My oncologist dumped me when I lost insurance

heathergirl

I'm learning a very sad reality of having no access to medical care. When I lost my insurance my oncologist dumped me as a patient. He dumped me despite the thickening in the contralateral breast an infectious bone disease. I haven't had consistent care since I lost coverage in 2012.

I cannot afford health insurance and I do not qualify for Medicaid.

I have called doctors asking if they would please see me and then I can find resources to pay for the treatment. No oncologist will accept me as a patient.

I'm at peace that nature will take its course with my cancer. But I am scared and hope that having untreated breast cancer is not too painful.

Meow13

You should call for health care assistance. My aunt's insurance folded up and she was able to get a better plan for very little. If your income is low I am sure you can find something.

BarredOwl

Hi Heathergirl:

I am sorry you are in this situation. If your previous providers are part of a hospital or group, you could inquire if a social worker is available there to help you.

This pamphlet from the website Living Beyond Breast Cancer describes ways to find guidance re financial resources:

http://www.lbbc.org/sites/default/files/LBBCguideF...

BarredOwl

Golden01

Have you checked the subsidies on the exchange for the Affordable Care Act? I know several people that have been able to get excellent coverage for not a lot of money. Like you, they didn't qualify for Medicaid but their level of income made purchasing individual policies difficult for them. www.healthcare.gov Enrollment may be limited to the Open Enrollment period but there are "life event" circumstances that may allow you to enroll at another time. Open enrollment for this year is soon, I think.

Most states have trained "Ambassadors" to help you navigate and select the best plans for your situation.

Good luck, this is a hard spot.

rainnyc

Heathergirl, this year's open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act starts in just a few weeks, on November 1, for coverage starting January 1. If you are in a state with its own exchange, you can go there, or if not, try www.healthcare.gov. Last year I had to switch insurance; we live in NY, which has its own exchange, so I went to the nystateofhealth.gov. I was able to figure out which plans were available for my family. The amount of the premium varied widely, and when I had questions, the site pointed me to a navigator (trained insurance expert) who was able to help. When I had one particularly difficult question, he passed it along to the NY Department of Health, and I got a call back from a government lawyer, who said no one had ever asked that particular question before!

Since you know you have cancer and might expect to have treatments this year, I would suggest one exercise in particular. Add up the total cost of the premiums for the year and the total out of pocket maximum for the year. I hadn't been diagnosed at this time last year, but I found out that if any of us were diagnosed with a serious illness, the most expensive (platinum) plan would end up being the least expensive in the long run.

Good luck to you!