I’m depressed by my options for health insurance and by the comments made on it by other people.
I’ve been living with my disability since my 20s and as of today it sucks and waiting to see how fast my disability will progress is becoming more expensive. Let’s get this out of the way I never had an employer long enough to be eligible for their health insurance coverage and my Canadian CPP / CPP -disability (Canadian pension plan / Canadian pension plan disability) is about $30 a month so applying for CPP/CPP disability was never a thought.
ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program) the province social assistance disability income support and health benefits is $1,512.15 a month for income support and as long as I’m eligible I will have access to their health benefits for (some prescriptions, some dental and some vision) it does not include supplements I need based on lab test results my doctors order, chiropractor, massage therapist, psychotherapist.) Typically I get on a waiting list for counselling that’s 6 months to 2 years long. Paying out of pocket is some prescriptions, supplements, chiropractor, massage therapist, dietician, weight loss clinics. Any time my doctors wants to review my blood work I panic, my primary insurance is ODSP they do not cover the on-going progress of my health condition 100% of the time they cover about 60% if you need a number. Recently I got prescribed eye drops $270 and Vitamin D pills for 3 months $16.80 I recently asked my 25.99% interest rate store credit card for a credit limit increase $500 to $1,500 yippie.
I also started calling around to private insurance company to see what they could offer me I’m someone who has no employer with a health benefits package. I’m left with government coverage or pay out of pocket medical expenses.
The Canadian Disability Tax Credit only lowers my taxable income in the current year I’m eligible it has nothing to do with the day to day medical cost. I got hit hard with the reality my highest expenses is disability medical expenses and housing cost then food because my doctor keeps suggesting things to add to my diet to increase the levels that show on the blood test results.
What if you get an employer with coverage I live with a permanent disability that is majority funded by the government for my basic prescription, dental and vision and I already jump through hoops trying to navigate the system for my pre-existing conditions (multiple sclerosis and bipolar / depression) I’ve been living with since 2004. I’ve posted about this in a few places it is extremely emotional for me some details might be left out .
@MinnieCRiley , I hear you. I am functioning well enough with my ailments that I don’t qualify for disability. I’m in Nova Scotia. I haven’t had a real career or worked outside the home for over 30 years. I do my art thing and try to make it pay for itself, which is a year to year thing. I have a private health care plan, but it costs more than I would spend in a year. Hubby and I keep it for the unexpected.
Things we did to save money in health care:
be proactive. I also have a mental health diagnosis. I discovered Mary Ellen Copeland and WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan). I developed my own WRAP based on her video and book.
I also watched a video by Monkey See Productions out of Australia on Schizophrenia (not my diagnosis) that mentioned contracts. I set one up for Hubby and I to sign. Basically if I am doing 3 out 5 of “x”, and I’m showing no signs of helping myself by doing something on my list of “y”, and I appear to be having difficulties functioning, he has permission to confront me and take me to the doctor. BUT he must sit in on the appointment to hear everything that’s being said, so we’re all on the same page. I review it every year and we sign a new copy.
This serves a few purposes. One, it puts boundaries on his excessive need for control. Two, it keeps communication open between us. And three, having him sit in on appointments has been excellent for the doctors to see the couple dynamics and help me deal with him when I need to…or vice versa.
money for meds - ask your pharmacist if there are generics you can use for anything. I have a feeling you’ve done this. I didn’t figure it out until two years ago. If you haven’t done this, make sure they know you are struggling to pay for meds. They may have other options for you. At least try to get prescriptions for 3 months at a time, if you can afford it, to reduce the prescription fee you pay every time you get a prescription filled.
check YouTube and Mayo Clinic and WebMD for information on your conditions and how you can help yourself. Bipolar Warrior is a good YouTube channel out there. Also for physiotherapy, check the YouTube channel Bob and Brad. There are different types of exercise channels geared at different levels of ability. If you have a good exercise routine sometimes you won’t need the chiropractor or massage therapist…depending on your individual issues.
Speak to your doctors. Let them know your pockets aren’t full of gold. You’re having trouble affording all their treatment suggestions. Ask them to prioritize them for you. They may be able to give you med samples for instance. In my case I received a particular med for free because I agreed to go into a medical study.
Hang in there! You got this! Deal with the issues one at a time. If you look at the big picture all at once it’s easy to get overwhelmed and depressed. I know. I’m guilty of that.
Right now I have wrecked my hip muscle, my hip joint and have a bad lower back. I have been using Bob & Brad YouTube videos for hip muscle exercises and after a week it’s already feeling better. Next up is to work on the lower back, which is going to be tough. I don’t think I can do anything about the hip joint pain, but I haven’t researched that yet. One thing at a time.
Here is an update I’m going to post it first then read your reply
I just had a consultant call with an insurance advisor from policy advisor or policy me Canadian companies.
I’m happy to say they’ve found a plan for critical illness for me and it’s affordable !
Less than $100 a month and it won’t change unless they change the entire coverage demographic.
When it comes to private health insurance health, dental, vision etc. Max I might be covered is $2,500 a year but I feel good knowing I can get some coverage.
I will need to increase my savings to cover the rest. I’m thinking $5,000 a year, I’m currently still eligible for ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program) and the EAP (exceptional access drug program)
I’m basically giving my a living self-insurance / private coverage living benefit. With how things are adding up I really might stay single and childfree forever.
Good thing ODSP covers my burial cost and I need to fill out the forms to donate my body to science and I think my current savings could cover cremation and a nice dinner for the loved ones.#Canadian#disability#insurance
I’ve just accepted taking care of my disability and possible new conditions due to medication side effects is something I need to stay on top of. ODSP coverage is limited so it’s up to me to pick up the slack, even if I reach out to my doctors it is me reaching out to my doctors. There is no way telling me I need to see them or I’m bringing you to emergency.
Years ago my neighbours found me naked in the hallway and if I couldn’t speak for myself who knows what would have happened.
It sounds like you’re doing all you can. Congrats on the new insurance! That’s a really good deal! At least from my perspective. We pay 3x that for two of us…and we don’t have near the coverage!
It’s the wild west out there living with a disability, working and hoping to gain some financial stability.
MANY of the world does not understand the challenges you face if you are born or become disabled in life and if you are in a country with “free” health care they really think everything is provided and I wanna laugh and shake at them.
So the prescription health & dental insurance coverage some quoted me as high as $2,500 a year their 80-90% coverage and some are less $500 a year.
Then I filled out my info on www.policyadvisor.com and spoke with a gentlemen and he broke down my option for critical illness insurance so I won’t be covered for having multiple sclerosis but I could be covered for a new condition after 2 years that is caused by medication side effects he worded it differently that’s how I understood it.
I could get $50,000 coverage payout … it’s a whole new world of language and legal terms and he said this plan increases it every few years by 5% I thought I wouldn’t get any coverage.
and upset I didn’t get coverage when I only bipolar disorder I could have been covered for my MS diagnosis if I had known before 2013.
So I’m planning in the future budgets $300 a month for coverage and it looks like it would be two providers as this critical insurance coverages offers health and dental from the company I spoke with that offers $500 a year and not $2,500 a year on prescriptions.
