no insurance, need meds

Sorry to hear about this tough time right now.  I don't know where you live but are you eligible for some sort of Medicaid Insurance?  I don't know the reason behind your not having insurance, whether it's due to your job doesn't offer it, you lost your job, or you're retired.  Whatever the reason I would call your local Social Services and find out if you're eligible for any state aid.  You definitly need to stay on your meds.  I hope it works out for you. 

It kind of depends what meds you are on for what options you have. I spent most of 2011 without insurance and these were the things I did. One see if your area has any public health clinics. Some cities have good options, one near where I live has family medicine, obgyn, and gastro. They take medicaid or sliding scale for those with no insurance, so depending on your income you can see most docs for just $25 a visit.

For my maintenance meds I got samples from my doctor. For the meds I didn't have samples I found an online pharmacy discount card and it really discounted some of my meds, at least 60%. I have the info somewhere but I will have to look for it and post that later.

I also applied for financial assistance at the hospital I go to and I was approved for 100% financial assistance for 1 year.

Now I qualified for a lot of this because I was unemployed at the time. But a lot of hospitals have discounted assistance for lots of levels of income.

Also some of the drug companies of the meds we use have financial assistance or discount pharmacy cards.

This is an awesome site to go to for medication discounts and applications to individual drug company's assistance programs.

http://www.needymeds.org

I used it all the time for people when I worked in the pharmacy and in a doctor's office.

Heck, just seeing a GI Doc can be frustrating. Last January I called my GI's office and was told it would be $200 just for an office vist, talk about being gouged. I have only gone to a free clinic and my regular Dr since who only charged $65.
Will finally get Ins in July and hopefully a colonoscopy.

Jodi's idea sounds highly illegal. If you call the drug company that produces the medication you need, they usually have prescription drug programs if you do not have prescription coverage. (I'm assuming you are in the US) I was getting my Pentasa for free for awhile when I did not have coverage. Maybe your previous GI can prescribe for you until you can afford to go see someone new. I don't know what your situation is and if you would be eligible for SSI, which would give you Medicaid or SSD, which would give you Medicare, but not until after two years. If you are not eligible for disability, can you afford to at least buy catastrophic coverage which would cover hospitalization, and then you would still have to pay for your doc visits? Another option obviously is to get a new job that has insurance, but I'm sure you would be doing that if you could already. The health care system stinks in the US....I'm sorry you are in this position. I also don't know what is currently going on with your Crohn's presently, but Prednisone is very cheap if you are in a flare. Good luck.

until you go to prison and have to have Crohn's in prison:)

Jodi's plan is what a lot of people refer to as a "felony". Let's just assume one of those drugs is a controlled substance, like Lomotil, that's like a 20 year sentence.....

It's a very sad situation. I was forced  to declare bankruptcy at 22 because of my Crohn's and inability to work and keep up with my bills. I was not in that much debt, but completely unmanageable for not working. I don't understand our government or people here in America. I think it's because we're very selfish and greedy and taught that it's every man for himself. Everyone thinks it's "not their problem" and doesn't want to foot the bill for their fellow Americans health issues.

cleanfreak said...
Here in Canada, each of our provinces has its own form of Health Care, no one is left without some kind of coverage.  I am pretty much an American Political junkie, and I just do not understand why there is so much descention among so many Americans when it comes to Health Care.  Bottom line is, everyone needs it so why don't the politicians take a look at ours, England, etc. and see how we do it.  It just seems that whenever I read posts from all of you, where you discuss your problems with your Health care system, it breaks my heart that so many of you are struggling especially when it comes to getting your necessary meds, and paying for a doctors appointment let alone having to pay for surgery, that is just unheard of here