Medicaid Application/Renewal Survivorship Anxiety
I am a 39-year-old cancer survivor, and due to my BRCA mutation, extensive family history, and the fact that my cancer was triple negative, my oncologist has me under observation for the foreseeable future.
I originally lived in Wisconsin, but moved to Texas in early 2019. I was transferred from the Wisconsin Well Woman program (a special Medicaid for women with breast or cervical cancer) to the Texas equivalent (MBCC).
When I got on the Texas program, I was literally never even asked about my income (it was very low anyway) and I have been asked to re-certify every six months. They always send a very basic form for me to fill out and my oncologist has to sign one that verifies that I am still under his care.
Since the states having everyone re-apply after the pandemic, I now have a huge packet to fill out that asks even how much is in my savings account and how much cash I have. I really don't feel comfortable with this. I can understand if I was an elder looking for long-term care, but I just want my cancer visits/treatments to be covered.
I have done a bit of research and from what I can tell, a person has to have under $2000 in assets (including savings, car, etc.). I do not have much, but (thankfully) I do have more than that, so I am afraid I will get kicked off. I think my income may be just barely too high as well.
I was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience lately. I am terrified of losing my insurance. I am really just breaking even with bills/food/gas and am working over 40 hours a week. There is no way I can afford health care and have no idea where to even start looking for insurance as my jobs are part time and freelance.
Any insight/experiences in this would be appreciated!
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I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. Our medical system is so messed up.
From a distance, my best advice would be to try to find a local social worker or social service agency that helps people navigate these things in your state. They may be able to help you manage your assets for medicare (some states permit certain special trusts or savings accounts) or find an affordable alternative - Obamacare is tied to income, for example, though I don't know what the status is in Texas.
Breast cancer has relatively more organizations providing support, both logistical and financial. Your cancer center may even have a social worker that you can see there, who could be really helpful for local resources.
Good luck!!
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I know this re applying for Medicaid is stressful. Here in Kentucky they do not count your primary vehicle against you. Hopefully that is your state also. Good luck!
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Rayna - You are in a real tight spot for sure, and I'm sorry. To be your age and in this mess is "just not fair"! I agree with the others, and that maybe you could find some sort of insurance via the Affordable Care Act/Obama care. I think you should try that first. Re Medicaid, the sad reality is that they don't let you keep much. In my state its about $2000.00 in the bank and then what they refer to as a "burial savings" which allows another $1500 in a separate account that can only be held for funeral arrangements to cover the cost of cremation, essentially; that account cannot be taken from or added to. I also think a personal vehicle is OK, as many I know who live in subsidized housing who receive Medicare and/or Medicaid also have cars. I also agree with the others that your cancer center likely has a social worker that can help you apply for Medicaid and/or counsel you initially about what they count and don't count in your state. I work in a related field, although I don't do the applications directly. I just work with a lot of people on Medicaid. Hospital and cancer center social workers do this all the time, and applying for benefits for people is a big part of their job, so I would suggest that you seek some counseling with a social worker at your cancer center, if you simply cannot do the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare insurance. Another option, depending on your situation, is to see if you can possibly apply for Medicare based on another person's record, e.g. a parent or spouse. That's a harder thing to do, and it usually only works for disabled adult children who were determined to be disabled prior to turning 21, but I think that sometimes being a dependent/disabled spouse can work too. Something to ask a social worker about. Again, I interface with this stuff with my work, but don't do it outright, so am not clear on all the ins and outs. Some can wind up with both Medicare and Medicaid and the combination does provide many more options. What about your own Social Security? Have you looked into whether or not you qualify for disability? If so, you would be eligible for Medicare and then again could possibly do the Medicare/Medicaid combo.
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Hi @rayna_666,
We're so sorry also that you're having such a difficult time navigating without insurance. We hope this info is helpful from our main Breastcancer.org site:
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