Health Care

[Triesault]

Hey Diabetes Forums.
I'm 18 and I have been living with type 1 diabetes for two years. I have had my insulin pump for almost a year now and I'm loving it!
Up until now I have been covered under my parents US medicaid plan. Unfortunately, I just found out that I will no longer be covered under my parents medicaid when I turn 19. My parents have also left it up to me to find a new way to pay for everything myself, including doctors visits, pump supplies, testing supplies, and insulin. I really have no idea where to even start looking or what route I should take. Should I try to find a private insurance company or should I try to find a place to buy cheap insulin?

Sorry if this is not a good place to ask but I had no idea where to go. Any suggestions?

[Keezheekoni]

The best thing you can do is to find a job with benefits. If you have no experience, try for a job at Starbucks. They give benefits for part-time employees (especially good if you are going to college).

It sounds as though your parents are on state aid for one reason or another. Unfortunately for any child in your position they really can't keep you on their plan (unless you have some sort of disability, and diabetes isn't a qualification). It sounds mean, but I hope that you are going to college and will get a job to learn how to support yourself. :) Even though my kids aren't in your position, they do know that when they turn 18 they'd better have a job *and* be in college or they get kicked out of our house. Yes, we are able to keep them on our insurance, but they aren't getting away with mom and dad paying for college completely. :T

[Nightwatchman]

I was already working at a job with health insurance before I was diagnosed thankfully.
I'm 22 now and I can't fathom the idea of how screwed I would be without health insurance. You live in a fairly big city so my suggestion to you is to look for a job at UPS or FedEx, both of them provide insurance to all their employees although fedex takes a bit longer to attain them. UPS takes something like 90 days if I recall.
The job itself is a tough one, but if you can stick with it, it won't be too hard, plus maintaining your health benefits will surely provide some motivation :) Plus it's a good way to lose weight and build muscle if you wouldn't mind any of that.

Let me know in a PM or whatever if you have any questions.

[Mich]

Hi Triesault,

Another choice is to find a job with a school system. Both Certificated and Classified employees are covered, although like everywhere, part time work only pays part of insurance and you must pay the rest.

Colleges used to have health services for minor things, but they didn't cover insulin. My friends used to bring me insulin from Mexico when I was in college. I re-used a lot of needles in those days. Perhaps a call to various drug and pump companies would turn up some assistance programs.

Sorry about the reality, but there is no cruising time for diabetics. You grow up fast and get responsible quickly just to survive.

One really good thing is that now there is this forum, a great resource that I could have used back when...

Hang in there!
Mich

[art]

Call the State health department.
They should be able to help.

Art

[Triesault]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I'm a full time student at Texas Tech University majoring Engineering Physics and I also work part time as a Geek Squad agent. Best Buy only provides health care for full time employees and going to school and working full time would kill my grades.

I do not want to find another job because I love my work, it pay extremely well and they work with my school schedule.

I'll call the state health department tomorrow. Any other suggestions would be great.

[xMenace]

Any other suggestions would be great.

Move to Sweden ;) Ya!

[Keezheekoni]

Does your school not offer some form of health insurance? When I went to GA Tech they did. You had to use the university health services, but it did cover meds and visits. Try looking into that maybe?

The only other thing I would suggest is the Starbucks thing again, since they do work with school schedules as well as offer benefits for part timers. Maybe see if the university offers positions for students that give benefits too?

[wilbzbooboo]

How about if you apply for medicaid too! You'd probably get it! Find out where your parents get it.Tell your parents they need to slowly ween you off the help and not cut you off completely,just carry you while you go through the process.Let them give you time to solve your problem! JERRY

[kstreeter513]

When I moved out of my parents house I did not have a job with benefits right away and had to go on Medicaid/Medicare (whichever one is not for old people) for a while. I felt really greatful to have it. I was dirt poor, and a student like you. I remember digging change out of the couch a couple times just to buy a loaf of bread. It kinda hurt my pride to go to the gov't for help, but hey you gotta survive right? Anyway, a vial of humalog only cost $2.00 a bottle with gov't insurance. I believe the plan I was on was called the "A+" plan. Something like that. It was great. I don't know about pump supplies because I was fortunate enough to get a job with benefits before my supplies ran out. Wish I could help more.