Uninsured and Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

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kaela09
kaela09 Member Posts: 1
edited June 2014 in Who or What Inspires You?
Hi Everyone,
I am writing an article about free preventive clinics in NYC and how budget cuts will affect overall cancer care and morbidity rates. I am looking for breast cancer survivors who were uninsured at the time of their breast cancer diagnosis. Afterward, the patient would have had to probably get emergency Medicaid or receive grants to pay for treatment. If you have experienced this process and would like to talk about it, please let me know. My email is teker09@hotmail.com
Thanks! Take care.
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  • LisasBreastCancerExperience
    LisasBreastCancerExperience Member Posts: 8
    edited February 2009
    I was uninsured and diagnosed in CA. I got onto the state funded "Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program" which covered ALL of my medical care, breast cancer related or not. I have since moved to AZ and am on a similar state funded program there. I don't know if they have this program in NY? Here's a link to the AZ version: http://www.ahcccs.state.az.us/Services/Programs/BCCTP.asp. This link is also posted on my site: Lisa's Breast Cancer Experience. Hope this is helpful! 
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  • Jorf
    Jorf Member Posts: 498
    edited February 2009

    I was in the same position as Lisa. It is a federal program that is administered by the state under the state medicaid plans. It is a lifesaver that no one knew about as I was freaking out for 3 months trying to figure out what to do until I called a colleague at a breast center at the teaching hospital nearby. They got me on a program before my biopsy and, upon my diagnosis I was instantly on medicaid. It covered everything (except for epo and the hospital ate the cost for that), as Lisa said, for all of my cancer care and anything else. Just this year I was no longer eligible as I am making more than the 250% (which is really quite generous - a little over 30,000/year) of poverty. However, it seems that I could still have it if I wanted to pay $250/month. If I wasn't already payiing for insurance through my employer (so that my husband could have it too) I would have definitely kept that going.

    This is the greatest program and very well-kept secret. I'd be glad to share my experiences in more detail if you wish. - PM me.

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  • Jorf
    Jorf Member Posts: 498
    edited February 2009

    I forgot to add - if I am in a position that I don't have other health insurance I can go right back onto the program as long as I'm on treatment - which includes tamoxifen or AI. It's such a comfort to know it's there.

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  • anianiau
    anianiau Member Posts: 182
    edited February 2009

    Hi, this should be run through the moderators for their approval.

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