Open main menu ☰
HealingWell
Search Close Search
Health Conditions
Allergies Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety & Panic Disorders Arthritis Breast Cancer Chronic Illness Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes
Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Migraine Headache Multiple Sclerosis Prostate Cancer Ulcerative Colitis

View Conditions A to Z »
Support Forums
Anxiety & Panic Disorders Bipolar Disorder Breast Cancer Chronic Pain Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux
Hepatitis Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Multiple Sclerosis Ostomies Prostate Cancer Rheumatoid Arthritis Ulcerative Colitis

View Forums A to Z »
Log In
Join Us
Close main menu ×
  • Home
  • Health Conditions
    • All Conditions
    • Allergies
    • Alzheimer's Disease
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Arthritis
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Illness
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Migraine Headache
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Support Forums
    • All Forums
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Pain
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Hepatitis
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Ostomies
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Log In
  • Join Us
Join Us
☰
Forum Home| Forum Rules| Moderators| Active Topics| Help| Log In

how do you pay for all this stuff????

Support Forums
>
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
profile picture
Peppertree
Regular Member
Joined : Sep 2005
Posts : 116
Posted 1/13/2006 7:12 PM (GMT -8)
 Im just curious, because i dont know how old everyone is. But, im going broke with medical bills and medicine bills. Im 56, no insurance, havent been able to even get insurance. The meds i was taking were 400.00 a month, and i cant work. The stool test and blood tests i took were 800.00 and the GI doc visit was 100.00 each visit. And ive been 3 times. He know i have no insurance and cant get any.Its so depressing, i have a choice, do all t his crap and dont eat, or eat and no doctors or medicines or tests. Im really begining to get very depressed. Anyone have ANY ideas???

i think its a darn shame, insurance companies can get away with not insuring sick people. They Love insuring WELL people.  Sorry, im just venting:(

profile picture
Keriamon
Veteran Member
Joined : Jun 2005
Posts : 2976
Posted 1/16/2006 8:02 AM (GMT -8)
Do you qualify for state insurance? I've heard some states have pretty decent medicaid programs. Also some states have rules that if you are turned down for private insurance, they have to cover you, even if you make really good money. I think how much you pay for it depends on your income, but still it's better than nothing at all.

If you've had the usual rounds of tests and YOU are confident that you have IBS and nothing more, then don't do any more tests and don't go to the doctor except when your prescriptions are running out. I'm afraid that doesn't help your medicine costs, but I do know some doctors are test happy and like to keep running you through the mill. Unless something changes in your situation and you think you need to be re-eavluated, you should probably just stick to paying for your meds and leave the doctors out of it.

The other thing you can do is talk to a financial adviser about being self-insured (that's what you're doing right now). The federal government has a program where if you self-insure or have an insurance deductible of like $1,000 or more, you can set aside money on a pre-tax basis in an INTEREST or DIVIDEND bearing account (i.e. stocks, bonds, T-bills, CDs, the like) and your money can grow without your having to pay any income tax on it. And I think you get a tax write-off for having this kind of account too. Like the Health Savings Plans that many employers offer, all of your money has to be spent on medical expenses, but that includes eye care and dental work. Unlike the HSPs, though, this plan allows your money to work for you. Ideally this is something that you use to cover a high deductible in times of need, that you set up when you are young and healthy so you'll have money to spend when you're not (kind of a 401k for your health rather than your retirement). But if you are having to pay out of pocket anyways, it might as well be on a pre-tax basis.

And here's an article from The Dollar Stretcher in which some people give advice to a woman in a similar situation: http://stretcher.com/stories/990111b.html

The main page to The Dollar Stretcher is: http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm
You might find some of their info useful in trimming your costs so you can better afford to take care of your health.
profile picture
bunnybabe
Regular Member
Joined : Sep 2005
Posts : 263
Posted 1/16/2006 8:04 AM (GMT -8)
i am so sorry, i am broke too.
is there any way you can work from home?
i am 26, but just lost insurance and my job because of this--but i have a profession that i can free lance (and my old job is going to hire me back, i just had to get better... long story) but i empathize...
also, i would try calling up insurance companies and asking for quotes and such--- i work in the entertainment industry and there are plans for actors and techies, so i could only assume there has got to be a plan you can jump on.... then again i am an optimist
could you go on disability or unemployment?
i really hear your struggle, and i am sorry... but take care of yourself... i will think of you...
--bunny
profile picture
Keriamon
Veteran Member
Joined : Jun 2005
Posts : 2976
Posted 1/16/2006 8:06 AM (GMT -8)
Oops, I think rather than getting a tax break on having a medical account, you get a tax break if your medical bills, paid out of pocket, exceed a certain amount. Last I knew it was around $5,000 a year. Your meds alone should just about cover that. Make sure you drag out your receipts and claim that deduction this year! If you have to, go see an accountant to get your full deduction--it will be worth the investment. Then, when you get your nice, fat return, see if you can't stick it into one of those medical accounts where it can earn some money before you have to use it.
profile picture
Keriamon
Veteran Member
Joined : Jun 2005
Posts : 2976
Posted 1/16/2006 8:09 AM (GMT -8)
Oh, P.P.S. (lol), search online for the makers of your medicines. Most drug companies offer coupons for some of their medicines and some even have programs for the uninsured or unemployed to offer them even more of a discount.
profile picture
Peppertree
Regular Member
Joined : Sep 2005
Posts : 116
Posted 1/16/2006 12:33 PM (GMT -8)
Thank you all so much for your replies. And Blondie i appreciate your sweetness. I guess when you feel like you hit dead ends, you just  need to vent about it. Thanks for all your suggestions, ireally do appreciate it  smurf
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply


More On Irritable Bowel Syndrome

A No-Nonsense Guide To Irritable Bowel Syndrome

A No-Nonsense Guide To Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Sophie's Story With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Sophie's Story With Irritable Bowel Syndrome


HealingWell

About Us  |   Advertise  |   Subscribe  |   Privacy & Disclaimer
Connect With Us
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn
© 1997-2023 HealingWell.com LLC All Rights Reserved. Our website is for informational purposes only. HealingWell.com LLC does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.