Having a hard time --long term survivor and for what?????

[pozhealthy]

I am HIV pos and owe a lot of money in student loans after being forced out of dental school and i was not able to finish.
Anyone else in a similare situation?
My student loan payment of $700 is the first and most important bill I must pay each month. If i don't , i lose my job and my health care benefits. The were turned over to the USDepartment of Justice. I am really supposed to be paying closer to 1400 per month but negotiated for this for now.
It does not matter to them that I am unable to pay for my medications now.
Guess they would rather get out of me what they can and let me die.
There is NO bankruptcy protection for student loans.
And thoughts?
I have tried various lawyers and the AID Law Project in Philadelphia but they cannot help.
I am beyond depressed and must move soon, But where do you go for $400 per month,
anythoughts?

[jkinatl2]

First off, get your loans deferred.

Second, if they have been deferred, get a forebearance.

Third, if you are disabled, get a letter of permanent disability from your doctor.

Fourth, if you were indeed kicked/forced out of your school because of your HIV status and have written proof of this, your loans can be discharged. Not only does the ADA come into place, but being charged for a service which you are going to be incapable of doing (if indeed dentistry is beyond the pervue of the HIV Positive) then your schooling was for naught, and your loans should be dismissed accordingly.

I am no lawyer, but it seems that you have been given some poor advice on how to handle this. Between forebearances and Deferrments, you ought to buy several years before going to court becomes an issue. And sometimes, student loans, under extraordinary situations (and I would think yours qualifies, if indeed you were declared ineligible due to your HIV status) are NOT exempt from bankruptcy.

You should not have to choose between meds and payments. Ever. CALL the student loan people. MAINTAIN contact. Under NO circumstances ignore or avoid them. They will work with you.



Fifth,

[Robert]

There is NO bankruptcy protection for student loans.

That's not necessarily true.  Take a look at this thread....
Student Loans.. Our friend JR posted this back at the beginning of the month.  I guess it has to do with permanent disability but it still might be applicable.

Good luck.

robert

[mecch]

Do not forgo treatment to pay for souldestroying old debt. It sounds like a recipe for disaster physically and emotionally.

Someone here wrote all kinds of helpful suggestions about how to fight for your integrity. 

But, something is strange about your request in that there are not much details.  For instance - you interrupted your medicine? Or someone else is now paying for it? Or you don't know if you need medicine but you fear that if you did, you couldn't pay for it???  Each is so different a situation..

You really seem to want advice, but how could anyone on this chat - strangers - give you much advice on such specific situations without the specific details?

I'd say be more active about asking professional people in your life, who are involved in these problems, to help solve these complicated problems.  Maybe a social worker or HIV case worker could help you sort it out? You seem overwhelmed and vulnerable.

Or maybe, if NOTHING can be solved, you could just skip town, like in one of those old b&w movies. I guess its a pipedream but... wouldn't it be nice.. 

When NYC started treating me like an disposable human being, I left the USA for good and never regretted it.

[sharkdiver]

I know you have posted this a couple times before.

I am sorry you are continuing to struggle with this.

Hang in there

[pozhealthy]

I have had to skip my meds because i need to eat, pay for gas,living expenses and other things. I have contacted every agency I can think of including many lawyers. You have to pay. If i don't they take away my professional license ( i am in healthcare and make decent money but not enough to cover everything---my HIV med copays are $100 each). I have been search for YEARS on how to pay for everything. My option was to go off my meds. I "make too much money" to qualify for ADAP but if I take a different job that pays less I still cannot pay for my meds. Its catch 22 no matter how I look at it. I don;t go on vacations or out to eat except of rare occasions). I shop at salvation army for my clothes. I don't have a gym membership. I am sick of eating rice and ramen noodles. My car has 110,000 miles on it and i just spent $900 on repairs. Unfortunately jobs that pay $100,000 a year are hard to come by. I pay $700 towards my loans since i cannot afford anymore (temporary arrangement) when i should be paying around 1200 per month. This amount goes towards interest not principal so the amount I owe does not go down it actually goes up! every month.
My one set of loans was turned over to the US Dept of Justice if you can believe that. I cannot defer or forbear the loans.
I cannot figure  a way out of this. I have asked to have the interest reduced or the amount I owe reduced and this was refused.
There really is no way out.
What specifics do you need to know exactly.

[pozhealthy]

I have been off my meds for 2 years and now my viral load is at a point that i need to go back on. If i do, how do i put gas in my car? I spend $300-400 on gas. My credit rating is shot so its hard to find a place to live ( i have been denied many times). Currently living with relatives that are moving so where do I go now? I live in an area that pays the most for what i do.
I cannot sue the dental school since the statute of limitations has passed.
Arrrgggh!