Unemployment means loss of insurance

tlsart
tlsart Member Posts: 33
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
HELP!!!
Anyone in the same boat? My husband just got word he will be losing his job on Dec. 16th. He is a vary skilled designer with a major company, but they had a pool of 30 or so on staff he is in the second layoff of 12. Needless I'm not optomistic about the local community absorbing 24 plus draftsmen/designers in this economy. We can survive on my disability and unemployment for a while, but what about insurance. Cobra is 18 months but how expensive it is will break us financially. With Credit card debt, car payments and a mortgage. What to do??I just can't get my mind around it, any help appreciated. Thanks Theresa

Comments

  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #2
    Thinking ???
    Correct me if I'm wrong but your insurance will go on as long as you make the premium payments right ? and understandably the premium payments are way more than you can pay. My employer benefited me by allowing my donated leave to be given out each pay period in enough increments to pay the premium to allow my insurance to stay in effect. You might ask if that is possible. That way you do not pay the full premium but only the part that he paid while he worked. Most won't absorb that cost but it would be worth asking about. Talk with your Onc and tell him of your situation and see if he will take self pay. Some Drs will and that allows you to pay what you can and not go down the tubes with debt...401K loans are available and hardship withdrawals are also available if you have a 401k plan. Try and find in your area a self pay cancer treatment center. They are there, you just have to be diligent in finding them. Good luck and God Bless you and yours........
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #3
    If you are disabled....
    You qualify for Medicare, and possibly the state run insurance (California, it's Medi-cal).

    My 28-year-old daughter is disabled, and on Medicare. She was receiving Medi-cal, too, but her income increased at her father's death, so she is no longer eligible.

    Hugs, Kathi
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #4
    SCREAMING here!
    Unbelievable in this country that we have to worry about paying for the care we so desperately need in this fight. Makes me mad every time I read about ANOTHER one of us having to worry about this! I am currently using the federal version of COBRA which thankfully I was eligible to use for 36 months. That 36 months ends January 28th and I am staying up many a night worrying about what to do after that. Luckily my oncologist makes it clear that my ability (or lack thereof) to pay doesn't affect our relationship one lick... doesn't help as far as any treatments required outside of his office, but every little bit helps. I chuckled at my 21 year old's naivete when she told me she was voting for Obama because he promised to correct the whole health insurance issue (after all, he had to watch his mother fight for coverage in the hospital fighting cancer,at least that's what my daughter says) to help me with my issues. Kudos if he can actually get something done in the next 4 years, but I am sure it won't come soon enough to help me or anybody else currently in dire straights! While I am willing to do just about anything to keep me here longer for my girls, I am proud and the possibility of bankruptcy or foreclosure looms large... I watch with hope at every response made to posts like this; there's hope out there, I am sure... it's just a matter of patience and possibly hard decisions.
    mary
  • tlsart
    tlsart Member Posts: 33
    #5
    KathiM said:

    If you are disabled....
    You qualify for Medicare, and possibly the state run insurance (California, it's Medi-cal).

    My 28-year-old daughter is disabled, and on Medicare. She was receiving Medi-cal, too, but her income increased at her father's death, so she is no longer eligible.

    Hugs, Kathi

    Thanks for the reply
    I was told when I last spoke with Social Security Disability that Medicare was only availiable after 2 years disabled. I'm just coming up on one year stage IV diag. on Dec. 12th.
    So I guess I can call and ask but that's what they told me last time. I think we make to much for WV medicaid. I will talk to the social worker at the ONC's office next week at my visit. She did at one time tell me she had some program available to help if I went through my 2m cap on my insurance. Thanks for your advice, God Bless, Theresa
  • tlsart
    tlsart Member Posts: 33
    #6
    msccolon said:

    SCREAMING here!
    Unbelievable in this country that we have to worry about paying for the care we so desperately need in this fight. Makes me mad every time I read about ANOTHER one of us having to worry about this! I am currently using the federal version of COBRA which thankfully I was eligible to use for 36 months. That 36 months ends January 28th and I am staying up many a night worrying about what to do after that. Luckily my oncologist makes it clear that my ability (or lack thereof) to pay doesn't affect our relationship one lick... doesn't help as far as any treatments required outside of his office, but every little bit helps. I chuckled at my 21 year old's naivete when she told me she was voting for Obama because he promised to correct the whole health insurance issue (after all, he had to watch his mother fight for coverage in the hospital fighting cancer,at least that's what my daughter says) to help me with my issues. Kudos if he can actually get something done in the next 4 years, but I am sure it won't come soon enough to help me or anybody else currently in dire straights! While I am willing to do just about anything to keep me here longer for my girls, I am proud and the possibility of bankruptcy or foreclosure looms large... I watch with hope at every response made to posts like this; there's hope out there, I am sure... it's just a matter of patience and possibly hard decisions.
    mary

    Thanks for your reply
    I'm with you sister. I always thought I was blessed and in control, but after cancer diagnoises and now the economy I just don't know. I think sometimes I'd be better off on the other side of the dirt. Not a very positive thought, but man sometimes things just get so bleek!!!I hope Obama can do something but like you probably not in my lifetime. Like you bankruptcy is about the only option if this keeps up. Thanks for your reply, love and god bless! Theresa
  • tlsart
    tlsart Member Posts: 33
    #7
    Buzzard said:

    Thinking ???
    Correct me if I'm wrong but your insurance will go on as long as you make the premium payments right ? and understandably the premium payments are way more than you can pay. My employer benefited me by allowing my donated leave to be given out each pay period in enough increments to pay the premium to allow my insurance to stay in effect. You might ask if that is possible. That way you do not pay the full premium but only the part that he paid while he worked. Most won't absorb that cost but it would be worth asking about. Talk with your Onc and tell him of your situation and see if he will take self pay. Some Drs will and that allows you to pay what you can and not go down the tubes with debt...401K loans are available and hardship withdrawals are also available if you have a 401k plan. Try and find in your area a self pay cancer treatment center. They are there, you just have to be diligent in finding them. Good luck and God Bless you and yours........

    Thanks for the help!
    I will ask the social worker and ONC next week when I'm at the office. I know the employer is not going to help, they claim they were torn up already to have to lay him off knowing my health was a issue. love and god bless, Theresa
  • dorookie
    dorookie Member Posts: 1,731 Member
    #8
    tlsart said:

    Thanks for your reply
    I'm with you sister. I always thought I was blessed and in control, but after cancer diagnoises and now the economy I just don't know. I think sometimes I'd be better off on the other side of the dirt. Not a very positive thought, but man sometimes things just get so bleek!!!I hope Obama can do something but like you probably not in my lifetime. Like you bankruptcy is about the only option if this keeps up. Thanks for your reply, love and god bless! Theresa

    I am with you
    I sure wish I had some great idea or solutions to your problems but I find myself in the same boat. However I just got some great news today, that alot of people I knew in the past that work in the same agency have gotten together to donate leave to me. I am lucky to be a part of a leave donation program and people are coming out of the woodworks to help out. So what seemed so bleek a few weeks ago, has been turning around, and I will pray that it turns around for you as well. God Bless
    Beth
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #9
    dorookie said:

    I am with you
    I sure wish I had some great idea or solutions to your problems but I find myself in the same boat. However I just got some great news today, that alot of people I knew in the past that work in the same agency have gotten together to donate leave to me. I am lucky to be a part of a leave donation program and people are coming out of the woodworks to help out. So what seemed so bleek a few weeks ago, has been turning around, and I will pray that it turns around for you as well. God Bless
    Beth

    that is awesome news!
    Beth, that is great news! God can work in so many ways! People want to help, they just need a definite way in which to do it! You go and get yourself healed, now that you have the paid leave in which to do it!
    mary
  • dorookie
    dorookie Member Posts: 1,731 Member
    #10
    msccolon said:

    that is awesome news!
    Beth, that is great news! God can work in so many ways! People want to help, they just need a definite way in which to do it! You go and get yourself healed, now that you have the paid leave in which to do it!
    mary

    I am very thankful
    Yes I woke up to a wonderful email today. I was so surprised and so thankful. God does answer prayers even if its not in our "timeframe" he still does answer them. It takes a big weight off of my shoulders. So now I am concentrating on healing that way I can be ready for the chemo.
    Beth
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #11
    Job Opportunity for draftsmen/designers in Mobile Alabama
    Something for you to know...I don't know how much help it would be or even if it would be feasible but here it is..I copied this out of my bowfishing forum but I will relay any and all info I need to for you, just let me know..Good Luck.....


    Job opportunities
    I know things are tough for almost all of us in some way or another, but down here in Mobile Alabama, Austal shipbuilding is hiring!! Austal just got a $1.6 billion contract to build a military vessal called JHSV (Joint High Speed Vessel). It is an all aluminum catamaran hull about 400' long and 103' wide and can carry something like 6500 people and 200 vehicles including tractor trailers, tanks and helocopters (please don't quote me on any of the number details as I am just going of memory......and I am old so the memory sucks)!!

    The contract states we have up to 10 vessels with an opportunity for 20.......this is a long term contract.......these things take a year to build. We are also currently constructing a 700,000 square foot facility to produce this and any other vessel. It is a modular manufacturing facility that is expected to have over 1,000 employees per shift at full capacity. We are planning to have the phase 1 (350,000 sq ft) open in June 2009 and the rest (phase 2) open in June 2010.

    BUT.........WE ARE HIRING NOW!!!!!!! We will be going from 900 employees to about 2,500. Right now we desparately need drafters, designers and CAD type people since there is alot of design work to do. But check out this link and see all the other positions available RIGHT NOW!!

    http://www.austal.com/index.cfm?obje...41CC43E79EC1EE

    Also, search around the Austal website and learn a little about the company and it's current and past products, it is quite interesting.

    If you do apply..........let me know before you submit an application or resume and maybe I can help. If you are not sure about some of the positions, please ask and I will try to help there as well. If you choose not to ask me any questions that is fine too, but if you do contact me first AND list me as a reference on your application or resume, I can definitely help because then I am on hiring profile committee when your resume hits the HR department........meaning they call me and we discuss the candidates that I have been referenced for..........thus, it is best if I know something about you.......like I have a copy of your resume or work experience BEFORE I walk into the HR office!!!

    Feel free to ask any global questions here or PM me if you have any private or personal questions.

    Anyway...........good luck to all through these tough times!!!!!!!
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #12
    Hi-
    Glad to hear your good
    Hi-

    Glad to hear your good news, Beth! I'm a teacher and I was so fortunate when I first got sick in Aug. of 07- teachers in my school district really came to my aid- I ended up receiving a total of 4 months of donated sick days from them. I am also now paying for COBRA (I'm still on medical leave) because my husband's company's insurance charges even more than we pay for the COBRA. We just got a letter that my cobra payment is going up an additional $250 each month starting in January. We'll then be paying a little over $1400 a month for insurance for my family. The coverage has been good, though. It makes me so sad to hear of people that are facing having no insurance. I don't know if a universal health care type plan in the answer, though, either. I've heard many people from Canada complain about the long waits they have, how Avastin is hard to get in Canada because of the expense, etc. I think if the government is going to get involved, it should be focusing on giving money or credits towards private insurance or giving incentives to insurance companies to lower premiums or something along those lines.

    Best wishes to you all!
    Lisa

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