I feel like the floor has just dropped out from under me

logicalditz · Post by **logicalditz** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 12:07 pm

My husband lost his job Friday. They said he has insurance through the end of the month. We have Cigna PPO and will have access to cobra (if we can afford it). Does anyone know how bad this is going to screw me? Cigna paid for the sleep studies, but I am sure that the actual equipment will go towards deductable since my husband's insulin pump supplies does. I felt like everything was finally going to start getting better, now it feels like a train wreck. BTW he is our only source of income, I am a house wife. I just don't know what to do or expect.

pikov22 · Post by **pikov22** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 12:12 pm

logicalditz wrote:My husband lost his job Friday. They said he has insurance through the end of the month. We have Cigna PPO and will have access to cobra (if we can afford it). Does anyone know how bad this is going to screw me? Cigna paid for the sleep studies, but I am sure that the actual equipment will go towards deductable since my husband's insulin pump supplies does. I felt like everything was finally going to start getting better, now it feels like a train wreck. BTW he is our only source of income, I am a house wife. I just don't know what to do or expect.

Check your local/state government "jobs" office to see what training you can get.

My condolences on your situation. My son, my daughter and my son-in-law have all lost their jobs at some point in the past and were out of work for a significant amount of time. However, they are all working now, at appropriate jobs.

Sir NoddinOff · Post by **Sir NoddinOff** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 12:14 pm

I read about these things happening in the paper all the time and always am thankful it isn't me... at least for now. I don't know what to say to give you comfort, except that these are tough times and I hope you can put together something that will work for your family. Also, don't sell yourself short; being a housewife is a tough job with lots of things that you've had to learn; IMO you are probably better prepared for the 'real' world than a lot of so-called professionals I know.

HoseCrusher · Post by **HoseCrusher** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 12:18 pm

Sorry to hear this.

As far as your options on insurance go, a very reliable source of direction and information on how to survive during this transition into "Obama care" is

http://www.rubinhealth.com

You can send in an email and they will answer specific questions on Cobra and securing insurance during your transition.

quietmorning · Post by **quietmorning** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 12:27 pm

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Even as a home maker, you have skills, please don't discount them.

Check into medicaid in your area - it may not help until all other means are exhausted as they are the payer of last resort, but it may be the mit that will cover as both of you have substantial health issues.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 12:35 pm

Cobra is going to be expensive but it is the only way to stay covered now. Anything else will have some severe limitations until the implementation of however Obamacare is going to actually work for the individual in this situation.

I take it you don't have your equipment yet? Even if you keep the coverage with Cobra and if you have a high deductible it's going to be ugly to try to use it due to out of pocket costs before deductible is met. Do you know how close you are to having deductible being met? When the deductible is met what are your co pay requirements?
Time to do the math...if you can purchase something out of pocket without using insurance would it end up costing less than your copay and deductible requirements.

It can be done without going through insurance..the machine and equipment. Gently used low hour machine from some place like secondwind.com or craigslist.
Masks are a little more difficult because it is hard to know what will fit or what you will like but it can be done also.
Example....If you think you would be using a nasal pillow mask...I can help you out in that regard.

logicalditz · Post by **logicalditz** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 1:06 pm

Thanks everyone for the help, suggestions, and support. I really really appreciate it! Rubin health may just help a lot.

Pugsy, we have a 1500 ind/ 3000 fam deductible. My husband has only had to order pump supplies once this year so we only have about $500 taken care of. I don't know if they will require us to fulfill the entire $3000 or just the $1500 for me. My husband thinks it will be the $1500.

I picked the Swift FX nasal pillows size extra small for the titration study and the tech said I did extremely well with them, so I assume that I will be using nasal pillows.

ughwhatname · Post by **ughwhatname** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 1:19 pm

logicalditz wrote:Thanks everyone for the help, suggestions, and support. I really really appreciate it! Rubin health may just help a lot.

Pugsy, we have a 1500 ind/ 3000 fam deductible. My husband has only had to order pump supplies once this year so we only have about $500 taken care of. I don't know if they will require us to fulfill the entire $3000 or just the $1500 for me. My husband thinks it will be the $1500.

I picked the Swift FX nasal pillows size extra small for the titration study and the tech said I did extremely well with them, so I assume that I will be using nasal pillows.

On a standard PPO design, your $1,500 is per individual, with a family deductible of $3,000. This means that the cost toward the deductible for you is $1,500 which is what your husband is thinking. Between all members of the family who are covered, your out of pocket costs won't exceed $3,000 for the plan year. The cost to continue insurance through COBRA (which is a law, not an insurance policy) is the cost that his employer paid for the health insurance plus a 2% administrative fee.

I frequently hear, "COBRA is so expensive." The reality is that COBRA is just a right to continue on the company's plan for a set period of time. The cost is whatever the employer had negotiated with the insurer. Our PPO plan rates are quite high. I don't want to give you any figures because the only number you need is the actual cost from the COBRA administrator for his plan.

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 1:30 pm

Check your private message box. I think I can help out with the Swift FX.

STL Mark · Post by **STL Mark** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 2:30 pm

logicalditz wrote:Thanks everyone for the help, suggestions, and support. I really really appreciate it! Rubin health may just help a lot.

Pugsy, we have a 1500 ind/ 3000 fam deductible. My husband has only had to order pump supplies once this year so we only have about $500 taken care of. I don't know if they will require us to fulfill the entire $3000 or just the $1500 for me. My husband thinks it will be the $1500.

I picked the Swift FX nasal pillows size extra small for the titration study and the tech said I did extremely well with them, so I assume that I will be using nasal pillows.

Be sure to find out what your out of pocket numbers will be or how much of your $1500 will be used by the equipment your doctor prescribes. There are very few machines that would require that much and you can easily be taken advantage of by medical equipment providers. Consider letting us know what machine type is prescribed. You would be surprised how helpful the forum members here can be when someone is in need.

Catalytic · Post by **Catalytic** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 3:34 pm

If you can get your prescription, mcdover was selling some Icon APAPs with humidifier for around $100 or $125. He may have some left. Obviously not the ideal machine, but still very good and much better than nothing. I just got my Swift FX today, if I do not use the XS pillows, i would be happy to send them you way. I have to read the link about fitting that Pugsy gave me and then I'll know which size I need. The manual that came with it is less than helpful abouit fitting it, LOL

Sir NoddinOff · Post by **Sir NoddinOff** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 4:12 pm

I second the last few posts: STLmark and mcdover are totally standup guys and won't give you bad advice, plus they have some of the best deals on the internet. Note: I just picked up a nice supply of new ResMed Swift FX nasal pillows from an internet CPAP supplier at twelve bucks each... they paid shipping, plus the tax was included. You'll be really lucky if you can make the ResMed FXs work for you.

pikov22 · Post by **pikov22** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 7:25 pm

Sir NoddinOff wrote:I just picked up a nice supply of new ResMed Swift FX nasal pillows from an internet CPAP supplier at twelve bucks each... they paid shipping, plus the tax was included.

Who? Who?

codinqueen · Post by **codinqueen** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 8:18 pm

I am so sorry to hear about your misfortune. My hubby was laid off in 2009 and since he is 61 yrs old now, and "over-qualified" he is still unemployed. Thankfully I have a skill, and am able to work enough hours (50-60 A WEEK) to keep us "above water", but it is hard, we have no extra $$ for anything, & haven't been to a restaurant or bought clothing since he lost his job. if want Cobra, it needs to be purchased within so may days of hubby's separation from employment (I think 62 days for some reason), but you will need to check with them to see. Yes, It is expensive, but without it, you might have a 12-16 month waiting period to go through when you or hubby gets another job with group insurance, and personal insurance could be hard to get with your long-term health problems.Thankfully I have health insurance for us both through my employer. But we have actually "gone naked" without insurance many times in the past. You need to save money everywhere you can now. Check your local Food Pantry and churches to see if there is any food available to you, also see if you qualify for SNAP (food-stamps). I have always made too much by a few dollars, but maybe you will qualify. Check http://www.AngelMinistries.com to see if they have any distribution areas in your locality, the food is less expensive than buying at the grocery store, and some of it is actually better-tasting than what you can buy in a grocery store. Also keep an eye on Craigslist for an inexpensive CPAP(meet the seller in a public place that has electricity so you can see if it runs, or if it smells like tobacco smoke or anything). Check with family and friends to see if anybody you know has a CPAP machine sitting in a closet, unused. Some people are very private about sleep apnea and their needing a CPAP machine, & many don't put forth the effort to get used to CPAP for their health and well-being and many people abandon their machines without telling anybody about it after a few days. If you have medicine prescriptions, try to fill them at WalMart with generics that are on the $4/month or $10/3 months list. Some other pharmacies are now offering the WalMart generic price for a month or 3 months, to stay competitive, so call around and threaten to go to their competition to save some money. See if your Dr has samples of meds he would give you for medicine. Also, a few years ago K-Mart had a program where if a person could prove unemployment, they were discounting purchases by 20% I think.I don't know if this still applies, since the economy has not improved much, and many K-Marts have actually closed down in the past 2 years. Clip and use coupons, especially at the double coupon stores if you have any in your area. Check into any local church-run or volunteer-run free clinics, and maybe some of them have a CPAP machine, and can provide your medical care. Many of them do provide certain prescriptions free. If you belong to AAA they have a discount prescription program that was available some years ago, if you are a member check to see if it is still available. Have a yard sale or sell on E-bay (be careful to state what your price is with shipping in the continental USA. Many years ago my hubby sold a book to a guy in Canada and the shipping cost more than hubby sold it for! Seller beware! Be sure your product price indicates if shipping is included and to where, and to have customers request shipping prices for out of continental USA. If you have magazine subscriptions, cancel them and ask for refund of what has not been shipped.

Please PM me for any more suggestions. This post has got to be too long now! Good luck to you & your hubby in his job search.

Catalytic · Post by **Catalytic** » Sat Mar 16, 2013 10:30 pm

codinqueen wrote:I am so sorry to hear about your misfortune. My hubby was laid off in 2009 and since he is 61 yrs old now, and "over-qualified" he is still unemployed. Thankfully I have a skill, and am able to work enough hours (50-60 A WEEK) to keep us "above water", but it is hard, we have no extra $$ for anything, & haven't been to a restaurant or bought clothing since he lost his job. if want Cobra, it needs to be purchased within so may days of hubby's separation from employment (I think 62 days for some reason), but you will need to check with them to see. Yes, It is expensive, but without it, you might have a 12-16 month waiting period to go through when you or hubby gets another job with group insurance, and personal insurance could be hard to get with your long-term health problems.Thankfully I have health insurance for us both through my employer. But we have actually "gone naked" without insurance many times in the past. You need to save money everywhere you can now. Check your local Food Pantry and churches to see if there is any food available to you, also see if you qualify for SNAP (food-stamps). I have always made too much by a few dollars, but maybe you will qualify. Check http://www.AngelMinistries.com to see if they have any distribution areas in your locality, the food is less expensive than buying at the grocery store, and some of it is actually better-tasting than what you can buy in a grocery store. Also keep an eye on Craigslist for an inexpensive CPAP(meet the seller in a public place that has electricity so you can see if it runs, or if it smells like tobacco smoke or anything). Check with family and friends to see if anybody you know has a CPAP machine sitting in a closet, unused. Some people are very private about sleep apnea and their needing a CPAP machine, & many don't put forth the effort to get used to CPAP for their health and well-being and many people abandon their machines without telling anybody about it after a few days. If you have medicine prescriptions, try to fill them at WalMart with generics that are on the $4/month or $10/3 months list. Some other pharmacies are now offering the WalMart generic price for a month or 3 months, to stay competitive, so call around and threaten to go to their competition to save some money. See if your Dr has samples of meds he would give you for medicine. Also, a few years ago K-Mart had a program where if a person could prove unemployment, they were discounting purchases by 20% I think.I don't know if this still applies, since the economy has not improved much, and many K-Marts have actually closed down in the past 2 years. Clip and use coupons, especially at the double coupon stores if you have any in your area. Check into any local church-run or volunteer-run free clinics, and maybe some of them have a CPAP machine, and can provide your medical care. Many of them do provide certain prescriptions free. If you belong to AAA they have a discount prescription program that was available some years ago, if you are a member check to see if it is still available. Have a yard sale or sell on E-bay (be careful to state what your price is with shipping in the continental USA. Many years ago my hubby sold a book to a guy in Canada and the shipping cost more than hubby sold it for! Seller beware! Be sure your product price indicates if shipping is included and to where, and to have customers request shipping prices for out of continental USA. If you have magazine subscriptions, cancel them and ask for refund of what has not been shipped.

Please PM me for any more suggestions. This post has got to be too long now! Good luck to you & your hubby in his job search.

If you have more suggestions, I'd love it if you'd post them here. You never know who else might be in this situation and may need the advice.

logicalditz, I will not be using my XS (brand new, I got them today) Swift FX for Her pillows. If you would like them (free), send me a PM with your address. I know times will get tough(er) now, but please, please, please...you NEED to take care of yourself, particularly if you are going to go to work. Figuring out how to get a machine should be your top priority right now, IMO, because without it, working is just going to run you into the ground even more. (And yes, I only started on mine 4 days ago, but I can tell a difference already. Not a huge one, but I definitely wake up less tired than I used to. If I am correct and I have had OSA my entire life, I imagine it will take a while to work off the sleep debt I have accumulated, so I expect how I feel will only get better.) If you are a smoker, I *may* have a machine for you, but ONLY if you are a smoker. It was used by a smoker, in a house with two heavy smokers. My aunt says it smells horribly of smoke. I have no idea how long it was used, how old it is, or what kind it is. I can say the person who used it doesn't have any communicable diseases!

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=83637&st=0&sk=t&sd= ... 15#p797551 This is the post where mcdover has the machines for sale for $100. Mine was $120 shipped, so you being in TX also will probably be about the same. He has a lot of good feedback on the forums if you search his screenname. My machine hasn't arrived yet, but it's only been 3 days. Someone said the machine they purchased came with a hose, which would only leave you needing a mask. https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... chine.html is the machine, I think. And my mistake, Pugsy says this machine is full efficacy machine, which is fantastic, IMO. With the data it will provide to SleepyHead, forum members here can help with a lot of issues if you post the data for them. If mcdover is out of the machines, and you want to buy one, I'll be happy to sell you the one I bought...I bought it for a backup/travel machine, and I can get another one at a later date.

Some money saving tips for pillows:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=86708
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=74686
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=87547&p=799889&hili ... ng#p799877
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=85348&p=776302&hili ... ng#p776299

I feel like the floor has just dropped out from under me

I feel like the floor has just dropped out from under me

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