Uninsured (No Medical)

May I ask how you determined you qualified for the prescription assistance? I'm most interested in that.

It could be by state though, I suppose? Maybe my state doesn't offer that..

Yes the program is by state. It's offered through my local dept of mental health. I called and was asked a few qualifying questions (diagnoses, residence, household size and income). I encourage you to call your local dept of mental health and NAMI.

When do you become eligible for medicare?

Before you become eligible, you need to do a lot of reading about Medicare. If you MUST buy the Part B and don't have insurance that is equal to that. For Part D which covers medicine, if you stop paying for it then when you buy it again you will have to pay a 1% penalty per month you didn't have it for the rest of your life. It is a better deal than it was two years ago and it will continue to cover more and more until the doughnut hole disappears (can't recall when, about 10 years from now). I am on medicare, they automatically deduct for Part B (doctors) and Part A is free. I checked these facts at the medicare website.

I am on Medicare. For 2013, my Part B (Blue Cross) is $109 and Part D is about $35 if I stay with the same company I had this year. I haven't decided whether to change my Part D insurance company yet.

I'm not on disability. I've kicked ard the idea of applying. I haven't worked since April 2012 and was blessed to be receiving unemployment right now. I would like to work part time to get my feet wet then work my way up to full time again. I hope to find a job with little to no stress yet still challenges me intellectually. I know only time will tell.

I randomly got information about it a few weeks ago, after being told by everyone I called--many--it would be two years.... I'll be eligible January of next year.

The part B is possibly worth it for all the dr visits I go to. But D is not even an option of being covered, at least not for $100/month; that would be a separate payment and I'm not sure it would be worth paying for. I will study it more closely though, after what you've shared. Though as coco stated, it differs state to state.

I would be very surprised if Part D (meds coverage) was more than $40 a month anywhere. I could get it for almost nothing if I was willing to pay a higher copay. There are many plans in each state and it is different in each state. You will, as you said, need to check it out. Remember the penalty. You can see the different plans on the medicare gov website. It is open enrollment now so the information would be up to date.