Help! Hubby Needs Surgery and We Don't Have Health Insurance! Now What?

I agree with you with our system.

Have you tried the U of M? They have programs to help. BUT these are med. students who will be performing.

Just a thought.

Hi C.,

At this point, really all you can do is tell your hospital and doctor that you do not have insurance. They may be able to put you on a sliding scale fee, or perhaps refer you to a hospital that can. They may also have ways of keeping the cost low, for example giving him his post-op meds as free samples vs. a prescription.

I don't know what hospital you're currently going to, but if it's a private hospital, don't expect any sympathy from them. I know some uninsured people who have received care at HCMC, and were treated decently and fairly.

You could also google "public health" and your county, to see what resources come up.

Do submit your bills if you qualify for MN Care, and keep pressing them until you get a firm "yes" or "no".

If nothing else, if a percentage of your income goes towards medical expenses, you can claim the amount on your taxes. I believe it's 7%, but do check w/your tax preparer.

C.-
I dont know if this will help or not but my sister just went to Aflac and they helped her big time with doctor bills that normal insurace companys and believe me i know how messed up it is good luck and my thoughts and prayers are with you all.
K.

I don't have any answers for you financially, but I just wanted to say he is going to need as much help from you as possible. I just had surgery on my foot and leg three weeks ago, it's very painful, and whenever the kids accidently brush up against it, it makes me scream a very loud shreiking scream and cry like I never have before. You can't inmagine how painful it is. I have one more week to go before I start physical therapy in the pool. I'm really dreading that. My husband has done all the laundry since I can't get downstairs, all the cleaning and cooking too (which he does anyway:) I don't know what I would have done with out him. If he has to use a walker afterwards, make sure the kids pick up all their toys. My son left a small lego on the floor, I didn't see it and stepped right on it. It was incredibly painful, they're very careful to pick up all their toys now.

I have to agree with you too on the whole system being so messed up. I have a 41 yr old cousin who has never worked a day in his life. There is no reason he can't work, just plain lazy. He just mooches off family (not me) and friends. He's in the hospital every month for 1-2 weeks at a time (I'm not exaggerating either). He has no insurance, so it's all of us as tax payers who pay his bills. It's a shame he can use this and gets away with it, but someone like your husband is told he has to wait and they probably won't pay anyway. What a screwed up system we have, huh.

Most hospitals have their own financial aid program for those who qualify. Check into that with the hospital he will be going to. They will also work on setting up a payment plan for you. Good luck!

And~ press forward with the MN Care. The gentleman that I talked to said they went back 3 months, just like with the aid. Maybe you caught the guy on a bad day, but really check into it. Maybe ask to speak to someone else next time!

Look into the hospital's financial aide programs. We were surprised to find out that we qualified for the Allina Partners Care program after my daughter was born - and now they are paying all of our bills (past and for the next year!) for any Allina Hospital or clinic - and we have insurance! Look into it - I believe their criteria is 150% over the poverty line? I know they also accept you if you have ma/mncare and they pay the amounts after your insurance pays their share.

I actually only applied as a delaying tactic while I tried to come up with the money for my c-section, I knew we were right on the line for qualifying - but I was SO HAPPY when we were accepted! It was such a relief! I didn't know how I was going to pay those bills when we were already having trouble paying the rest of our bills!

Good Luck

Hi C.,

I had to be on MA when my daughter was born due to my Husband and I being laid off a month apart!! My advice to you is to call back. I probably had to call a dozen times for different things while I was on it and sometimes you get crabby pants people who aren't willing to help (why are you working there then???) and other times you get people who are willing to go above and beyond to help you out.

Also my sister needed her appendix out, she had no insurance...it was emergency surgery. So she applied after the fact and they paid for everything. Not sure if they paid after just because it was emergency and also life or death?

Keep trying! Good Luck!
~A.

You don't say which church he works for...but perhaps check with Catholic Charities or Lutheran Social Services to see what options might be available through these non-profit social service agencies. Both are very networked and can maybe pull strings or put you in the right direction for medical assistance.

For numbers and contact information in your area just yahoo Catholic Charities or Lutheran Social Services...your husband's church might even have contacts as well.

Contact the billing department for the hospital. They will aleast be able to work out a payment plan for you. Do you belong to a church? Often churches will collect funds to help in these situations.

if you have a rejection letter from MN care, I think you automatically qualify for Medical Assistance insurance through the state. Go down or call Human Services at your county- they can back date insurance for 3 months since the time of application (that's how it was for us).
Also, a lot of hospitals and clinics if you tell them they can put you on a payment plan, or cover some of the bill if you apply and are accepted for financial aid from that particular office/facility.
Good luck with the surgery. I know you didn't ask, but Arnica is a homeopathic remedy that can REALLLLY help with pain, swelling and speed up body repair time- you can use it WITH any kind of pain killers they give you. Find it at Lunds, maybe Cub organic section? definitely your local whole foods or coop. It looks like a little sugar candy- and works great.