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| |  Insured RN Suffering from Incurable Disease
RN Suffering from Incurable Disease Fails to Keep Up With Medical Expenses Even Though She's Insured Pays $14,000 a year out of pocket "After being an emergency room nurse for 17 years, I became too ill to work," said Jan Stephens, an RN from Anaheim, Calif. "It all started out manageable enough. In 1992, I enrolled in a Blue Cross policy with a monthly premium of $282, a $500 annual deductible, and a $250 prescription drug deductible. "Then in 1995, I was diagnosed with an incurable bladder disease called interstitial cystitis and several other coexisting illnesses. I was disabled due to the excruciating pain and, like so many other people who become sick and can't work, I had to live on a fixed income. Problem was, my insurance costs kept going up. Now, my monthly insurance premiums are $639, with an annual deductible of $1,500, and I pay up to $500 per month out of pocket for prescription drugs. "As just one example, the copayment for Elmiron, the only medicine specifically for treating interstitial cystitis, zoomed from $25 a month in 1999 for 200 capsules to $250 a month now for 180 capsules. Blue Cross will not cover the syringes, needles, urinary catheter, Lidocaine, or sodium bicarbonate that I need to administer the cocktail of medicines I use. "I truly do not know how much longer I will be able to keep my home that I've lived in for the last 30 years. In saying all that I've said, I do realize that there are many people who are much worse off. While I am not terminally ill, my quality of life suffers immensely due to my illnesses and the financial strain that has resulted." She tells her story here. Since she made this video here costs have increased.:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKXEi...layer_embedded
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| | Advertisement Sponsored Links | | | | No. 1 | 
Aug 30, 2009, 01:12 PM
Re: Insured RN Suffering from Incurable Disease
It is my opinion that no one has replied to your post because you scare them. Americans are great for rallying around the flag, but when you fall - you fall alone. You represent the damage being done in this country and for that you will be ostracized.
I'm deeply sorry to hear what you are going through.
| | No. 2 |
Sep 11, 2009, 12:51 AM
| | No. 3 |
Sep 13, 2009, 12:30 AM
Updated
Sep 13, 2009 at 12:36 AM by herring_RN
Re: Insured RN Suffering from Incurable Disease Originally Posted by ozoneranger 
I am glad your son received the care he needed without bankrupting your family.
It is good you have insurance that works well for your family.
I hope your family remains secure.
I hope the same for all families.
PS: Janet Stephens tried all the available ways to get assistance with her increasing premiums and medication costs. She actually met Montel Williams and the bus you see on TV.
She has written hundreds of letters a year, hired an attorney, contacted the Department of Managed Care, and tried all the organizations in your links.
So far she hasn't received any assistance.
| | No. 4 |
Sep 13, 2009, 02:26 AM
Re: Insured RN Suffering from Incurable Disease Originally Posted by herring_RN I am glad your son received the care he needed without bankrupting your family.
It is good you have insurance that works well for your family.
I hope your family remains secure.
I hope the same for all families.
PS: Janet Stephens tried all the available ways to get assistance with her increasing premiums and medication costs. She actually met Montel Williams and the bus you see on TV.
She has written hundreds of letters a year, hired an attorney, contacted the Department of Managed Care, and tried all the organizations in your links.
So far she hasn't received any assistance.
I worked in a clinic where one of my duties was to fill out the paperwork for patient assistance programs. I never saw anyone who qualified get turned down. We had a few that were borderline, but a call from the doctor usually resulted in success.
If she didn't receive assistance, there is a reason she doesn't qualify.
| | No. 6 |
Sep 13, 2009, 03:12 PM
Re: Insured RN Suffering from Incurable Disease Originally Posted by morte a possessor of rose colored glasses? i would bet that this would very from location to location
How is this rose colored glasses?
The assistance is there.
The patient qualifies, we send in the paperwork, he's accepted.
The patient doesn't qualify, he's denied.
A few that were borderline, got help with a little push.
Those are the facts.
Was the paperwork a monthly pain to fill out, eh, some worse than others.
We work in an impoverished area, we do so by choice. I've NEVER seen anyone turned down for true medical care, regardless of their ability to pay.
| | No. 7 |
Sep 13, 2009, 06:44 PM
Re: Insured RN Suffering from Incurable Disease Originally Posted by ozoneranger How is this rose colored glasses?
The assistance is there.
The patient qualifies, we send in the paperwork, he's accepted.
The patient doesn't qualify, he's denied.
A few that were borderline, got help with a little push.
Those are the facts.
Was the paperwork a monthly pain to fill out, eh, some worse than others.
We work in an impoverished area, we do so by choice. I've NEVER seen anyone turned down for true medical care, regardless of their ability to pay.
Why not just skip the bureaucracy altogether (if what you say contains any facts at all) when all you say a person needs is a "little push" after months of submittals and jumping through hoops?
You also stated this was in an impoverished area...what if it were low-middle class and a two income family earning say $40k??? Would they qualify even if they didn't have enough money to cover monthly bills never mind affording self-pay insurance? I'd bet the answer is probably not.
You stated " The patient qualifies, we send in the paperwork, he's accepted. The patient doesn't qualify, he's denied." What do they do and where do they go when they're denied and sick?
| | No. 8 |
Sep 13, 2009, 08:22 PM
Re: Insured RN Suffering from Incurable Disease Originally Posted by ozoneranger How is this rose colored glasses?
The assistance is there.
The patient qualifies, we send in the paperwork, he's accepted.
The patient doesn't qualify, he's denied.
A few that were borderline, got help with a little push.
Those are the facts.
Was the paperwork a monthly pain to fill out, eh, some worse than others.
We work in an impoverished area, we do so by choice. I've NEVER seen anyone turned down for true medical care, regardless of their ability to pay.
This sounds like an excellent system. Why can't that be done everywhere?
BTW, who pays for true medical care when patients are unable to pay? And who decides what exactly is "true" medical care?
| | No. 9 |
Sep 13, 2009, 08:31 PM
Re: Insured RN Suffering from Incurable Disease
Yeah, I had to purchase my meds from Canada becuase one of them were generic there. I was very choosy and somewhat leary about it but if the Canadians are ok with the generic, I was too. Maybe that would help someone. It's not like I went to Mexico! CanadaRx was the company. Never a problem.
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