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There is a two year waiting period to become eligible for Medicare
By Diane Duhaime
My husband has recently become totally and permanently disabled. He has end stage COPD. We were fortunate in the fact that he worked for a school district and we have had excellent medical coverage through them. He also has excellent disability coverage through them. The disability coverage will continue until he turns 65, however, the medical coverage will end this coming March and we will both be without health insurance. I have numerous medical problems myself and am all ready on Social Security Disability. The problem that we are facing, like so many other people that become disabled, is that there is a two year waiting period to receive Medicare! This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever! If a person is sick enough to be eligible for Social Security Disability, then they more than likely will need constant medical care. They no longer can work, so they lose medical coverage they had through their jobs and because they are not working, they cannot afford to pay for medical coverage. We had no idea that there was a two year waiting period to be covered by Medicare. Our health insurance runs out in March, 2009, yet he will not be eligible for Medicare until December, 2009. During that time period, we will be extremely lucky if he does not need any medical care! With end stage COPD, it is not uncommon to need emergency medical care and hospitalization every two or three months, sometimes even more frequently. Not to mention the medication and oxygen required to help control his symptoms. Yes, we can COBRA our health insurance, but we will not have the money to be able to do that. He is only making 60% of his pay and that is not enough to cover all of our monthly bills plus pay the full premium for health insurance coverage. So that is just not an option for us. I can apply for Medicare in January, 2009 but from what I have read, it will not go into effect until July 1, 2009, leaving me without coverage for a few months as well. I have prescriptions that I have to have but will soon no longer be able to afford them. And one of my prescriptions is very expensive - it is several hundred dollars a month. My husband has several prescriptions that cost several hundred dollars a month each! He is going to need very expensive medical coverage and medications for the rest of his life that we will not be able to afford! The only reason that would make sense to have such a ridiculous rule to wait two years to be able to get Medicare after becoming disabled is that the government is hoping that these people will have to do without adequate medical care during this time period and will die from improper medical care and medications! Then these people will not be collecting Social Security benefits, saving the government millions of dollars! This is a very sad fact! It is even sadder when you consider how much money the government wastes in other areas! This rule needs to be changed today! Something needs to be done about the medical situation in this country now! It cannot be put off any longer! The government needs to realize that people are suffering and even dying needlessly while they wait for the two years to pass to get Medicare. Take the time to write to your Congressmen and Senators before this happens to you or your loved ones! No one should have to deal with this type of stress when they become disabled! Send your letters to your state representatives today before another person dies from inadequate medical care! |
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You are absolutely right that the current situation doesn't make any sense. But governments, which are phlegmatic entities run by bureaucrats with occasional interference from politicians, usually don't do what makes sense; instead they do the absolute minimum possible they can get away with. In the US, that minimum may be raised slightly if Obama gets elected. By the way, I didn't know what COPD is so I did a search, and guess what I ended up back at Qassia. Sounds pretty nasty.
 | | nick Oct 11, 2008 09:10 | |
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
Thanks for the comment, Nick! You are correct, most bureaucrats make no sense and do only the absolute minimum possible. This used to be a really great country! It is really sad to see what it has become. Greed has turned this country into a disgusting mess! It is time for our government to take real responsibility and own up to their mistakes.
I'd never heard of COPD before. I had to look it up. I sincerely hope your husband gets the medical care that he needs.
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This intel was contributed by Amber Moon
Amber Moon
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