Insurance disaster

I posted on chronic pain, but should have posted here.

When I moved here in '94, I bought an insurance policy from BC BS. Over the years, it has covered me well. Although it doesn't cover dental or psych, its covered hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills.

In 2001, I developed chronic migraines. They were ocurring on a daily basis. For a couple years, I had cT scans, MRIs, blood tests, saw two neurologists. Nothing was found but the pain got worse. I finally found a pain management clinic and though not standard, I was put on methadone for pain. When I developed tolerance, they added dilaudid and on meperidine injection a month for breakthrough. At this point, I'm on methadone, dilaudid, clonazepam, and 8 injections of meperidine and phenergen a month. They rarely work, tolerance I guess. At any rate, I make less than $800 a month, if I get paid at all. Mainly because of the head pain and since developed pain keeps me out of work.

My insurance is out of pocket as I work for myself (anyone else would fire me, with good reason. No one wants to hire someone who may not even make it into half day of work a week). The premiums have risen yearly, and as of this April, will be $800/month. I've looked at other policies, medicaid and called my current policy rep. My plan is the only one I've found that will cover what I need. It was grandfathered in this year as I've had it so long, but its no longer available for new users. I don't know what to do. If I drop it, my meds will cost twice what the premiums are. If I change policies, I can never get the one I have back again. I'm living with a friend, otherwise I'd be in the street. To pay my other bills, I have to ask my folks for pre-will help. Its humiliating.

I have no savings, no retirement and one stock. Before I developed the chronic pain, I was making a very good salary. That lasted three years before it hit the fan. Is anyone else in a situation like this that has found a way around the system? I'd appreciate any help.

Sam2

I really hope things get better for you soon. Hang in there trooper. I wanted to thank you for all the recent supper you've been giving me lately too

~warm hug from me to you~

I'm not from the US, so I can't suggest relevant things to you.

But I really pray for you that you find a way to cope your finances, work, & whole life with your condition.

My OCD too makes me get into a lot of fights & problems with my colleagues any place I work. And this makes work like a place of Hell that I have to drag myself to each morning. I try to avoid contact with people at work as much as I can.

You can try to find a work that suits your state of mind with its on& off pain migraines. Maybe work as a freelance...

Unfortunately, in Egypt, we don't have any medical insurance. So I get to pay for my medication by myself, & with a little financial help from mom That's why I have to get myself used to cheap & small amount of medication, which doesn't help me a lot in my severe OCD

So, I'm trying to search for self-psychotherapy methods over the internet, 'cause psychiatrists here are so expensive & they don't even bother with providing proper psychotherapy!

Same situation Sam2...family rates rose under the euphemistically called "affordable" care act from $600 monthly to $1000 with double the deductible ($7000). I'm afraid that we're all in for more expensive and less useful medical insurance.

Thanks everyone. I'm lost as what to do. I went back to school later in life and worked hard to get my DVM. It was a lifelong dream. I had three good years of practice before things got bad. I work out of mine and my friend's clinic, but in the past few years its gone from working five full days a week to maybe once or twice a year for three or four hours. Sometimes I have to cancel my appointments at the last minute.

Anyone who has had to take long term opioids knows that tolerance to the pain relieving ability starts early and makes them useless after a few years. Its not like I can just stop taking them. Even if the pain wouldn't come back, it would be months, possibly years to clear my system of twelve years of medications.

What really hurts is I've lost everything I worked so hard for. The insurance is a slap in the face. Last month was the first paycheck I have gotten for four months. It was just enough to cover my health insurance, and I only get one paycheck a month. While its true that the insurance has covered my medications and surgeries, it seems almost intentional, as if they are raising the premium prices to make many of us drop the policies.

Sam2