POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Insurance, Benefits Programs & HIV => Topic started by: Coolio_7 on January 06, 2014, 11:04:59 pm
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Howdy
I have not posted here for a while. But I have been driving myself insane trying to figure out what to do. Perhaps someone can help me out with some advice and possible suggestions as I do not know where else to turn.
I currently get good health insurance through my employer. I have been undetectable for the last 2.5 years and so is my partner. However, my partner is currently unemployed and because of his HIV has developed severe anemia. He has no insurance and I cannot add him to my employer insurance here in Texas. Texas has refuse to extend the Medicaid program under the ACA so he cannot even get Medicaid. He has already been denied.
My partner had to be admitted to the hospital (kidney problems) a few days ago with no insurance (he has ADAP and a gold card but neither according to him is good enough to get the services he needs). He needs to get iron IV injections as the iron pills he has been taking is not helping his anemia. The hospital has refused to give him the injections. He feels his days are numbered and has fallen into depression, has trouble eating and can't even sleep. He has started hallucinating due to his severe lack of sleep. No matter how I tried to encourage him to sleep he would not sleep. He is at high risk of having acute renal failure in months if he doesn't get this anemia under control. He already complains of lower back pains due to his kidneys.
Is there anything that we can do so that he can at lets get started with these iron IV injections. I simply cannot pay for this out of pocket (from I have researched this can cost $500-$1,000! per infusion).
I cannot just sit here and allow him to give up on life and just die. He has lost all hope. I think we may have to move to a state that has expanded Medicaid so he can at least get coverage.
But are there any avenues here in Texas that might be able to help him? Please help! I'm crying as I am writing this. If this is posted in the wrong section, mods I apologize.
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Texas might not have expanded Medicaid but they still have the ACA. How much was insurance coverage through the ACA? Surely he would have qualified for a subsidy.
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Texas might not have expanded Medicaid but they still have the ACA. How much was insurance coverage through the ACA? Surely he would have qualified for a subsidy.
He is not working so he cannot pay the $200-400 per month. Because he has no income he does not qualify for a subsidy. I think he has to be making some percentage of the poverty level. We both tried to sign him up together, and it said he did not qualify. So if he were to get catastrophic coverage (a bronze plan) the deductible he'd have to meet would be too high ($4000- 6000) before the insurance even kicks in even with say a $216 premium per month. I think a catastrophic plan is definitely not ideal for persons with HIV.
The other option I have seriously thought about is to sign him up for a gold plan and I pay his premiums until he gets back on his feet. My employer currently pays 100% of my premiums. But my partner doesn't want me to help him like this. He just doesn't want my financial help. :( :(
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That's horrible and absurd. I don't suppose you have options to go somewhere with more reasonable medical insurance options or a state that expanded Medicaid?
I suppose he has tried to talk to a social worker or case worker at an ASO?
Why can't you add him to your insurance? What if you guys got married? I know it's not legal in Texas but if you went somewhere it was would your employer recognize it?
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That's horrible and absurd. I don't suppose you have options to go somewhere with more reasonable medical insurance options or a state that expanded Medicaid?
I suppose he has tried to talk to a social worker or case worker at an ASO?
Why can't you add him to your insurance? What if you guys got married? I know it's not legal in Texas but if you went somewhere it was would your employer recognize it?
I know it is absurd. Quite frankly I have thought about moving to another state where my employer has another office location. That state has legalized gay marriage and also expanded Medicaid. As it stands in Texas, I cannot add him to my insurance because he is not a dependent or my spouse (wife). I can't even use my FSA funds for any medical expenses he incurs (has to be my opposite sex spouse).
If my employer will allow him on my insurance even if I were to relocate to another office location, that is something I do not know about. Maybe someone else on the forum can speak to this.
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Hoping some one can chime in that experience with these issues. I'm understanding his frustration since he needs medical care without access to it.
best wishes
wolfie