I'm doing awful and I need free meds

Will Cigna cover a different type of med? I have Blue Cross Blue Shield and they don't cover everything for me. My doctor wanted to put me on Entocort but it wasn't covered so he put me on Prednisone instead. See what they do cover and then have your doctor pick what one of those he thinks will help you the best. I had Cigna in 2004-2006 through my job at the time and it was the worst. My job eventually switched to Aetna and that sucked as well. So I got fired and instead of paying a ton for COBRA so I could have Aetna I pay out of pocket a month and have Blue Cross. You should look into that. I have BCBS PPO and it's $248.63 and I have a ton of stuff covered compaired to what was covered under Cigna. Insurance sucks!! Hopefully they approve something for you. Could you get on your states health plan for free or do you not qualify?

Good luck with everything. I hope it all goes through the way you want it so you can get what you need.

I also would talk to your Dr about additional samples. TECHNICALLY, they are for patients to try a new drug to see how it works without going thru the expense of a whole months script, BUT, I have worked in mental health for a long time and drug reps hand these samples out like candy. And all the dr would have to do is call the drug rep up and have them bring additional samples to the office. It sounds like you are already checking into the patient assistance program of the company that makes your med, so that is a great place to start also.

Pred for a few days probably would not put you into remission. It usually takes a couple of months on it to get a flare under control if it's going to help. The good thing is that Pred is SUPER cheap. I think around $5.00 for a months supply, I know it was cheaper than my $10.00 copay.

Good luck to you. I was without insurance for a couple of years, so I know how intimidating it is when you are sick and keep trying to find a way to afford your meds.

cyborg:  not necessarily.  The insurance company is contractually related to your dad's employee benefits.  As such the employer drives the boundaries of the insurance provision - what they include and are willing to pay/able to charge monthly premiums for.  Most states/companies and insurance policies require a full time student to be enrolled in 12 credit hours and dropping out mid semester then means loss of insurance.  We have been dealing with this with one of our kids - so go to a community college and do on line courses.  Cheaper, easier to accomplish, allows you time to get into a better physical and mental frame to be sucessful.  You can live at home and take classes from the convienence of your home when you feel able and interwoven around the rest of your life.  (Again, what one of our kids is doing).  Its also way cheaper that private or state universities.  This just calls for some yankee ingenuity and what this great nation is known for.  Good luck and God speed! 

(oh, and insurance/colleges are pretty smart in the technological non paper sort of way.  The minute you withdraw from a class they email the insurance company . . .just an fyi)

i would worry less about losing your current docs and more about being able to see any doc! if you have the option to gte on medicaid and see a doc do it! sounds like you need to. prednisone is cheap and probably will help but not something you want to be on long term. look into state programs as well. remember your health is #1...without it there is nothing else so do what you have to in order to see a doc and get your meds! good luck!

Cyborg:  Don't know how fragile your living conditions are (homeless but living with parents is different than on the streets or homeless shelters) but hospitals have pretty effecient social workers who can get you hooked up into state resources pretty quickly.  Probably much faster than if you just call the state and attempt to access resources through a state web site or through phone tag or any other wonderfully painful state run facility.  You can call a hospital and access assistance through the social work department and they can direct you from there.  Teaching facilities sponsoring medical education often have discounted, sliding scale clinics that offer medical assistance.  Its a bit hard to find speciality knowledge there -they do better with urgent run of the mill care. 

Any social worker should be able to direct you on how to get emergent or subsidized care such that you can receive some types of medical benefits.  Hopefully your parents can assist you in this process.  If you can't find adequate medical care and continue to have access - seeking stable medical care by showing up on a ER's doorstep is also one way of gaining entry into the medical system.  Not one that I recommend (or if you do -choose your time and facility wisely).  Most drunk driving accidents and other time consuming trauma is over by the very early wee hours of the moring - say 5 am ish.  Go before bumper car season starts (aka rush hour).  The ER staff should listen to you and if they don't, then express concern over your ability to continue to survive without treatment, express your dispair and let them know how despondant you have become over your life and be generous with the pain scale (if your pain is at a 10 then state that and hold fast).  Its not a great method - but am sure it is very real - and treating facilities will pay attention.  Hope these things all help . . . take care, Barb