Submitted by Pamela from Texas in response to “What Are Your Issues”.
What is your issue?: My boyfriend and I was in a motorcycle accident in December of 2008. Due to the accidnet he has a C6 injury. He is paralysed from the waise down. He was self employed and did not have medical insurance. We applied for Medicare and was told that he was getting to much money in Social Security for Medicare or SSI. They told him that he would have to wait 24 months before he could get Medicare. The County originally got him a hospital bed, wheel chair and lift. The Medical Supply Compan is threathing to come and get his equipment because the County will not pay for it anymore.
was your b/f in a PT hospital to help his recovery? if so, he should have been provided with a social worker. you need a social worker to help you get things rolling but apply for MEDICAID yesterday. medicaid is state-run and MEDICARE is a federal program w/ a ridiculous 2 yr waiting program for people under age 65. the christopher and dana reeve foundation is fighting this rule for spinal cord injury patients:C & D Foundation Advocacy.
he’s lucky that with a C6 injury he is paralyzed from the waist down and not the neck or shoulder area down. i’m a C6 and am paralyzed from my armpits down, more a T1 incomplete.
you say he has no health insurance; does he have any motorcycle insurance? is TX a “no-fault” state? was there another vehicle involved in your accident? can you sue the other driver or their insurance company? a lawyer will take your case w/o retainer if there is someone else to sue; the lawyer will take his/her cut from any $ won.
get in touch with your b/f’s county social services office. you can find them in your phone book.
good luck!
Hi, I know the frustration, I had a C3 spinal injury, no insurance. The state paid for 2 weeks in hospital and 6 weeks in rehab, then 4 more months of out patient therepy. Then my social security disability kicked in and I made too much money for medicaid. Told have to wait 2 years for medicare, but there is something called a-”Medicaid spend-down”, You apply for that at state medicaid office, most likely where one applies for food stamps. you have to get 3 times your income in medical bills, It is something like that-VERY CONFUSING to me.
It is CRAZY to me to have to wait 2 years to go back to therepy, I got a treadmill at home and my mom takes me to the local YMCA. I basically know the things I need to do, just got to do it, Go on line and get therepy exercises too, I am in Hot springs Arkansas, Would like to get disabled folks together in the same situation, we could all help each other with therepy.Plan on going to a rehab or nuseing home and volunteering to help people there, Hope I get to do it soon.
My accident was Oct 1,2008. Got SSI for 6 months, then SSD.
So May 2011 I’ll start to get Medicare I guess, You look like you start a few months after me,
In the mean time just keep moving, Don’t get depressed. I do and the week or so I lay in the bed makes it that much harder to get up and move, Get some exercise equipment to use at home, anything will do, just keep moving,
email me if you want to, I know the frustration-CRAZY,
sam
c3sam@yahoo.com