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.:
I continue to believe that it is this "every man for himself" attitude that is driving the US economy, dollar, education, health and well being into an early grave.
Thank "God" for the volunteer firefighters and their socialist beliefs of wanting to help their fellow neighbors.
I just had to cut a $50,000.00 check to the US Treasury for my quarterly business taxes, and am looking forward to paying almost $14,000.00 in upcoming property taxes. I will have paid for the education of how many?
And lastly, how can anyone equate higher crime equals lousy police department? Once again you brush off your own accountabilities for your actions and insist upon government/agency policing of you and your neighbors.
By your logic, consider the following:
WalMart moves in and puts out of business the local grocery store, camera store, toy store, automotive parts store...etc, etc. You now have how many out of work, how many under new stressors, how much in community taxes lost (cause monster companies like WM get gigantic tax breaks)...and when the crime rate goes up, you think it's the police department at fault?
this is not the free market providing needed healthcare for people.
it is licensed professionals and others doing what little we can. and it is not enough.
when we sent people to the hospital their care was probably paid for by tax money.
perhaps some small community can provide medical and nursing care, hospital and all staffed 24/7 with volunteers but as it is with firefighters and police that cannot be the plan for our entire country.
BahoRN
97 Posts
I continue to believe that it is this "every man for himself" attitude that is driving the US economy, dollar, education, health and well being into an early grave.
Thank "God" for the volunteer firefighters and their socialist beliefs of wanting to help their fellow neighbors.
I just had to cut a $50,000.00 check to the US Treasury for my quarterly business taxes, and am looking forward to paying almost $14,000.00 in upcoming property taxes. I will have paid for the education of how many?
And lastly, how can anyone equate higher crime equals lousy police department? Once again you brush off your own accountabilities for your actions and insist upon government/agency policing of you and your neighbors.
By your logic, consider the following:
WalMart moves in and puts out of business the local grocery store, camera store, toy store, automotive parts store...etc, etc. You now have how many out of work, how many under new stressors, how much in community taxes lost (cause monster companies like WM get gigantic tax breaks)...and when the crime rate goes up, you think it's the police department at fault?
Amazing.