I need some help please! :(

[lisahiser]

:(
One of my very good friends just last week has been diagnosed with cancer. They are not sure what type she has yet, but so far they know that it is on her ovaries and they just did a biopsy today. ( wont know till Friday on the results) She is 52 and has no medical insurance, she applied for Medicaid but was turned down because she is not on disability.She has been working at a Gas station for the past few months and can't get insurance because they don't offer it to the employees there unless you are full-time, and only managers get full-time pay. Not to mention that she is scared that she will lose her job because of all the appointments and Dr. visits she is having to go to. She is scared out of her wits, and her family and I are doing all we can to keep her calm and try not to let her worry on how things are going to get paid for. I have searched and Searched online for places that may help us. But I don't think I am searching correctly because I am pulling up all the wrong things. She has called everyone in the phone book around here to get help. She has even called the National Cancer Society, but all she could do was leave a message and hopefully someone will call her back. I told her to contact her local churches, and she has done that, but there aren't many here in town and the one that would have helped her won't because she isn't Catholic. Maybe I am just scared and in a panic, I was just hoping and praying that Medicaid would help her out. So much for that hike in the cigarette tax here in michigan to cover the Medicaid huh? I just need some direction, please. I have been searching for hours, my neck hurts, and I wish I could just win the lottery for her so that I could pay her bills for her. I can barely afford things myself. I guess all I can do is keep praying. Thanks for listening to me.....

[rlynn411]

I'm sorry your friend is going through this.

Hospitals won't turn a patient away just because they lack the ability to pay. Any hospital I have ever been to has something called a patients bill of rights hanging all over the place and one of the things on it is about not refusing treatment for those who can not pay.

In the mean time stop and take a deep breath and give yourself time to calm down and regroup. Help is out there..... I would contact a hospital or a physicans office and see if they can assist you on finding your friend some assistance.

Hugs and prayers being sent your way.

[ibdcomfort]

Hi Lisa,
Most drug compaines offer assitance with medications. Here are a two sites that list them.

http://www.helpingpatients.org/index.cfm

http://www.rxhope.com/pap_info.asp

This site may help you too. http://www.michigan.gov/emi/1,1303,7-102-112-34098-219_124_495-,00.html

Your firend is very lucky to have someone like you who cares so much :). Hang in there.
HTH,

Lucy

[KATinKY]

contact the health dept in your town, also my fiance's mom has cancer and her doctor helped her get a medical card that covers everything, might want to check that out.

[fatesfaery]

I'm glad she contacted the American cancer Society. They make funds available for patients who can't afford cancer treatment. They will cover surgery and chemo/radiation treatments. Most drug companies also have programs for low-income people where they can get medications either free or for a 10-20 dollar co-pay.
As someone else said, her Dr should be able to tell her what help is available and what she needs to do.

[Quaker_Parrots]

She needs to try to get the medicare/caid again. Now that she knows it is cancer, it is concidered a pre-existing condition, and no one else will insure her. she might be able to use that to get her medical card

[dcut4]

Also try to contact her local and state represenitives they can help speed up the medicade process.

[turbob]

ALL hospitals have some kind of a plan to help people with no insurance. She needs to call the hospital, ask for the financial office, and see how she goes about qualifying. Catholic Social Services have a program called JOIN that helps people who need meds and can't afford them. They don't care what religion you are - they don't ask. Also - call Dept. of Human Services and see if they can give you any advice on speeding up Medicaid or if they have a referral service to someone that might help. Good Luck!

[never]

Most hospitals have Patient Advocates who work with people on all issues. Probably good to start with where the diagnosis was made and the physician who made it. They should be able to provide something. Often a doctor has resources to help with disability, medicaid and other assistance or may know of a subisidized service for her treatment.
The American Cancer Society should return your voice mail - they have a lot of volunteers.

[schsa]

All the advise you have gotten here is excellent. Also look for any hospitals in the surrounding area that are teaching hospitals or hospitals that specialize in cancer treatment. They might take her just so that they have somene that their interns and residence can work with while they are in training.

Don't give up. ACS will contact you but again, they are volunteers so it might be slow going. But they will help.

[lisahiser]

Thank you all for your advice. She is in contact with the hospital about paying the bill and such, they aren't turning her away, but the bill or bills are going to be huge,so she would like to try to get more help to get things speeded along. and as far as Medicaid goes, the hospital are the ones who had her fill out the paper work and they turned it in for her. As far as we understand things here in michigan, the medcaid program no longer covers anyone 21-62 unless they are on disabilty. And she is soooooooo far from being dis-abled. Plus we just got word today that some friends of her boy-friend are going to hold a motor-cycle ralley for her to raise some money. I have found a few other places online and in the area for her to call, they won't talk to me because I don't know all the details. But we are slowing finding things. I just keep telling her to just let us worry about that part for now and her job is only to get better and stick this out for us. well i will keep searching. Thanks again for all the advice. :)

[junebugger]

As some one already mentioned-have her contact her local Health Dept.

I for a fact know that they have a breast and cervical cancer prevention/treatment program that is for people over 40. I myself used this program and I am only 32 but with no insurance and the income guidelines they quilified me for further testing/specialist. Since there is x amount of monies set aside each month and it was not all used up I got in. I would think that her chances are good at getting help through them.

Good luck to you all and I hope things turn out ok.

[Quaker_Parrots]

Yep, go through the health department, you get better results there rather than FIA

[Blondiex46]

when I got diagnosed with breast cancer I had to quit my job cause I didn't have any insurance and apply for a medical card which the hospital did for me, if I didn't I would have had treatment, so maybe that is what the hospital will do. Depending on what is wrong she may be considered disabled now who knows, but my prayers are with her and you are such a good friend.

[lisahiser]

I told her today that she needed to contact the health department, hopefully she can get somewhere with that tommorrow after she has her next Dr. appt. She finds out the results of the bioapsy (spell?)tommorrow. I emailed the American Cancer Society today myself so that maybe I can help get things moving along for her also.
But we did get some good news today. a place called We Change For Life emailed me back and sent me a wonderful letter telling me that they will help her financially and that god will supply all her needs. I emailed them back and told them that any little bit that they can offer her is great. I just got the email about 45 minutes ago and I called her and she and I both cried. This is truely a blessing and a wonderful start on the journey. I just want to put her mind at ease and focus on what the real problem is and that is her getting well again. I just want to thank all of you so much once again for you wonderful advice. You all are part of this wonderful blessing, and your advice and kind words mean a great deal to me and to her also. Thank you so much! :) I will keep you updated on what is happening with her.
(((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))) to you all!

[Smile]

Your friend is lucky to have a good friend like you.

My husband had cancer and we had no medical insurance. With no money or insurance, he was still able to get the operation he needed as well as radiation treatments. He didn't need chemo but he would have been able to get that too. We didn't know where to go for help and just talked with his doctor's.

We didn't have to pay anything for the operation but I can't remember why. He was able to get the radiation at a cancer and therapy research center. Because of the money I was earning we didn't have to pay anything and the same would have applied if chemo had been needed. His follow-up medical appointments, treatment and meds were thru the medical school that had a program that charged us on a sliding scale.

Everybody has given you good advice as well as you finding help on your own. I wish I could give you more advice or help. I would suggest talking with her doctor as well as the hospital she is at to see what help is available to her. You might want to check with other denominations of church's other then the Catholic Church as well.

I just thought it might help your friend to know that people in her situation do get the needed treatment when they have little money and no insurance.

[ibdcomfort]

That's great news Lisa. Hugs and prayers for you and your friend :)
Lucy