something GOOD in the middle of yuck happened...

buddy

New Member
Since quitting my job 4 years ago, I have had no health insurance. I have had no medical care even though I have an ongoing auto-immune disease and a back injury. I thought I found a program for people who make too much for programs to qualify for help and make to little to afford health care insurance....it didn't work out.

Today I got a call from a clinic I was referred to. It was opened just in the last couple of years and is attached to a major hospital so has all specialties. Even if I dont qualify for a program they will accept 20 dollar payments for the rest of my life to pay off my care. Turns out after sending my paycheck stub, they said I did qualify in their own program for 50% off care. Still too much for me but at least it wont be AS much and I can make payments. I have to stay healthy or who will take care of difficult child.

Now, what to do about dental care???? difficult child actually knocked out a tooth (this was not aggression, he was going up stairs and did like a donkey kick in play and I was behind him, it got me in the mouth, he felt awful) I almost never smile because I am so embarassed. There is nothing, absolutely nothing except help if you have an emergency. I have had a couple of fillings fall out too so that is a huge proglem. You have to qualify for financing to get payment plans. I dont have any credit cards or anything. I paid off everything that was my responsibility when I sold my house and then found out a former business partner stopped paying a card that was only used for the business but was in my name (she had fertility problems and then adopted, with all the expense she just stopped paying and didn't tell me). So huge credit blip for me.

Oh well, enjoy one good thing for now....
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Try contacting your local health dept to see if there are free dental clinics around. Or maybe human services for info about them. They exist, it is just a bit harder to find them.

We have them here. I didn't use it because it would've been a 45 min drive. My sis uses one in Indiana.

These are also becoming more popular so even if there isn't one in your area now, you may want to keep checking.
 

susiestar

Roll With It
Lisa, thanks for the info on free dental clinics. The main reason I know my bones are falling apart is my teeth are. No matter how much flouride is applied topically, they are just crumbling n my mouth. I didn't think to call the county health dept or dhs. And the ins we have through the state only covers emergency tooth pulling. period. They don't even cover medications for the pain, just the actual extraction, ouch.

Buddy, is difficult child on the state kids' ins? When we put the paperwork in to get our kids on it (more docs take that here than anything else - docs prefer it because it covers more and no copays for kids so parents will bring them in more often) we were approved also. Totally shocked us, we thought only preg women were on it, but we are now. It is good because I have chronic health problems too. I am even getting a sleep study via this ins - for NO $$. When we had private ins through the co husband worked for this same study was to cost over $140.

So put paperwork through for that program. It is also problem the same as for food stamps, etc.....and you could get those also. Through the dept of human svcs in most areas.
 

buddy

New Member
no, I have done all the screenings, because I do draw a salary i make like 100 dollars too much to qualify for anything. I could buy a state plan, but I would have to find another 100 dollars a month and also pay the co-pays. My medications are only 8 dollars and the doctor appointment is once every three months and that is cheaper. I have had to go to a food shelf about every three months. So embarassing since I usually dontated and always buy charity christmas gifts etc. Can't do that now.

I will check again for the dental but son's public health nurse couldn't find anything. I have searched online and called but only could find the one place where you go on a sunday for an emergency situation...like you said, they will pull the teeth.

My auto-immune disease causes very dry eyes and dry mouth and that has made my teeth become bad too. It is really hard. I think it affects my mood not to be able to really smile like I used to.
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
I totally agree about the lack of proper dental services. There is a clinic (or was) in our County that will do basic dental work as required at little or no cost. The majority of the dental clinics I know about are tooth pullers. That's terrible. In our City there is one private Dentist who provides free service for one day a year. He has a decent reputation and helps alot of people but there are literally hundreds who sign up and he can only handle so many. DDD
 
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