Topic: What percentage of Lymies don't have medical insurance?
Greatcod
Unregistered
posted
I know that no one has an definitve answer, but I am wondering what the number of those without coverage may be.....
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
You won't get a good answer because you won't hear from all those people who don't get diagnosed because they are uninsured and can't afford all the doctor visits and tests.
It should be higher than the general percentage of uninsured for two reasons. There are people losing their jobs because of Lyme, and therefore their health insurance.
Second, like any illness, if you don't live in a guaranteed issue state then you can't get insurance on the individual market once you have Lyme (as is the case with almost any illness or injury)
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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Marz
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Member # 3446
posted
Health insurance doesn't do a lot of us much good. My HMO doesn't cover my LLMD office visits and most of the lab tests.
It does cover all my prescriptions however, thank goodness!
Posts: 1297 | From USA | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
I was turned down for insurance because of my history. I decided to go broke and get a LLMD anyway, putting it all on credit cards, and basically . . . begging, because I feel my life is in jeopardy. I'll default on things as necessary.
There ARE free medicine programs for desperados like me, and I was wondering about the expensive Rocephin which even in generic is out of the realm of possibility for me. Does anyone know if there's a free medicine program for that one in particular? I'll be starting treatment soon, I hope but may have to wait until I'm on disability and Medicare. God help us, this is such a mess and the ignorance is appalling. - Katy
-------------------- "There is more in heaven and earth, Horatio, than is drempt of in your philosophy" - Shakespeare. Posts: 13 | From Dallas, Texas | Registered: Dec 2007
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sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
I don't have insurance.
It didn't do much good when I did since I was misdiagnosed.
I have bartered with doctors & offered them web/graphic design for services.
I haven't had insurance for about 6-7 years.
I have no idea what I would have covered if I did at this point.
My Western Blot was negative... so, I guess I could say that I don't have Lyme but I'm not sure they would cover any of the treatments I'm interested in.
I'd still be paying out of my pocket. So, I figured it isn't worth it.
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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charlie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25
posted
Coverage varies too much to define it....I was self employed for the last 30 odd years and catastrophic ins with a multi thousand $ deductible was all I could afford...no pharma benefits either so it wouldn't have helped with Lyme and Cos.
Charlie
Posts: 2804 | From Texas | Registered: Oct 2000
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heiwalove
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Member # 6467
dontlikeliver
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4749
posted
No insurance here.
Posts: 2824 | From The Back of Beyond | Registered: Oct 2003
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Greatcod
Unregistered
posted
A while back, someone made the point that people who don't have insurance would go the alternative medicine route, particularly with herbs, since they generally cost much less than IV pharmacueticals, and the $600 a shot doctor visits. I had never considered that, but on thinking about it it made a lot of sense. Lyme can be a ruineous disease, in more ways than one.
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Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
No insurance here.
Been denied repeatedly by multiple insurers. Among reasons cited:
History of -
Lyme disease Multiple sclerosis (despite being incorrect dx) Migraine headaches (despite being lyme/babesia)
My LLMD -- a prince among men -- charges me only $60 per visit.
I long for the day when insurance is available to all.
Michelle
Posts: 3193 | From Northern California | Registered: Apr 2005
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Carol in PA
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5338
posted
I only have insurance tacked onto my husband's through his business. I tried to get my own insurance through AARP so that he could get his insurance cheaper, but I was turned down.
With paying for the cost of the insurance, and then the high deductable, we are basically paying our way until after we've racked up more than $18,000 per year of covered expenses.
So, you people with no insurance should just go to the doctor when you really need to, because even if you had insurance, you'd still have a deductible of several thousand dollars, plus the yearly expense of insurance.
Carol
Posts: 6947 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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just don
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1129
posted
Percentage of lymies with insurance??
100% of THIS poster having NO insurance.
they priced me out of their lives. Once I hit their look out button,,,the premiums were raising thru the roof EVERY year,
They wanted me gone and it was just a matter ot time anyway,,,they QUIT paying for anything anyway,,,good riddance!!
I stay OUT of the ER and docs offices and all is better for ME!!!
Insurance is SUCH a rip off!! And thats all kinds of it!!remaining--just don--
-------------------- just don Posts: 4548 | From Middle of midwest | Registered: May 2001
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posted
We have an HMO. We pay out of pocket for LLMD, "specialty" labs and supplements. Our primary is sympathetic and so far most labs, meds have been authorized. We just got word today that a surgical consult, port a cath insertion and rocepin have been authorized (don't know for how long though).
The primary agreed to help us but we had to get all the info from the LLMD's office: the order, authorization codes, etc. which helped get it to go through.
Posts: 984 | From San Diego | Registered: Nov 2006
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bejoy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11129
posted
I have major medical only. I gave up on paying premiums pre-diagnosis when the doctors were not helping me, and I was putting so much money into "alternatives" that did help.
My insurance told me that I could go back to a low deductible plan any time I wanted. Lying Lyey Liars.
Yes, Greatcod, I'ma natural girl first because the ducks couldn't help me, and later because my insurance wouldn't.
In the long run it has worked for me. I'm better, and I still own my house. I guess I'm pretty lucky.
-------------------- bejoy!
"Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." -Ralph Waldo Emerson Posts: 1918 | From Alive and Well! | Registered: Feb 2007
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sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
When I had insurance I saw 2 doctors, my primary & a specialist.
The rhumatologist diagnosed me with fibromyalgia.
That was 10 years ago.
I went to see a bunch of other doctors who still didn't suspect Lyme.
Having insurance did nothing in regards in getting a proper diagnosis.
After I stopped working because I was too ill, I stopped being able to afford insurance (I was a sole-proprietor & paid all that stuff on my own).
I finally went to the Fibromyalgia & Fatigue Center last November '06 & they were able to figure out that I had Lyme all of these years.
It ended up costing about $10,000 to get tests & for other medical fees (vitamins, drips, doctor fees, etc.).
I figured that I actually saved money since if I had insurance all of these years, it would have cost me over $18,000 (not including co-pays, etc.).
So, I'm not sure if it's really necessary.
I prefer to use alternative therapies - so, they don't usually pay for that in any case.
If you do get in an accident & really injure yourself - the hospitals are obligated to accept you.
I don't think they will let you bleed to death, yet...
It's a very dicey concept about medical insurance.
My doctor was explaining to me today about how things are covered & how they charge people without insurance 70% more for some lab fees.
I'm sure this is the same for hospital fees & everything.
A while ago my father was in the hospital & they charged him $70 a day for a humidifier (he had insurance).
This was over 10 years ago...
This whole system is very, very corrupt.
Not having insurance sure saves alot of time filling out paperwork!
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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hardynaka
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8099
posted
I have insurance, like 100% of people that are legal in Europe have.
But I still pay for my alternative treatment by myself. I still have no lyme diagnosis.
I fortunately get paid by my insurance because I charge my lyme doctor as if he were my pshychologist (and the insurance covers 90% of the cost).
But as for any alternative practioner (massagists, my naturopath), I pay 100%.
Having health insurance helped a bit, but it's not enough.
Posts: 1086 | From Switzerland | Registered: Oct 2005
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
i'm on husband's bcbs RETIREE program 3+
we pay up to $800 max for NORMAL stuff.
pay $250 MAX FOR RX MEDS.
last year they refused to pay almost $5,000 out of pocket for: appointments, different labs considered"experimental", supplements, etc.
and my $1,000 traveling expenses.
they did pay for a lot of other blood labs done this alternative med llmd requested.
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posted
I have insurance, but it does no good. I've passed my prescription limit a couple months back, and will be paying for my own meds for the next 4 months. My premiums have also gone up.
I don't get a lot of anything paid for.
I keep my crappy insurance in case something really bad happens.
Posts: 158 | From Santa Monica | Registered: May 2007
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Peacesoul
Unregistered
posted
I live in Canada so I don't pay for any medical care. I also have private work insurance so I was able to go on disability. Thank goodness I live here
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Aniek
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Member # 5374
posted
sparkle,
The hospitals can't let you bleed to death, but they can kick you out the moment you are stable. And stable does not mean cured or fully healed.
They will also give you a bill that will be well over $100,000 if it is a car accident. And if you don't pay it, it goes into collections and destroys your credit history.
Very few insurance plans will cover alternative medicine. And that will remain for a while.
PPOs are usually better than HMOs for Lyme patients because they will usually pay a percentage of doctor visits out of network. My LLMD is out of network, but my insurance pays 80%.
But if you bought insurance on the individual market, it's a whole different story. They will raise your premiums if you use it at all.
We really have a fabulous health care system in this country.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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cantgiveupyet
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8165
posted
Im still on insurance under Cobra. It has been worthwhile for me to fork over the 530 a month, because my meds and specialist appts are very expensive. And the specialist fills out my disability paperwork, that is keeping me from becoming homeless
My insurance pays for all oral lyme meds, has never even complained.
Im eligible for medicare in march, but would rather not have that because it is crappy.
Im praying somehow i have a miracle and become well enough to work.
-------------------- "Say it straight simple and with a smile."
"Thus the task is, not so much to see what no one has seen yet, But to think what nobody has thought yet, About what everybody sees."
-Schopenhauer
pos babs, bart, igenex WB igm/igg Posts: 3156 | From Lyme limbo | Registered: Oct 2005
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