved EVERYTHING her ex sent her & she dragged his butt back to court w/proof that he could afford child support & was lying the entire time especially the part about having no job when he actually did. She has his wages garnished now & the judge warned him that his @ss will be thrown in jail if he decides not to pay her. She was sick of playing nice with him as there were bills to pay & she wasn't going to let her ex spend $$$ on himself while she worked her tail off to support herself and his child.

Good luck to you both.

If I'm not approved for Medicaid because they say I make too much would it not be the same with that? As of now I am fortunate enough to be on my parents' insurance. Thank you for the advice.

If you do not have any insurance, you would be eligible. I forgot to mention also, most religious hospitals have programs called charity care for those who are not eligible for UCC. It's based upon income and how much debt they've incurred via medical bills. Then based upon that, they'd be responsible for a portion or none of the hospital bills for the entire year. BUT again, that varies at each institution in each state. Some non religious hospitals that are not for and for profit may have similar programs as well. You just have to ask.

Seeing as you are on your parents' insurance, it's worth a shot. If you are denied, then try for charity care for the hospital bills. For doctors' offices, ask to be set up for a payment plan. They can't send you to collections as long as you are paying something AND the best part is there is no interest added to the payments so you can pay as little as $1. In this economy, they (doctors/hospitals) will be grateful for anything coming in and are willing to work with you as long as you call them ASAP if you know you can't pay in full within 15 days.