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pnbplus1
Family
Member since 5/09 5751 total posts
Name:
Mommy
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Does anyone hear know about health insurance? MIL is undergoing cancer treatment and is quickly reaching her lifetime maximums.
Hi,
I posted here before about my MIL being diagnosed with cancer. She has started getting some rather large bills from the hospital and is only 1 month into treatment and was diagnosed 6 weeks ago.
It turns out that her insurance has rather low lifetime maximums for radiology/diagnostics ($5000) and so between her MRI's, full body bone scans, CTs,and a PET scan, she has maxed out her coverage. She needs to have more scans in the near future to check to see if the tumor is shrinking.
Does anyone know about what her options may be now in terms of paying her medical bills. I thought I remembered hearing that in cases where there is medical need and limited income (she is on disability) that you can get Medicaid as a secondary insurance. Is this true? Does anyone know of any other options? Or where I can get info/help?
Thanks!
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Posted 4/11/11 1:14 PM  |
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bpmom
Feeling Blessed
Member since 6/07 2963 total posts
Name:
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Re: Does anyone hear know about health insurance? MIL is undergoing cancer treatment and is quickly reaching her lifetime maximums.
I have no info but want to send you prayers.....money and insurance are the last things your mil needs to worry about right now. 
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| Posted 4/11/11 1:26 PM |
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THUMPER
LIF Adolescent
Member since 5/05 509 total posts
Name:
Laurie
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Re: Does anyone hear know about health insurance? MIL is undergoing cancer treatment and is quickly reaching her lifetime maximums.
Sorry to hear about your MIL. If she is getting social security disability, she is entitled to medicare. Call SS and ask them how to go about getting it.
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| Posted 4/11/11 1:30 PM |
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ChrisDee
My Girls
Member since 11/06 9543 total posts
Name:
Christine
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Re: Does anyone hear know about health insurance? MIL is undergoing cancer treatment and is quickly reaching her lifetime maximums.
I believe you can get a lot of info and support from the American Cancer Society and whatever groups are out there for her type of cancer.
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| Posted 4/11/11 1:38 PM |
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pnbplus1
Family
Member since 5/09 5751 total posts
Name:
Mommy
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Re: Does anyone hear know about health insurance? MIL is undergoing cancer treatment and is quickly reaching her lifetime maximums.
Posted by THUMPER
Sorry to hear about your MIL. If she is getting social security disability, she is entitled to medicare. Call SS and ask them how to go about getting it.
Thanks for replying. She's not getting SS disability, its employer based disability. She's not 65 yet and is expected to return to work in about 1 year when treatment is over.
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| Posted 4/11/11 1:38 PM |
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Ophelia
she's baaccckkkk ;)
Member since 5/06 23378 total posts
Name:
remember, when Gulliver traveled....
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Re: Does anyone hear know about health insurance? MIL is undergoing cancer treatment and is quickly reaching her lifetime maximums.
the problem with medicaid as a secondary is that they won't pay anything above what they're rate would have paid...but if they are paying nothing, it's worth a shot to apply. that could help her with future scans, but unfortunately she will be on the hook for these.
what she can do is try to work something out with the test center/hospitals billing company. not sure if they are billing her the full amount, but she may be able to talk them into billing her at the rate the ins co would have paid if the procedure was covered, rather than the higher full/private rate.
I am so sorry your MIL is going through this. it's insult to injury...and I don't want to turn your thread into a health insurance war, but this is exactly why reform is NEEDED. $5000 lifetime cap is UTTERLY ridiculous.
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| Posted 4/11/11 1:51 PM |
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cateyemm
Twins!
Member since 7/10 8027 total posts
Name:
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Re: Does anyone hear know about health insurance? MIL is undergoing cancer treatment and is quickly reaching her lifetime maximums.
You can get Medicare if you are under 65 & receiving SS disability. I would contact your MIL's social worker. Even if they dont know (which they should), they can refer you to someone who does.
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| Posted 4/11/11 1:54 PM |
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blue11
LIF Adult
Member since 2/11 1706 total posts
Name:
kat
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Re: Does anyone hear know about health insurance? MIL is undergoing cancer treatment and is quickly reaching her lifetime maximums.
you can receive medicaid if you meet the income requirements (i think its $700/mth for a single person) but there are also medicaid managed care plans for people above that income. if you go to the Department of Health website they have contact #'s.
Where is she being treated? A lot of hospitals have financial assistance where you can get reduced bills based on your income also.
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| Posted 4/11/11 2:21 PM |
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sweetie101
you make me smile :o)
Member since 5/08 4419 total posts
Name:
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Re: Does anyone hear know about health insurance? MIL is undergoing cancer treatment and is quickly reaching her lifetime maximums.
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| Posted 4/11/11 4:14 PM |
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jana
LIF Adult
Member since 3/06 1134 total posts
Name:
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Re: Does anyone hear know about health insurance? MIL is undergoing cancer treatment and is quickly reaching her lifetime maximums.
My Dad, who passed away almost 2 yrs ago was in the same situation. If you go on the socialsecurity.gov site you'll see that there are about 26 different types of cancer they automatically approve benefits & insurance for. His was Renal Cell (kidney) so he was approved in about a week. Maybe she qualifies?
DO NOT take NO for an answer! Call the disability ppl, hospital, dr's office...anyone that will listen. Find someone compassionate enough to be human!
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| Posted 4/11/11 7:12 PM |
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MrsKS
Thank You St. Gerard.....
Member since 12/09 8306 total posts
Name:
Kerri
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Re: Does anyone hear know about health insurance? MIL is undergoing cancer treatment and is quickly reaching her lifetime maximums.
Wow that's awful!
so sorry to read this.
a lifetime max of 5g is ridiculous!!!  it's absurd!! And it's a MAJOR reason I hate the health care system and insurance companies!!!
sorry I don't have advice. I'm just angry for you. Your MIL and your family doesn't need this stress right now... esp when your poor MIL HAS health insurance in the first place!! it should all be taken care of!!
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| Posted 4/11/11 7:31 PM |
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kimbalina
Bring on the glitter and bows!
Member since 6/08 15158 total posts
Name:
Kim
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Re: Does anyone hear know about health insurance? MIL is undergoing cancer treatment and is quickly reaching her lifetime maximums.
I have no information but just want to send some prayers and hugs your way. Good Luck and a speedy recovery for MIL.
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| Posted 4/11/11 7:41 PM |
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