Florida Medicaid help needed.

[Frank's Mom]

ok,since Frank has no health i have been trying to get him Medicaid to help pay the bills. it seems i have to go through Social Security to get him declared disable. Can anyone give me tips on the best way to answer their questions on their paperwork? I am afraid that if i don't answer them right that he will be turned down.

Help needed!
Jeanne

[suns_mum]

Hi Jeanne--I have tried writing to you a couple of times but things just seem to get lost in cyberspace. I dont have any real answers about the insurance thing or how to supply the right answers to apply through social security. All I can offer is advice-- I would suggest you ask someone either at the Medicaid office to help you fill out the paper work or maybe there is a social worker at the hospital who can help you. Explain the stress your under right now (actually my son allows us one use of the cancer card when we should need to aquire sympathy or to get out of something ) so I would really use it now in asking whoever you can to help out in this situation. We have found that the social worker at the oncologists office is more then helpful with things. Dont be afraid to ask--its the only way to get what your son needs. Anyhow--good luck with it and try and find the social worker through the oncologist office if you can. Eileen

[starjayroman]

Medical Aid

Does Florida have any state medical aid?

We live in Minnesota and when Jay went for his orchiectomy they faxed the information to the county from the Hospital. At the time Jay had no insurance and had not applied. When he went to the chemo clinic, they had a financial worker whose job it was to find a way to pay for the chemo if the state/county wouldn't do it. They had several charities that would assist once the state/county declined.

In our case, Jay was able to get coverage through the MinnesotaCare (they streamlined their apps so that you apply for all programs at once). They just needed to know how much I made as well and I had to give them all the info they needed and they went retroactive to the orchiectomy surgery. We just had to pay 3.00 copays that when the insurance finally came through came up to 71.00 we owed at once.

[starjayroman]

Social Security

Jay was diagnosed in June of 08. He didn't want to do his paperwork for Social Security Disability or SSI. You have to apply for both seperately. I finally applied in January of 09 because it didn't look like Jay would be able to work for over a year (which is one of the criteria for SSD). Well, I started it in January 09. We requested all his medical records from his doctors, which took some time. I finally finished his application in March (procrastination), it takes a few hours to do. Once I got the paperwork turned in with the 16 medical release forms, things went quickly and he already has been approved. Didn't find out anything about Medicaid etc yet. Jay has asked if him being aproved for SSI would mess up his medical and I tell him don't worry about it. At SS they said we gave them enough records to make the decision and they told Jay he would not have to apply again for 7 years and that some people don't even make it that long. Nice huh?


When the doctors said that Jay's chemo would cost 150,000 dollars at a minimum it put us into shock. The bills are amazing.

Good luck wading through the paperwork and don't let it scare you. You can do it online or you can do it in person. We did it online and Jay had meetings over the phone with his SS worker.

[Frank's Mom]

we have filled out all the paper work that comes our way. Frank had his SS phone appointment on Thursday while he was in the hospital for chemo. I guess now it's a wait and see kind of thing.
oh and talk about bills, wow are they coming in and some have already gone to collection agencies. I have tried to tell people that we are applying for aid and to be patient.

Jeanne

[Les' Mom]

Jeanne,

I am glad you got the paperwork filled out. I hope it wont take long. The doctor or hospital will know if he is approved before you do. They can go in and check his status.

Love,
Pam

[starjayroman]

we have filled out all the paper work that comes our way. Frank had his SS phone appointment on Thursday while he was in the hospital for chemo. I guess now it's a wait and see kind of thing.
oh and talk about bills, wow are they coming in and some have already gone to collection agencies. I have tried to tell people that we are applying for aid and to be patient.

Jeanne

Jeanne
I am surprised they are sending them to collection agencies. The only one that we had go to a collection agency was the lab for 49.00 dollars which I finally paid. I was surprised how quickly he was approved for Social Security. Doesn't your chemo clinic have any charities, etc to help with the bills?

[suns_mum]

Jeanne--I'm glad to hear the paperwork is in-that must be a relief on some level. I find it amazing how quickly some places will send bills to collection. That just---sucks. You have to keep on your toes with these things or they can get ahead of you. Jake has one bill that got sent to the wrong insurance and I brought a copy to the hospital of his Medicaid card and they said dont worry we'll rebill it.Well Just got another "this is not a bill" statement and they submitted it again to wrong insurance. Brought it in again and they said -oh, we just take the payments here you have to bring it to another office. Well, when I go to the other office I plan on asking for the paperwork so I can submit the bill myself as I have a friend who was told the same thing--they would bill it- but after the year was up the hospital said that she needed to pay it because --they do the billing as a courtesy.really? Thats some kind of BS is you ask me. Well enough of the venting about insurance issues. Do let us know how Frank Makes out. Hope he is feeling better soon after this long week.
Eileen

[Frank's Mom]

medicaid

ok, I guess I am not understanding Medicaid. We did the paper work for Social Security and they declined him, now does that mean Medicaid was turned down too? I have so many questions and can't seem to get a person on the phone at either of the two places. Is Medicaid that hard to get for someone who has cancer and is only 22 and not working? Today I am going to call the doctors office and see if the financial person there can help me.

Just had to vent.
Jeanne

[Scott]

You might also contact LIVESTRONG SurvivorCare if you need more help with this.

[Frank's Mom]

Thanks,
I will definitely give them a call. I am at my witts end on this stuff.

Jeanne

[suns_mum]

Hi Jeanne-Just wanted to check and see how everythiing is going with the insurance. Were you able to get the help you needed to apply? I sure hope so. I know the bills can add up fast and furious--almost faster then the tc diagnosis and procedures that follow. I read on your other thread but cant seem to locate it right now, that Frank was back to his old self after the second round. Thats good to hear he is out enjoying life. Jake had the same bad reaction after the 3rd BLEO treatment so he is going to take benedryl this time around. He has it today, along with the other stuff-EP. He is on his last long week of 2 so hope all goes well and is over soon. Take care and keep us posted-Frank has his BLEO today too-GOod luck to him---Eileen

[Frank's Mom]

Eileen,
well I have been on the phone all morning. first with The department of children and family services to see what they have to say and then next with SS department. Well it turns out that since Frank has some money in the bank that he was turned down for SS now we have to file an appeal to get this changed since he has since paid his bill and there is no more money. Once the appeal goes through than SS notifys DCF of the change and then hopefuly he gets Medicaid! Please keep all fingers and toes crossed for us. We really need this to go though. The bills are piling up and the phone calls keep coming.

Jeanne
Bleo day.

[suns_mum]

All appendages are crossed for you. It's too bad he had to spend all his savings on Dr. bills and such --but they surely arent happy until your broke. Would have been nice to be able to apply it toward some affordable health insurance--but not the case. Hope his day went well--Jake took Benedryl tonight so hope he gets through the evening without incident. He has lost a bit more weight and his white blood cell count is borderline so he may have to come back on saturday for a shot of Nulasta. We shall see. Take care -good luck. Eileen

[cjjones]

Dealing with Florida DCF is a pain in the you know what! I am sorry you have to deal with the medical expenses on top of taking care of your son. I tried to apply for SSDI for my husband since he was going to be out of work for at least 3 months, but they do not cover short term. You have to be out of work for a year. All I can say is keep trying and don't give up. These agencies are made to make you give up.
I will suggest a benefit. My mother-n-law got in touch with a local bar and they are doing a benefit concert for my husband to help raise money for medical expenses. The benefit is on Sunday and from handing out flyers and selling raffle tickets so far we almost have a grand donated. It is not much but it is something to help with cost. It is really amazing how much people really do care.
I wish you and your son the best. Your son and my husband were diagnosed around the same time. His hair (day 16) started coming out today and his WBC is very low. 2nd week seemed to be his best week so far.