Basejumper.com - archive

Turned down for Medicare as I'm not income qualified. Can't afford insurance or the several thousand it will take to get the plate and screws that I need.

Anyone else busted themselves up and found a way to get their surgery without insurance?

After dealing with this for a month it seems unlikely, but I figure it's worth a shot....

why do you need surgery? usually when you get busted up they fix you right away and bill you later. Is yours not critical?

you could always get insurance, (suck it up, sell your gear or ditch your cell phone/cable bill,) wait 6 months then go to a dr and complain of serious pain.

be careful, did a doctor already see you and tell you that you need surgery? If so its documented somewhere and if the insurance company finds out that the injury happened before you were covered you're gonna get stuck footing the bill anyways. I'm sure there are ways around this just would hate to see you get insurance just to get stuck with the bill anyway. Best of luck

edit- did you apply for medicare or medicaid? Medicaid is for low income while Medicare is reserved for those over 60 or 65 and very specific medical conditions (injuries are not one of them)

Broke my wrist on a jump (bad landing). ER splinted it and gave recommendation to see specialist. Specialist was not interested in making appointment if I did not have Ins or cash in hand. Found a community health center 4 weeks later. They said surgery is most definatly to be expected... They recommended me to specialists.... Same song and dance.

At this point I could care less If I get "stuck" with the bills. I just want surgery asap as the last dr kept talking about the risks if vascular necrosis.

Medicaid.

Ins fraud is my best option?

Ins fraud is my best option?

That sucks. What do you do for work? Why don't you have insurance?

Base jumping without health insurance (in the USA) is just asking for trouble, be it a permanent injury which you might end up with or a medical bankruptcy.

You can still apply for insurance, there are programs in most states for people with pre-existing conditions... You usually have to wait 6 months once you get the insurance to actually do anything about your pre-existing condition. That or wait to 2014 when the new health insurance laws take effect and they cannot deny you. Then thank Obama.

I was in banking. Insurance ran out four days before I broke myself. Now I'm working to become a rigger ( read broke ). Can't afford the cobra insurance right now, but the damage has been done so I've kind of resigned myself to not getting surgery for some time.

I agree. In the US people should really thing long and hard before jumping without insurance. I was under the impression everyone received treatment regardless of insurance status and the debate was over people not paying medical bills. I did not know that you would only receieve "life saving" treatment and that possible permanent disability due to lack of treatment was not healthcare providers concern... Lesson learned.

i think you can just promise to pay them, then not.

Or like me, you can be seperated from your wife and not have insurance premiums paid, smash your car going 80 mph into a telephone pole and car base off a twenty foot bridge getting open comminuted heel fracture, three surgeries, and a garnishment for $72,000. Thats right. It took Univeristy of Ky medical center only eight months to get a 25% net salary garnishment until it's all paid off. Rather quick I thought. Stay unemployed, fuck them!

cant get water from a stone. i like it.

Wow dude, with all due respect, your life kinda sucks (just kidding). Can you appeal the garnishment? I've never heard of any medical center being so aggressive while collecting funds. Usually they will work with you unless a crime was committed. Your car insurance doesn't cover personal injury to an extent.

Look up care credit.

Thats a good option for sure. I wonder if you can be approved before the surgery and use it like a shitty health care plan.