Health care and homelessness
Now, because of the medications we take, no health insurance company will insure us. I have been told by all I have called that we need “Group Insurance". We cannot get group insurance. His employer does not provide it anymore. We are behind on rent and utilities. Our utilities are going to be shut off. We will soon be homeless. A friend took me to Jeffco Action Center for help with the utilities. This is what took place. We arrived early as instructed ( first come,first serve) we were fifth in line for assistance.
A man with a clipboard came out of the building and had people signing the paper on the clipboard. Having never been there before, I did not know what this was for, he passed right by us. On his way back into the center, we stopped him to ask if I needed to sign the paper. He said “Yes, because that is the order in which they help people.”
We pointed out that we were fifth in line, and that he had passed us by. He had me sign the bottom of the page, and said he would let them know inside, that I was actually fifth not last. He drew an arrow from my name to a space between the fourth and sixth names. ( He seemed to know most of the people there by name). We waited for over an hour. I saw people going into the interview room that had been behind me in line. He came out to let me know that he was sorry, they only had enough funding to help the first twelve people. I reminded him, by showing him the arrow from my name to the fifth position in line. He said “ Sorry". I have called every church in the phone book. No one will help. Please help, we are an average American family. I believe this is how many families become homeless. (There is no more funding until November. We need help. The money can go straight to Xcel Energy, and our Landlord. If anyone can help. I will give you the information you need. The lease agreement for the landlord, the account number for Xcel, anything. We have lived here ten years! Our medications and doctor visits are about $900.00 per month. Once we are current, we can stay current
This letter has not been edited. Please contact the family through the Rocky
So now we've taken to pan handling in the local paper?
Other than that, I'm not too sure of the intent of this letter.
Posted by on October 3, 2007 02:58 PMMs. Roberts,
I am so sorry that you and your family must deal with this. However, you may indeed qualify for health insurance that can not be denied. Please follow this link:
https://www.insurancedesk.com/apx-1healthinsurance.html?source=12036457&se=g&kc=h&ki=23300055352863929204019272291804746
You may also call Excel Energy directly (if you have not already done so). They will be more than happy to put you on a payment plan that you can afford. If you need to have utilities to ensure your health, and can document it, they will be happy to assist you. You just need to call them.
As far as your rent, speak with your landlord and see if there is any possibility of assistance. If not, you may consider moving to a less expensive location than Westminster. Sounds like you are not limited to geography due to employment currently.
As for being an "average American family," I would highly doubt that. As the average American Family makes $44,000 per year and is indeed insured, I don't think it is fair of you to call yourselves "average" by any stretch of the imagination.
Sounds like you have indeed had some bad luck lately. Do you currently work? If you are too ill to work, have you filed for SSI or disability? If you have and qualified, you would be eligible for Medicaid. If you are not qualified, maybe you should look at taking a job to supplement your income. Even McDonald's will offer it's employees health coverage. Or, go work at Wal*Mart, if for nothing else, the family health plan they provide. Worse case scenario, you will make enough by working to pay for your health insurance.
Maybe you have already done all of this. I have no idea. I hope that you may indeed find some success, as this is indeed a terrible tragedy. But there are avenues that you can take, without looking for, or even asking for a handout.
Here is my question back to you though. How does your one personal experience demonstrate that our entire health care system is in crisis and "horrible?" How can you take your one personal experience, and then comment for "everyone" that the system is not working?
Posted by Dan2 on October 3, 2007 03:38 PMBut Dan2 if it does not work for them then hence it must be that way for every one. All the Koolaid being pushed by the media tells us this. Hell, even Micheal moore has done a movie that shows our health care system is broken.
Now a dose of reality. Hey I am a diebetic and several years ago the doctors told me I would have to be taking insulin shots by now. This country is over medicated. I did online research and found a proper diet. I watch what I eat, walk a little more then before and guess what. My diabetis is under control. I no longer have to take medications. My surgar levels spike from time to time but I am not dependant on meds. If people would just try to be a little healthier , eat better, and do a little excercise then maybe the ILLEGALS would not have to wait in e.r. rooms as long as they do.
By the way I still smoke, and have a rare beer. Nachoes are still on the diet for Bronco games too by the way, however it is in moderation.
Posted by AntiMeds on October 3, 2007 04:12 PMBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
WWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
Posted by HANK on October 3, 2007 05:20 PMdAN2 What about our young people that do telemarketing jobs that don't have benefits?
these jobs are 6-10.00 pr hr. We know a lot of young people 19-23 that work sales,telemarketing and no health ins. So they go to clinics, but without health ins, the cannot see a specialist at the hospital? I now received a call from a young person with no ins. what to do for an earache? A home remedy. Looks like we're back to home remedies. My grandmother resorted to home remedies before there was clinics and medicaid and health care.Alot of people died.
dAN2 What about our young people that do telemarketing jobs that don't have benefits?
these jobs are 6-10.00 pr hr. We know a lot of young people 19-23 that work sales,telemarketing and no health ins. So they go to clinics, but without health ins, the cannot see a specialist at the hospital? I now received a call from a young person with no ins. what to do for an earache? A home remedy. Looks like we're back to home remedies. My grandmother resorted to home remedies before there was clinics and medicaid and health care.Alot of people died.
"without health ins, the cannot see a specialist at the hospital?"
What are you talking about? Not having health insurance just means that you have to pay the whole price out of pocket if you want to see a specialist. Granted, I'm sure a lot of young people would rather spend that couple of hundred dollars on beer and cigarettes, but part of growing up is realizing that you can't have your cake and eat it too in most cases.
Posted by on October 3, 2007 11:37 PMDan 2'
Have you been on vacation, maybe in a galaxcy far, far away. " As the average American family makes $ 44,000 a year and is indeed insured". What? Man are you out of touch with reality. The average American making that amount, unless they were 25 or so, can't afford insurance. I'm a small business owner and I looked into insuring the four employees we have, who don't by any means make $44,000 a year. The cost of a plan to include them and my wife and I would amount to 60% of the wages they make in a group plan only one company would issue and, if we were to pick up the tab for them would cost 2 1/2 days of the profit the business makes. That precludes any insurance at all because no business can stay viable with that cost and no employee can afford what the cost to them would be either.
Haven't you heard that alot a small business that had health insuance programs have dropped them due to the ever increasing costs. You see, small business can't take the tax write-offs that large coporations can. We can thank Reagan for the brilliant idea of eliminating 90% of small business tax write-offs, while leaving the big corporation write-offs in tact, to increase the money source for the government's budget.
Isurance costs are just plain to high, of course that allows them to pay tons of money for lobbyists to influence legislators to pass laws favoring them. And don't forget their partners in crime, big pharmaceutical companies, that also can write-off almost everything involved in their production of the drugs they don't bother to get FDA approval of, never mind testing, and use that money for the same thing.
Mrs.Roberts the drug companies have programs that will give your husband his medications for free or little cost.I can't remember if this is one of the websites or not , www.ppanow.org,or call the drug manufacturers directly to find out what programs they have. This is a service you won't hear about but most drug manufacturers have some sort of program to help people get the drugs they need.
Try this approach,it just might save you husband and you alot of money.
I wish you the best.
Posted by Can I get an AMEN! on October 4, 2007 08:13 AMallen you should check into the NASE insurance program. I insure 3 people with health vision and dental for under 500 a month. that or you really need to look at your business if 2 1/2 days profit is needed to provide for others.
if your husband is employeed and had group insurance and that is gone you can call the company and get a letter stating you were insured and should be insurable with another company. did you try to pay the insurance yourself with that company? not sure why you dont go to wal mart to get your drugs or call the drug companies as they are helping with getting your drugs.
your being behind in rent and utilities means you are living above your means.
back to the 50's you should have move to the US from canada sooner. my dad paid for health insurance and we always saw a doctor when we needed and my brother who had polio never was turned away from any where.
I believe what we really need in health care is personal responsibility and not screaming that someone eles needs to be responsible for us. time to grow up and be responsible and take care of your self and yours just like it use to be done. but if that happened what would all the socalist libs whine about all day?
Posted by on October 4, 2007 08:20 AM It’s Escalating Costs, Stupid!
Marie Cocco (Asbury Park Press Editorial, Sept 26th) has uncovered the fraud behind Republican's desire to fix healthcare. She shows their "remedy" to be diatribe about a "principle" rather than a practical solution. The “Capitalism Cure All” plan for healthcare, or pension and tuition as well, has failed. Why continue on the same course?
We have smoke screens like allowing inter-state competition amongst carriers, and “preventative care,” good ideas that don’t address the real problem. Collusion of insurance companies and corruption wipes out any savings, with bottom line as primary goal, healthcare a collateral benefit.
Americans greatest fear is healthcare won’t be around much longer, judging by growing aisles of natural nutrition items at your local CVS.
The rhetoric of tax deductions proves the Republicans do not want to tackle the issue. A deduction is not a dollar for dollar credit of offsetting taxes, so a $15,000 tax "deduction" would yield annual savings of $2,250 to $4,000, depending on one’s bracket. Annual premiums range from $4,800 to $14,400 depending on coverage: single, 2 persons or family. Where do workers get the rest of the money?
All this Republican double speak masks the true problem – it’s the escalating costs stupid, not ingenious ways of sticking your finger in the dike to stop the impending flood!
These approaches don’t address rising premiums, rising employees contributions, higher co-payments and deductibles, or workers dropping coverage altogether due to cost (small companies have employees pick up all costs less single coverage).
Rush Limbaugh will say many opt out of coverage because they feel physically fit. Anyone who chooses an auto lease over health needs coverage for the mental health feature it maintains. Let’s not forget if death can be sudden, so can illnesses.
Republicans priority is their fan base – employers – by dissecting them from healthcare obligations. The logic is an employer will pass on savings to workers in the form of wages and they can independently get coverage. But their nature is to save a buck.
Tax Cuts means more of us paying out of our wages for items previously paid by employer in addition as part of our compensation? Given historical cost increases, what about future years? If our tax obligation is redirected to healthcare, pension and tuition, shrinking our contribution to zero, how will we fund the war on terror, or infrastructure, or disasters?
The answer is to cap healthcare costs, providing modest amounts for research and development, allowing those who spend $750,000 on a baseball to kick in more, similar to the private financing suggested by President Bush for stem cell research.
What Party so entangled in big business rather that the people it purports to serve ever stand for that medicine?
It’s Escalating Costs, Stupid!
Marie Cocco (Asbury Park Press Editorial, Sept 26th) has uncovered the fraud behind Republican's desire to fix healthcare. She shows their "remedy" to be diatribe about a "principle" rather than a practical solution. The “Capitalism Cure All” plan for healthcare, or pension and tuition as well, has failed. Why continue on the same course?
We have smoke screens like allowing inter-state competition amongst carriers, and “preventative care,” good ideas that don’t address the real problem. Collusion of insurance companies and corruption wipes out any savings, with bottom line as primary goal, healthcare a collateral benefit.
Americans greatest fear is healthcare won’t be around much longer, judging by growing aisles of natural nutrition items at your local CVS.
The rhetoric of tax deductions proves the Republicans do not want to tackle the issue. A deduction is not a dollar for dollar credit of offsetting taxes, so a $15,000 tax "deduction" would yield annual savings of $2,250 to $4,000, depending on one’s bracket. Annual premiums range from $4,800 to $14,400 depending on coverage: single, 2 persons or family. Where do workers get the rest of the money?
All this Republican double speak masks the true problem – it’s the escalating costs stupid, not ingenious ways of sticking your finger in the dike to stop the impending flood!
These approaches don’t address rising premiums, rising employees contributions, higher co-payments and deductibles, or workers dropping coverage altogether due to cost (small companies have employees pick up all costs less single coverage).
Rush Limbaugh will say many opt out of coverage because they feel physically fit. Anyone who chooses an auto lease over health needs coverage for the mental health feature it maintains. Let’s not forget if death can be sudden, so can illnesses.
Republicans priority is their fan base – employers – by dissecting them from healthcare obligations. The logic is an employer will pass on savings to workers in the form of wages and they can independently get coverage. But their nature is to save a buck.
Tax Cuts means more of us paying out of our wages for items previously paid by employer in addition as part of our compensation? Given historical cost increases, what about future years? If our tax obligation is redirected to healthcare, pension and tuition, shrinking our contribution to zero, how will we fund the war on terror, or infrastructure, or disasters?
The answer is to cap healthcare costs, providing modest amounts for research and development, allowing those who spend $750,000 on a baseball to kick in more, similar to the private financing suggested by President Bush for stem cell research.
What Party so entangled in big business rather that the people it purports to serve ever stand for that medicine?
It’s Escalating Costs, Stupid!
Marie Cocco (Asbury Park Press Editorial, Sept 26th) has uncovered the fraud behind Republican's desire to fix healthcare. She shows their "remedy" to be diatribe about a "principle" rather than a practical solution. The “Capitalism Cure All” plan for healthcare, or pension and tuition as well, has failed. Why continue on the same course?
We have smoke screens like allowing inter-state competition amongst carriers, and “preventative care,” good ideas that don’t address the real problem. Collusion of insurance companies and corruption wipes out any savings, with bottom line as primary goal, healthcare a collateral benefit.
Americans greatest fear is healthcare won’t be around much longer, judging by growing aisles of natural nutrition items at your local CVS.
The rhetoric of tax deductions proves the Republicans do not want to tackle the issue. A deduction is not a dollar for dollar credit of offsetting taxes, so a $15,000 tax "deduction" would yield annual savings of $2,250 to $4,000, depending on one’s bracket. Annual premiums range from $4,800 to $14,400 depending on coverage: single, 2 persons or family. Where do workers get the rest of the money?
All this Republican double speak masks the true problem – it’s the escalating costs stupid, not ingenious ways of sticking your finger in the dike to stop the impending flood!
These approaches don’t address rising premiums, rising employees contributions, higher co-payments and deductibles, or workers dropping coverage altogether due to cost (small companies have employees pick up all costs less single coverage).
Rush Limbaugh will say many opt out of coverage because they feel physically fit. Anyone who chooses an auto lease over health needs coverage for the mental health feature it maintains. Let’s not forget if death can be sudden, so can illnesses.
Republicans priority is their fan base – employers – by dissecting them from healthcare obligations. The logic is an employer will pass on savings to workers in the form of wages and they can independently get coverage. But their nature is to save a buck.
Tax Cuts means more of us paying out of our wages for items previously paid by employer in addition as part of our compensation? Given historical cost increases, what about future years? If our tax obligation is redirected to healthcare, pension and tuition, shrinking our contribution to zero, how will we fund the war on terror, or infrastructure, or disasters?
The answer is to cap healthcare costs, providing modest amounts for research and development, allowing those who spend $750,000 on a baseball to kick in more, similar to the private financing suggested by President Bush for stem cell research.
What Party so entangled in big business rather that the people it purports to serve ever stand for that medicine?
It’s Escalating Costs, Stupid!
Marie Cocco (Asbury Park Press Editorial, Sept 26th) has uncovered the fraud behind Republican's desire to fix healthcare. She shows their "remedy" to be diatribe about a "principle" rather than a practical solution. The “Capitalism Cure All” plan for healthcare, or pension and tuition as well, has failed. Why continue on the same course?
We have smoke screens like allowing inter-state competition amongst carriers, and “preventative care,” good ideas that don’t address the real problem. Collusion of insurance companies and corruption wipes out any savings, with bottom line as primary goal, healthcare a collateral benefit.
Americans greatest fear is healthcare won’t be around much longer, judging by growing aisles of natural nutrition items at your local CVS.
The rhetoric of tax deductions proves the Republicans do not want to tackle the issue. A deduction is not a dollar for dollar credit of offsetting taxes, so a $15,000 tax "deduction" would yield annual savings of $2,250 to $4,000, depending on one’s bracket. Annual premiums range from $4,800 to $14,400 depending on coverage: single, 2 persons or family. Where do workers get the rest of the money?
All this Republican double speak masks the true problem – it’s the escalating costs stupid, not ingenious ways of sticking your finger in the dike to stop the impending flood!
These approaches don’t address rising premiums, rising employees contributions, higher co-payments and deductibles, or workers dropping coverage altogether due to cost (small companies have employees pick up all costs less single coverage).
Rush Limbaugh will say many opt out of coverage because they feel physically fit. Anyone who chooses an auto lease over health needs coverage for the mental health feature it maintains. Let’s not forget if death can be sudden, so can illnesses.
Republicans priority is their fan base – employers – by dissecting them from healthcare obligations. The logic is an employer will pass on savings to workers in the form of wages and they can independently get coverage. But their nature is to save a buck.
Tax Cuts means more of us paying out of our wages for items previously paid by employer in addition as part of our compensation? Given historical cost increases, what about future years? If our tax obligation is redirected to healthcare, pension and tuition, shrinking our contribution to zero, how will we fund the war on terror, or infrastructure, or disasters?
The answer is to cap healthcare costs, providing modest amounts for research and development, allowing those who spend $750,000 on a baseball to kick in more, similar to the private financing suggested by President Bush for stem cell research.
What Party so entangled in big business rather that the people it purports to serve ever stand for that medicine?
Wow, four posts, you must be really excited to get that rhetoric on the board. What's the matter, are you one of those "I want it, and I want it now" people? Maybe you just need an explanation on how to use the Internet. Press the submit button once, and wait for it, hold your horses, when your computer connects to their servers, the post goes through. Pushing the the button more times does not make it go faster, it just repeats your submit request to the server. Are you maybe one of those types that thinks with their feelings/impulses instead of their brains? To get to your post's content, loved this gem, "Anyone who chooses an auto lease over health needs coverage for the mental health feature it maintains." Typical collectivist mentality, anyone who doesn't agree with me/us is f*cked up. I agree with you that choosing short-term benefits over long-term ones is faulty decision making, but how other people spend their money is their prerogative, not mine. Further in your post, do you have a plan for who should be covering the costs suggested in the second to last paragraph? When you say "cap healthcare costs", are you suggesting that we institute a government controlled birthing program to halt population growth, or should we downgrade the coverage for everyone each time a new person is born? When you say "modest amounts for research", what exactly do you mean by modest? You are aware that the average cost to bring a new drug to market is about 300 millions dollars, right, hence the lack of mom-and-pop drug development companies. Or are you suggesting that our patients should make do with drugs from several generations back, like the Parkinson's patients in England? I agree that rich people should be "allowed" to kick in more, but that is their choice and not a guarantee that they will, they can spend their money how they please, I don't think government extortion beyond what we already deal with is in order.
"What Party so entangled in big business rather that the people it purports to serve ever stand for that medicine?"-Is this even comprehensible English to anyone?
By the way people, a lot is two words, not one.
Posted by Dan2 on October 4, 2007 10:08 AMDavid Dibello, "Marie Cocco (Asbury Park Press Editorial, Sept 26th)"
Marie Cocco has the economic intellect that God gave a sack of gravel.
"The answer is to cap healthcare costs"
And just like placing caps on anything else (remember Nixon's wage-and-price controls?), caps on health care costs will create a huge shortage of it.
And your a snob Dan2. Insurance depends on age, health and other factors. We've owned the business for over twenty years. Twenty years ago we were 40 something and health insurance was much, much cheaper. Now we're in our early sixties and for the last three years the cost has gone from $430 a month for both of us to over $650 a month with a $2500 out of pocket max and the same prescription costs and the same insurance company, Anthem Blue Cross/ Blue shield, and we have never filed a claim over the out of pocket max. Explain what's so good about that.
Posted by Allen Campbell on October 4, 2007 11:12 AMand like you really needed to point out a typo, why? , to give your ego a boost. You must like that a lot.
Posted by Allen Campbell on October 4, 2007 11:19 AMJust add a tax increase of $3.00 a pack to cigarettes and we can all have free insurance. Any thing else you want? A new car! No problem, we can just add $5.00 tax to every gasoline. What is next on your list of freebies?
We need to establish a health program safety net for people who through no fault of their have own suffered a temporary setback, however this handing out freebies is getting ridiculous.
Posted by jgd777 on October 4, 2007 11:45 AMAllen,
You are right. I am a TOTAL snob. I'm not afraid to admit it either. I am in my mid 30's, and am in very good health.
Your situation is something that needs to be addressed, absolutely. That doesn't mean we should change the entire system. In a few short years you will qualify for medicare supplemental insurance, so you will be taken care of. You currently are paying for your age group, you baby boomers that are now the reason for the HUGE increase in health cost. You will need more health care than I will, for at least the foreseeable future, assuming of course neither of us experiences a catastrophic accident. You should be paying more than me, and also should be able to afford a higher health premium, since you already have been working for a longer time, should have saved, and now should be able to afford the higher health costs that come with aging. Why would it be my responsibility to pay for you, or anyone for that matter, that did not properly plan financially, for their later years in life?
The "alot" was not just directed at you. It is a common mis-spelling and I was getting annoyed with the lack of proof-reading. Maybe you shouldn't take it so personally, although that is a VERY common trait among baby boomers.
Posted by Dan2 on October 4, 2007 02:17 PMAllen Campbell,
Why should we as Americans HAVE to get our Health Insurance through our employers? There is no reason that we should be doing this in any way or form. To allow each consumer to buy their own insurance and not through employer does multiple good things.
1. Pre-existing is greatly reduced because individuals can continue coverage even though they change jobs / careers.
-side affects of this are happier healthier people who do not have to stick with unhappy jobs.
2. Competition and value of service can truly happen as it is better for 300+ Million to leverage rather than the employers.
While I applaud your freedom of enterprise views in other posts, I am questioning this freedom as a company goes against your sense of sensibilities.
By your posts you seem to support National Healthcare. We all have seen what the Health costs are estimated to be, but no one has been able to tell us what the TOTAL REAL costs are and what the impacts are to our economy. This is not done without thought.
Joyce, it looks like you are almost ready to find yourself outside don't ya know. Once there, you will be politely called a homeless person, a term that replaced hobo. Once you become current as you say, better start saving your money so it does not happen again.
Posted by Zak on October 4, 2007 02:37 PMIf we merely change the benefits of tax deductions from employers to individuals we do not have to re-balance the budget. It IS true that the average person will claim a certain percentage as a benefit rather than the entire amount. This means that the government will collect more taxes from the businesses as they will no longer be getting more for their health care contribution from the government. A tax credit system can be developed which permits people to file taxes and receive a health care credit that may be larger than their tax contribution. Biggest difference is that people will be in charge and the insurance companies will have to sell to them. It will be easier to deal with that situation than the others.
I have been in the same situation as Joyce for almost a year. We are behind in our mortgage and are making near double payments to Excel to make up for what they weren't paid last year. Didn't get LEAP as our paperwork was missing a pay stub and the company's copy wasn't in the form that Leap required.
We have the good luck that my husband is working so we can make our rent payments and the others. We filed bankruptcy last month. We have more than a year's income in medical bills. No credit cards, no extended payments on anything but the house. Mortgage company is willing to work with us as we take good care of the property and stay in communication. Only thing we owe is medical and we wouldn't be filing for bankruptcy except that they won't leave us alone even after I told them I am a heart patient and cannot handle the stress. Sent them all a payment plan to get them paid in six years or less. They ignored or outright refused it. Know the law says they can't call after you say no, but they ignore it and me. Short version boil down: it stinks to be poor.
Can't second the other advice here loud enough. many pharmaceutical companies have programs to provide medication for no cost to those who can't pay. Neighborhood clinics can take care of your ongoing medical needs at a reduced cost. Trouble always looks the worst from the inside and the least from the outside. Take stock of your talents, and resources and learn how to make the most of opportunities to get help. Never forget that you won't stand out from any of those who are in the line because they can get a help, a freebie, not because they need it. Stand up for yourself, talk to the landlord and others. If you can catch up and have a good history most landlords will work with you because it is an expensive prospect to re-rent a home or apartment. Much better for them if they can depend on you to catch up in a reasonable amount of time. Communication, determination and hard work. Won't always work. Might not work at all for some. Costs nothing to try.
Good luck.
Anchor babies born free. Free prenatal
and free WIC. Mr. Caplis khow 630 said they shouldn't be born in the back seat of a car.
He says they shouldn't be denied benefits,
so lets keep paying for others but can't afford for ourselves.