Oh no, insurance ending - Bipolar Disorder Message Board

Soul Astray · 07-26-2005, 01:24 PM

If you're from Tennessee then you know all to well what's going on with TennCare and it just happens to be that I am one who is losing my insurance coverage next month. My medications are so expensive that there's no way I can afford to buy them straight out and right now I'm not exactly to the point where I can hold a job long enough to get insurace at work. I've tried different jobs all year but I can't keep myself straight enough to hold on to them and now I'm about to lose my meds to beat it all.

I'm on Zyprexa and Lexapro. My doctor says there are no generics to them so I can't switch to generic so it will be more affordable. I've taken everything under the sun and this combination seems to be the only one that helps me. So, what am I going to do?

Are there any medications that I could take that may help and have a generic? I know that I can't fight this without the help of meds and I don't think that our governor realizes how many people are going to lose their minds from being cut off of their prescriptions. They're not even giving us time to be tapered off our medicine. They're just taking it. Why do these have to be so expensive?

Anyone have any advice? I've signed up for so much info but other insurance plans are so expensive and right now I'm just barely making ends meet. How can I pay my rent and utilities if I have to put out over $400 a month on medicine? I can live without everything except the Zyprexa and Lexapro. I've went off of my meds before and it has landed me in the hospital 3 times. I'm not going back.

Thanks.

Bop · 07-26-2005, 01:30 PM

Soul, I am also uninsured which is a big pain in the butt. The best advice I can give is to talk to your Doc(s) and tell them the situation. Right now I am only paying for one of my meds and using samples of the more expensive one. I wish I could say more but thats all I got :-/

Bop

Good Grief! · 07-26-2005, 01:51 PM

Me too Soul! Dc's love to give samples!! Also many times you get a break on regular visits and they will run billing cycle out to 90 days to help. Im not sure what Tenn is doing? Have you applied for medi-coverage through SSI? Or is that whats being cut off?

reesie · 07-26-2005, 02:15 PM

Some med companies have charity programs where they give out the meds for free for those that can't pay. I think you just have to ask in conjunction with your doctor.

Soul Astray · 07-27-2005, 07:36 PM

Thanks for the replies. Good Grief!- I'm not on SSI. I've thought about trying to get it but I don't think I'd be eligible.

I checked out this site called Needy Meds and they have a huge list of medications and programs offered for free through the pharmecutical companies that make them. Zyprexa and Lexapro are on that list and they're makers provide programs like you were talking about reesie. Thanks for that idea. I'm going to print out the applications and take them to my doc asap. I hope I'm eligible for them. If not, I guess I'll have to rely on samples for now. I'm trying to find a job where I can get insurance but who knows how long it will last once I get it? I'm not very good at holding a job.

Anyway, thanks a lot for the help.