Help with part D

[renee]

It sounds to me like different states play different games.

Howie, NY medicaid pays for an optometrist visit every two years and
will provide new glasses free if the prescription has changed enough- not even
drastically.
The frame selection is limited but not bad and the lenses are made by skilled
inmates….multi-talented felons.

I suppose people accidentally sit on their glasses sometimes.

I see a neuro-opthamalogist who can write me a new prescription every year.

Your predicaments are nuts.
Absolutely nuts.

[Howie]

Here, Medicaid will not pay for glasses. They do pay for my meds, or I would have to do without. Guess I need to move to NY. Why aren't states the same as far as Medicaid. I'll get glasses later. This prescription will just have to expire. My sister offered to pay, but that's not me. I don't know when I could pay her back.

Next month, I have to pay car insurance. That kills that check. Poverty is the pits, and is quite frustrating!

[agate]

Why aren't states the same as far as Medicaid.

A VERY good question. They are definitely not the same. WA state sometimes covered glasses if there was a change of at least 1 diopter in your vision over the past year. As renee said, the choice of frames is really limited but at least they were covered--when the state felt like covering them.

Here in OR they're not covered, and neither is any dental care. My credit card is essential.

Gary's sister is right. People on Medicaid usually are in subsidized housing and get Food Stamps (SNAP benefits).

I'm not sure what the regulations are on property ownership. They always ask but I think in WA state you were allowed to own the house you lived in and a vehicle. They ask about everything: cemetery plots you might own, boats, whether anyone lives with you, whether you fix food for anyone else. The form you fill out might be 8 pages, and you might have to fill out similar forms several times a year--and report to some office before daybreak and wait all day there for an appointment that doesn't take place at the scheduled time.

They often treat you with contempt but that's the system. There are also some working in the system who try their level best to be fair even though they're seriously overworked. I've dealt with some very kind case workers. And in recent years I've been able to have phone interviews so I don't have to go to their office very often at all.

[Lazarus]

"I can use credit cards or borrow money from someone but that is a stop gap solution that just postpones the enviable. Meaning next month I will be in the same boat. So I will make an appointment with my doc next week to get advice on tapering off the handful of blood pressure, pain meds and anti depression meds. While they are already generic they will amount to several hundred dollars a month. I am $18 away from the doughnut hole."

Gary. I suggest calling Costco for price quotes on your meds. It is an exceptional company and has good prices on drugs. The owner of Costco has a philosophy about profit making business. he shares with his workers and realizes the concept of fairness.

Also, and this is hypothetical...if you have a friend/relative who has the same med...and if they do not really use it.that's all I am saying.

[Howie]

I had SNAP for awhile, but I was right on the edge of qualifying for it, so it wasn't much. I dropped it after 2 months. I doubt I ever even collected enough to pay for the gas I used to get to that office. They were about 20 miles from here. And it was embarrassing to me to use it at the grocery store. I could feel the eyes behind me just staring a hole through me. No thanks. I just learned to shop smarter.

[SalpalSally]

Sheesh, the system really stinks for some of you. I wish I were rich, I'd take you all under my wing.
Dang Gov't red tape. I wonder if our IAs have to fight so hard? Something is not right!!

I think the scoffs you feel when you use your benefits, is due to the fact that there are many on the
Gov't programs Illegally, and getting by with it !!! You shouldn't have to suffer for the
likes of them (cheaters).

[Howie]

Back when I had SNAP, I would walk in the store. But these days, I always use the electric carts. They are such a help. These days, I couldn't use a push cart for very long.

[agate]

I had SNAP for awhile, but I was right on the edge of qualifying for it, so it wasn't much. I dropped it after 2 months. I doubt I ever even collected enough to pay for the gas I used to get to that office. They were about 20 miles from here. And it was embarrassing to me to use it at the grocery store. I could feel the eyes behind me just staring a hole through me. No thanks. I just learned to shop smarter.

I'm not smart enough.

I haven't bought meat (not counting occasional fish) in 25 years and I look out for sales and special deals. I do treat myself to Diet Pepsi and quite a bit of it. You can pare things down only so far, but when you're watering down the soup and making it last for days, you're running out of nutrients.

I ignore the stares, which probably don't mean anything anyway. People are staring off into space, having a bad day, whatever. I'm sure they're much too busy with their own problems to be worrying about what I'm spending money on and what kind of money I'm spending. I'm a taxpayer too, after all, and some funds are in place for people who need money. It's nobody's business whether I "really need" the money I'm getting--nobody's except the case manager's and mine.

Nobody in a store has ever said anything critical to me about using Food Stamps. And I've had them for over 30 years. That's a long time to have been on the dole, and I'm very sorry about it, but MS does drag on and fails to improve.

When in WA state my Food Stamps were usually $10 a month. I get more in OR but then I have to pay for my own dental and glasses.

[Virginia]

This is a very sad post about the state of our government - much of it the states fault as well as federal. I am beginning to understand, through this post, what has really happened in my own state when our last state elected officials took place and the party changed. Medicaid was immediately cut. There was an uproar but unfortunately the elected officials would not listen. Some of the cases I read in the paper were similar to Gary's.

I think you mentioned talking to your senator's office, however both write and call your congressman. Rose and Agate gave good advice. Not much to add and if you are like me when things like this come up I become overwhelmed and find it hard to act. Let others, such as daughter, son, son-in-law, etc get into the act and be an advocate for you.

[SalpalSally]

[QUOTE=Virginia;35330
I think you mentioned talking to your senator's office, however both write and call your congressman. Rose and Agate gave good advice. Not much to add and if you are like me when things like this come up I become overwhelmed and find it hard to act. Let others, such as daughter, son, son-in-law, etc get into the act and be an advocate for you.[/QUOTE]

Great suggestion, Virginia. I've lost a lot of my fight, but DD is still good at it..lol

[renee]

Sally, I am glad you have DD to take up your cause.
Most of the time I'm running solo.

Yes, people use the system illegally but they are an easy excuse to
use for cutting benefits.

I believe most people including elected officials are clueless about
the realities of poverty and chronic illness
-and those who can't take care of themselves are lazy.

A frenzied, irate public just sees money out the window to the undeserving
and believe that all people have supportive, monied family units or
church communities that's going to fulfill all needs.

HAH. Not so.

[Gary]

those who can't take care of themselves are lazy.

A frenzied, irate public just sees money out the window to the undeserving
and believe that all people have supportive, monied family units or
church communities that's going to fulfill all needs.

Sadly I must admit I WAS one of those people. Depression? Neurological what? Ahhh that is just an excuse to not work.

Ahem, boy was I wrong, too bad it took MS to point out the error of my ways.

By the way our Representative called me himself yesterday morning. From home no less. He was a friend of my late FIL for some 30 years. He said he will raise some h@&& but not to expect much (or anything) the federal poverty guidelines are the gold standard and because everyone (especially the insurance companies) uses them they are one of the only things in Washington DC that is set in stone. He was a farmer not a lawyer and his opinion of suing Medicare is going to give me ulcers and make the lawyers some MORE money.

If it involves the insurance companies you JUST know you are going to come out on the loosing end.

[stillstANNding]

Gary - I am so sorry that you are $33 dollars over. I keep thinking that you should resubmit. There must be something you forgot.

When I had no income for 7 months and was eligible for food stamps, fuel assistance, taxi coupons and the RIDE, my Rehab Counselor, who had MS and significant cognitive problems, forgot to tell me. I owned nothing and lived off savings.

ANN

[Howie]

I just picked my meds, and stopped for my mail. Medicare and Medicaid will be charging $2.65 for each generic drug, and up to $6.00 for brand name.

[agate]

Gary - I am so sorry that you are $33 dollars over. I keep thinking that you should resubmit. There must be something you forgot.

When I had no income for 7 months and was eligible for food stamps, fuel assistance, taxi coupons and the RIDE, my Rehab Counselor, who had MS and significant cognitive problems, forgot to tell me. I owned nothing and lived off savings.

ANN

Nice to see you back, and now you're a matron!

The horror stories that people with MS can tell are often left untold on message boards but I'm glad you posted this.

We need to call attention to how bad things CAN get for people with chronic neurological disorders. Especially if money is scarce.

When I was diagnosed, there was a 24-month waiting period before Medicare kicked in. Luckily (I guess) I had just sold my house and had the proceeds to see me through those 2 years but after that I had to be on welfare for 5 years due to a Social Security benefits termination. I'd used up all my savings during that two years and was more than eligible for welfare, Food Stamps, Medicaid, and subsidized housing.

I'm glad that that safety net was there for me but others haven't been so lucky. And you don't live all that well if you're in the low-income category in spite of stories you hear about people on Food Stamps buying steak and driving fancy cars.