The good, the bad, and the ugly!
Posted , 9 users are following.
Hi folks. You've all been so great in your suggestions and inquiries about my impending surgery/financial woes, I thought I'd let you in on what's up. First, I live in the states. Here we have Social Security/Medicare when you turn 65 (I'm 67). Medicare pays for 80% of med. expenses. That leaves 20% for me to be responsible for. 20% of any surgery is BIG bucks! I'm gonna take a GIANT leap here and give what is probably too much information, but we're all friends, right??? On Social Security, I receive $1300p/mo. Most people also have the "luxury" of either a pension or 401k or both! I, however, was a Kindergarten teacher for 30+yrs, only at a private school (as opposed to a public school with Union benefits), and sadly was not afforded these benefits. I LOVED my teaching days, but boy oh boy, I sure wish I'd had a union behind me! Fast forward to today....my adult (oldest) daughter and I live together as she has a seizure disorder and we kinda look out for each other. However, she too fell thru some cracks in the system (even tho having been a former FIRE-FIGHTER), and doesn't receive any disability other than her medical care. I KNOW!! It's all pretty screwed up! So....there you have it, the good, the bad, and the ugly! Trying to live on $1300 p/mo (2 people, no less) is difficult to say the least. Don't get me wrong. I'm DEFINITELY not complaining. It could be Much Worse. We could be homeless.... Oh yeah, that's right, we've done that too....well actually we were lucky. We lived out of our car for 7mo! ....ah, but that's a whole other story😕. Just keep Swimming, swimming,swimming! Indeed, we've all got our stories.
0 likes, 9 replies
Flutterbie57 lynda62707
Posted
I do have a wonderful medical story from my part of the world. We have a Doctor/Specialist/Surgeon (British) who stepped up and started doing much needed operations on people who needed to get their lives back on track to support family/children etc. These people would have eventually got their operation under our system, but our waiting lists are getting sooo much longer. This Surgeon gathered together premises, medical equipment, Specialists, Nurses etc to volunteer their own time to do these operations. He had such a following of medical professionals who were willing to do this medical work for compassionate reasons, rather than for money. It was a wonderful documentary, but I do wonder why he is not more well know in our country.
lynda62707 Flutterbie57
Posted
Thank you flutterie for your response. It's been well over 24hrs since I wrote all that info, and I was beginning to fear I'd "overshared" with everyone...scared everybody away. Unfortunately, (or not) that's how I am....I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve.😕 Anyway, I confess to not being a financial wizard, but a 401k is set up thru your employer where you have a certain amount taken out of your check each pay period, and the employer matches it. It usually can't be touched till retirement, but it accrues interest over the years. Again, I taught at a private school and didn't have this as a benefit. However, I DID have the perk of having my two daughters attend private school and acquire a great education. Also, there was an onsite daycare where they could hangout till I was thru for the day. Being a single mom, this all worked great at the time cuz I sure wasn't thinking of RETIREMENT at that point!! You know how it is, you do what you gotta do!! Anyway, again thank you for taking the time to respond. It's Much Appreciated!
Flutterbie57 lynda62707
Posted
amkoffee lynda62707
Posted
I live in the United States as well. I also worked for our local school district. And of course because we had a union behind us I have a pension. But I only worked for the school for 10 years which was just enough to be vested. So lucky me I'm collecting $200 a month and my Social Security which is actually disability is about 1100 a month. So if it weren't for my husband and I owning our own business and my husband bringing in the money I'd be in the same boat as you.
I'm wondering if your daughter filed for disability. I'm kind of thinking from your cryptic words that she did apply and was denied. I wondered if you used an attorney, which can make a difference whether you get disability or not. I would love to speak to you more about this in private but I did not see an email attached to your profile. If you want to talk more about this feel free to email me.
Have you applied for Medicaid? I don't know the income range but you can have Medicare and Medicaid at the same time. And Medicaid pays a lot more than Medicare does. Or they may decide that you can have better benefits by using Medicaid instead of Medicare. It's not going to help you pay for dinner, but if they pay for that 20% for the surgery or all of your medication and there's no co-pay you are saving a considerable amount of money. Also what about a supplemental did you not get a supplemental when you first applied for Medicare?
lynda62707 amkoffee
Posted
Omggg...thank you so much for all your words! I'd forgotten about the 10yr vesting part...I'm so sorry. I'm glad you're married and have a partner to share all these trials and tribulations with. I'm single, but happily so! And yes, my daughter has applied for disability (3x) and there are SO many hoops one must jump through....I'm fairly certain it might be purposely set up to make you want to give up. There's TONS of paperwork and getting thrown from one doc to another, well when you're struggling anyway, it's absolutely exhausting, not to mention demeaning!
As far as Medicaid, I do have that as well. However, once you turn 65, Medicare usually takes presidence and Medicaid is of very little help! #Fall through the cracks!! Thanks for your concern. Ps I'm not sure where to find your email??
EileenH amkoffee
Posted
Using the private messaging option here is the same as emailing as only the person it is sent to sees it but they don't have to share their personal email. Click on the envelope after their name when they reply to someone to access it.
lynda62707 EileenH
Posted
Thank you Eileen!! I'll check that out.
nick67069 lynda62707
Posted
It's not that you are sharing too much, it is that is hard to suggest anything meaningful . I know that you are in difficult position, and it is not unique in US that people struggle with medical problems due to the shameful insurance system issue. And yet half of the people vote for representatives who will not do anything to improve the situation. I know it does not help you, but most of the other developed countries have single payer as main insurance and sometimes additional private insurance and it is about 1/2 of the cost in US per person ( on average). Come November vote for people who want to implement medicare for all.
On a side note, I am surprise that you don't have higher Social security check considering that you worked 30 years, unless you retired earlier ( before 66). As far as your daughter, if she is unable to work, she should get some sort of disability assistance ( not much, but it would help). I would be persistant.
lynda62707 nick67069
Posted
Real quickly nick...yes, I did retire out early on disability. I fell off a swing while with my students, and landed flat on my back onto the blacktop! Again, one more story! Had worker's comp. for awhile, but alas that's long run it's course.
And yes, completely agree with voting in the right people. All I'll say for now is, I'm proud to live in a "blue state" as opposed to a red!! If you get my drift.....