Insurance

I stopped at WalMart today, and there is a representative from Humana Medicare. I've been trying to catch him in, and today I fianlly caught him in. He agreed I should be eligiable for Medicare, in one way or the other. He gave me a 1-800 number forth SSA office. Then gave me his card, so when I get done talking with SS, he wants me to call him. So I will do that tomorrow and see where it goes. According to him, I should of been receiving benifits since 97.

Debra before you go signing up with any one Supplement Insurance to handle your Medicare, may I suggest you start going to all of the Seminars for every company offered in your area. I just switched from Humana Gold Plus/Medicare to WellCare/Medicare. Wellcare has ZERO co-pays this year as Humana has raised theirs. They paid for my RNY but we must look out for ourselses when it comes to living expenses. Are you on Social Security Disability now? As once granted SSD it still takes two years to get Medicare unless you meet special conditions. But in the mean time you may qualify for Medicaid with SSI. Let us know of your progress and if we can help with suggestions. Best Wishes.

Thanks for the info. That is good to know. All the different choices is enough to make a head spin, lol need to be a lawyer in order to understand it all. I am on SSI only. Which sucks. I just called Social Security the lady says, Well, you haven't WORKED long enough to to MEDICARE! I said, then how comes it says people on SSI is elegible after two years on your website? I've been on SSI sine 95 or 97. She said, no Mame, it's for only people who have WORKED long enough ONLY! Then I tried to get it through my ex, in which we was married for 24 years! She said, not until your 62! What do they expect of people that haven't worked long enough, due to a physical disablility? It's not like we could of prevented the dissability! I't not as though I am refussing to work! Then I could see them denying me. I think the SS office 800 number agent was the type that has her nose bit off to people on disablility, that only qualify for SSI. Hey it's not us that makes the rules! SSA is! Seems like the Humana agent, would of know I don't qualify for Medicare on SSI. I've talked with a few other disabled people on SSI and they say they get Medicare. Maybe the other people that get the Medicare don't understand the difference between SSI and SSD, and they have worked enough and are receiving SSD. OR Maybe it's there disability that qualifies them? It would be nice if they add more qualifying disabilities! Yes, I already receive Medicaid Medipass. and that is my problem. I was so in hopes to get some other insurance! For both my weight loss surgery, for more choices of surgeons, and to find one that take Medipass, abd so I have insurance when me BF and I head north for the summer. This past summer, I just took the chance and went up north with no coverage. Luckily everything was fine! I've received some email message from one of the new presidential canadaites, talking about universal healthcare. I have a notion to email him my thoughts and suggestions on it. I see a lot of ways to improve it for both sides. Not that it would do any good, but at least I'd be heard. Thanks so very much! Will keep you posted. I go to start pain management next week, maybe they know someone that will take my insurance. Only thing I don't think the gals in my PC's office understands how the thing works for to get approval for weight surgery. They said they thought it would be up to the surgeon to write Medicaid, not my PC. It is up to my prime care to write the approval letter isnt it, or can the surgeons office write it also or can the doctor at Pain Management write it? I'm thinking I might want to change prime care, if I can. My BF suggested we get married, so he could put me on his insurance. BUT I am gun shy and will remain SO. I've been there done that! Only once, but thats enough for awhile! So no WAY hose! Something's gotta come through sooner or later. Thanks for the help! Take care Deb

What you may want to do is to check into some of the other Medicaid HMOs. I believe there are other carriers besides medipass. Red

yeah, there are other Mediciad carriers or programs besides Medipass. Just it's confussing all the diffrent plans on which one is the best for me. I know there also is a change period. I need to contact them to find out more about it. I know theres the United Healthcare plan. Whatever the plan I have to make sure my doctors takes it.

I was told a similar thing when I was SSI that I hadn't worked enought past the age of 21...now I had worked since age 17 through when I filed for disability at age 23...but from age 20-23 was at a college as a student employee and they didn't pay into SS taxes...so my years of credit so far were only age 17-20 and they had the rule that I had to have x number of years worked between age 21 and age of disability and I was well darn me for trying to work as long as I did...in actuality I was disabled at age 17...weighing over 400lbs but still going out and trying to work part-time at Taco Bell and go to school. So I could only get SSI...never SSD...then I started working in 2004 and the lady actually told me oh keep this up and in x years you could get SSD I was like...ummm excuse me I just got myself off SSI and now you are telling me how soon I can get back on. They honestly do everything to keep you from getting on when you need it, and nothing to help you improve your situation to get off when you really want to try...it's a messed up system... Sarah

you got that right! I felt like saying to the lady I talked to at SS office, it's not my fault I can't work! I didn't ask to have degenerative disk disease! Like don't be knocking on me like its my fault I'm not working! I want to Work! One of the reasons they have on my disability approval papers was due to my weight. The Para legal I had said the weight I was then alone qualified me for disability! I am sure there are some people that would go on that solely, but not me. IF I didn't have such a time with my back and legs and didn't have the heart stuff, I'd still be working! I would never think of trying to get on SSI just because of my weight! And that is a tad embarrasing to have on my records, as one of the reasons amongst the others, I'm not working. Makes me feel like making a hole. I DO believe if I can get my weight down, that would take the pressure of of my back and my heart, and then maybe, just MAYBE I would be able to try to go to work some place or another. Even if the least I could work enough is part time. Then I could have some sort of pride, and I could say I work. Yeah, that does sound screwy telling you about getting back on when you just got off of SSI! Ya got that right, messed UP! They gripe cuz we are on it, then they tell ya about getting back on it. Same with the doctors not taking Medicaid! There are so many that don't take it, then you have doctors when ya talk about getting better so ya can work to get off of Mediciad, then they change there tunes, they think of things to keep one on it, to keep ya coming to them. Go figure!