Quote:
Originally Posted by DancingAlone
anjelmarie,
when i received my disability in 1996, the waiting period for medicare was one year. now it is two.
i go to a state psychiatric facility to see a pdoc and it is based on my income (they take my medicare). i only pay $8 a visit to see her, $0 for the nurse, and the required support group once a month is also free. however, they don't take medicare for in-patient.
about medications, if you have a Krogers in your area, there is a long list of medicines that are $4 a month (generic) and for three months at a time $10. Walmart also has a very long list of generic medicines that are also $4. some other grocery stores have meds for $3. none of these require insurance or a co-pay.
whe you get medicare, and plan to use the medicare part d prescription drug plan (of your choice) you have to pay around $40 a month just for the "privilege". this is only cost-effective if you are on a brand name drug that costs an arm and a leg (such as Seroquel--won't go generic until possibly 2013--as soon as it does, i will lose the part d plan and go to Krogers if they sell it there).
you can also try:
http://www.needymeds.org/drug_list.taf
(I have heard negative things about that one…I think you can’t have any other assistance with meds to qualify. But I think, not sure, you can also get medication assistance from DFCS--department of famly and children's services)
take care and good luck
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Thanks everyone for your advice. I didn't have to wait after all. They gave me Medicare Part A and B in Nov. Then I just joined an HMO plan with BC/BS where I don't have to pay a premium every month as long as i use the doctors listed in their book and stay in my State. Plus I get discounts on meds but they have to be meds on their list also. I was getting my meds at walmart but i found out that Pathmark and other places also have low price meds so now i go to Pathmark. I have to pay a small copay when i go to the doctor and also if i go to the ER and if I'm hospitalized. If i went with a better plan where i can go anywhere and don't need to pay copays it would have been almost $200 i would be paying a month so what i picked should be ok. I also am looking into alternative health care and i found a place that is a school and the students work with the doctors and come up with a treatment plan for you. It is a herbal and accupuncture school. I don't mind trying other things because i have a lot of health issues and i don't feel i get taken seriously sometimes with doctors or they don't help me so i am hoping i can get some help at this place. Again thanks for all your advice.