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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> please help, no insurance
        
(Message started by: designgirl_usa on Dec 16^th, 2002, 12:16pm)

Title: please help, no insurance
Post by designgirl_usa on Dec 16^th, 2002, 12:16pm

I'm in a pretty terrible situation. I've been having awful headaches for about 4 months. Because I'm unemployed, i have no medical insurance. I went to my primary care doctor, who was no help. He wanted to hear what I thought the headaches were, according to what I found online. The nerve! He prescribed some muscle relaxers to help me sleep, but they made me very sick. I've been taking Excederin PM and Tylenol extra strength. But nothing works. I want someone to take a 2x4 and bash me on my head, put me out of my misery. It looks like there may be a job lining up for me soon, providing medical insurance. But I can't wait, I'm in misery. Is there anything I can buy over-the counter that can aliviate the pain? ???

Title: Re: please help, no insurance
Post by Bob_Johnson on Dec 16^th, 2002, 12:29pm

First, explore some of the information at the end of these comments.

Second, don't use over the counter pain meds more than 3x a week or you have the potential of creating rebound headaches, i.e., attacks caused by the meds. This can be a serious problem for cluster folks who have need for much med during a cycle.

Third, check with your local health department for no or low cost medical care. If they can see you, then print out some of the medical material (left side of the ch.com page) and take it with you on the first visit. You will likely need to educate them on the nature and treatment of cluster.

Fourth, call your local hospital and inquire about low or no cost health care clinics in the community. In some parts of the country private groups have established clinics. Also call your local United Way and ask them. Many UWs operate a referral information service.
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POTENTIAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE IF YOU HAVE LOST COVERAGE BECAUSE OF LOSS OF EMPLOYER COVERAGE.
Because obtaining coverage for preexisting conditions (CH) is usually difficult, impossible, and/or expensive, searching a variety of sources is often required. This is not a comprehensive list of sources but a few suggestioins copied from the Prostate Problems Mailing List (10/31/01).
1. Group coverage may be obtained through professional associations, school alumni associations, or fraternal organizations.
2. National Association for Socially Responsible Organizations, a nonprofit cooperative based in Wasington, D.C.. The group doesn't sell health insurance but it provides referrals to other groups which might be able to help find coverage. Phone, 800/638-8113; info@nasro-co-op.com
3. Working Today, an advocacy and service group representing all types of independent workers. 212/366-6066; working1@tiac.net; www.workingtoday.org.
4. Women, Inc. a Los Angeles based membership group for female entrepreneurs. 800/930-3993; womeninc@aol.com; www.womeninc.com.
5. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1966 (HIPAA) requires insurance companies to "convert" group health plans to an individual plan which covers the preexisting conditions which was covered when the person was in a group plan. The person must have used the COBRA benefit before using HIPAA. (You may have to call your state insurance office to get information/contacts.)
6. States often have risk pool programs which allow limited coverage for preexisting problems. You might start by looking at the Georgetown University web site mentioned above and/or calling your state insurance office.

Title: Re: please help, no insurance
Post by tanner on Dec 16^th, 2002, 4:17pm

the only things i will add to bobs excellent suggestions above are these. get yourself diagnosed by following bobs advice as quickly as possible. forget over the counter during the diagnosis period it may just throw off the doc you are seeing. (not all those guy's are that swift), and lastly go to the "O.U.C.H. website (link to left) look under the "cluster help tab" then the "resources" tab and then the "dealing with insurance" it's self explanatory from there and it really doesn't matter what type of ha's you have.

good luck! tim