Long time no post

laughs_a_lot
laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
in Breast Cancer #1

One of the reasons I have not posted in such a long time is that I have gotten a first shift job and also within my profession of Social Work.  I took a job in February of this year with a Hospice in a nearby town.  It consumes a lot of my time.  I Occasionally run into cancer patients of course and having heard the scary news of course is something I can help them cope with.  Notice how I write occasionally in bold.  Cancer treatment has come a long way. 

I am doing well and have gotten into eating and exercise.   I mangage this by forraging for food on unused commercial sites.  Often the sites were former homesteads with fruit trees and berry bushes that have abandoned but still producing.  I freeze or can the food.  Right now just harvesting the food tends to get me enough exercise for weight control. 

I also am looking for ways to pay for cancer bills.  Not for me as I have medical bills post cancer.  I have a client who needs assistance.  If you have any information on this please let me know. 

Hey don't forget to Laugh a Lot.

Comments

  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #2
    So glad to see your post!!  I

    So glad to see your post!!  I have missed you!  I wish I had great advice about cancer bills, but I am battling some daunting bills myself.  I am appealing everything and asking for itemized bills.  I don't know what else to do.

  • SIROD
    SIROD Member Posts: 2,194 Member
    #3
    Miss You

    Miss you!

    Doris

  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #4
    SIROD said:

    Miss You

    Miss you!

    Doris

    I am glad to see you

    Happy that you have been doing well. Please stop by any time

    Hugs

  • Jean 0609
    Jean 0609 Member Posts: 2,462
    #5
    Good to hear from you!

    Thanks for checking in. 

  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #6
    Jean 0609 said:

    Good to hear from you!

    Thanks for checking in. 

    Hospital Bills

    I am glad that your clients are having help from you for hospital bills. During my 5&1/2 through this journey I have been done my own negotiation multiple times. It has been very stressful and often agly process for me, while I was able to save about 100K and protect my family from bankruptcy.  Eventually I got a lot of experience, here my tips:

    1. Request an Itemized statement from the hospital. - look for errors, including double billing, date of service, patient name 
    2. If person has insurance, ask for Explanation of benefits (EOB), compare with itemized statement , check if the hospital in-network or out of network provider (reimbursement for services could be different). 
    3. Contact insurance to discuss. Co-payments and co-insurance amount are  suppose to be paid patient. Often providers bill patients for difference between allowed by insurance and charged by the hospital even they should Not. In-network provider should accept negotiated price and never bill patients. If insurance made a mistake or denied benefits, there is an appeal process, which has time limit and require written request and usually a form to fill out. Please use this option as well
    4.  If person does not have insurance, most hospitals have financial plans, and allow patient pay monthly over 12 months period.

    Keep us posted, if you have a specific question you can always PM to me.

    Hugs 

     

  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #7
    Thanks so much

    So glad to know I was missed.  Thanks for the reply on negotiation.  I will let you all know if there are any national resouces I find out about.  We are Michiganders here and so I suspect each state has a few unique programs.  I also will get in touch with our local ACS and see if there are any grants available. 

    When I get into social work I really go whole hog.  My greatest struggle tends to be to "take care of yourself" which is often the advice I give to the caregivers of my hospice clients.  I continue to try and be involved in my grandchildrens' lives as I have a legacy of stick-to-a-tiveness in the face of great obstacles.  This is something our younger generation needs.  They have also seen me exercise and this is another example as we have become a round and rotund nation.  Including me folks.   Gotta go.  Will check in more often.

  • Jobi
    Jobi Member Posts: 211
    #8
    It is good to hear from you!

    It is good to hear from you! Welcome back!

    Dorene

  • Jobi
    Jobi Member Posts: 211
    #9
    It is good to hear from you!

    It is good to hear from you! Welcome back!

    Dorene

  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #10
    Jobi said:

    It is good to hear from you!

    It is good to hear from you! Welcome back!

    Dorene

    A HUGE Hello, from Southern California

    land of the hot and humid weather - lol.   So wonderful to hear from you ..  and you've been so busy!  Wonderful way to start my morning ..

     

    Vicki SamCool

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