I don't have health insurance and I don't know what to do. Suggestions?
I am a full-time graduate student. On 12/31 I was kicked off my health insurance through my parent for age-related reasons. I applied for the affordable care act, who denied me for having an income that’s too low, as I don’t work. My state has expanded medicaid so I applied for that, and was also denied as my income is too high (I worked through August). I can apply for my school’s health insurance, but it’s quite expensive and will use up the last of my loan money that I need to live off on. It costs about $220 a month.
To add more fun to the pot, I have to get a hepatitis B vaccination by ½8 or I won’t be allowed in the clinic, which will delay my graduation. I don’t know what to do.
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15 Answers
Can your parents help at all??
Can you see some sort of a guidance counsellor through your school might help?
Now isn’t it great to be the last industrialized nation on earth not to have universal health care, but your health care system with the help of the conservatives have convinced most people that universal health care that everyone can afford is going to turn the US into a communist state.( could never figure that one out) Hope you find the answer your looking for.
I would say that you should definitely appeal to your parent(s). Explain to them that without their help, your graduation may be delayed. If they’re concerned about being paid back (though… I kind of hope not, unless they’re also hurting financially), tell them that you’ll do your best to pay them back in installments when you can.
It’s kind of a huge deal to be able to graduate and to be able to do so on time, so I hope that your parent(s) would be understanding?
I’m guessing the vaccination would cost less than the monthly premium for insurance that was qouted to you. Can you at least cover that for now and then worry about the insurance?
I’m also without insurance because we can’t afford the premium. Affordable health care is a joke.
Wow. You just crashed through the cracks, didn’t you. I am so sorry.
How much money are you needing? Also, do they have any income based clinics around there?
I agree with @Dutchess_III: Look for a local clinic with sliding scale fees. See if your parents can help (@jonsblond‘s suggestion).
I believe the intent is for the expanded state medicaid line to match the cut off for national subsidies, they actually overlap a bit. (see here)
So you shouldn’t be able to fall between them, at least that’s the intent. Not saying I know your situation better than you, but maybe something to follow up on?
Your school will probably help with the vaccination if it’s required, or at least have a list of resources nearby. Maybe worth a visit to the offices?
I wonder what the penalties are if you don’t have insurance and wind up needing health care?
I would see if you can get an inexpensive Hep B vaccination from planned parenthood if you can’t get one at the university. Do you need it because you will be working as a health care worker at the university? If so they should give it to you for free in my opinion. I don’t think of the Hep B series as a requirement to attend school. It’s not like measles.
I’m surprised you don’t get basic health care at your university as a full time student. I’m pretty sure I had some sort if coverage? I don’t remember? Maybe I was still covered under my parents’ policy? I definitely used the student health facility a few times.
Did you check into just getting catastrophic insurance coverage? Basically, an extremely high deductible.
Are you over 26 years old? That’s the new limit.
The consequences, @JLeslie, can be that you wind up with a quarter of a million in medical bills (as I did) and you file bankruptcy. I had good insurance, so I only had to pay $1,900. Have about $700 to go to get it paid up.
Please let us know the outcome. I still want to know how much a HepB vaccination costs. You know, they do cut the cost for the uninsured.
Contact your local health dept. They should be able to help you get assistance from the county/state.
@Dutchess_III I thought obamacare was supposed to be helping in some way with that sort of thing?
It’s horrific to me people go into financial ruin from medical bills.
I just googled a little and I read the series costs $75—$165. That’s all three shots.
Some people are going to fall through the cracks. Her state expanded it’s Medicare, but denied her because she makes too much. According to this link the poverty level for a single person is about $10,800 a year.
But she doesn’t make enough to afford getting it through the co-op thingy. No one could on $11,00 a year. I’ve been stuck there right in the middle before.
If I were her, I’d really follow up to see what other options she has under the Affordable Care Act. Get on the horn and talk to someone.
Yeah. I confuse the two.
At any rate, please let us know how it comes out. Wish I was still working. I’d help.
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