This is kind of a bizarre situation, so I’m trying to help my parents.As an adult who has always had a decent paying job and insurance, I don’t know what to do.
My father just found out he has congestive heart failure. He and my mother haven’t had insurance in many years, and the only reason I’ve ever heard is they can’t afford it. They haven’t been to the doctor in years, despite my mother having cervical cancer in her early 20s. I have tried to get them to go for years but they are stubborn and, I think, scared of what they might find out if they went.
So my father went to the ER at someone’s recommendation because he was having the same symptoms as they were, and found out he has congestive heart failure. I told them to talk to the financial office at the hospital to see if they qualify for Medicaid or Medicare, but they haven’t done anything and it’s been three weeks. I’m afraid they will just sit and do nothing out of fear or simply not knowing what to do and my dad will die. So I told them I will do some research and help them find out their options, but I need to know their financial information.
Y’all. My parents annual income is approximately $24,000 total!
They both own their own businesses (mom owns a custom bakery shop in a prominent area, dad is a master carpenter with a shop in their backyard) and their taxable income the past few years has been between $22k-26k! I don’t know how they live on it, they have a 2500 square foot home on more than an acre, two vehicles, a pool, and (stupidly) buy only brand name groceries. They aren’t on any food stamps or TANF but based on their income they would qualify. My grandma lives in their house in the separate MiL apartment, and my disabled uncle lives on their property in a little travel trailer, but he is expected to die within 6 months of stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The shop and my grandma and uncle make it almost impossible for them to just up and move.
I looked at healthcare.gov and they can’t enroll because it’s not open enrollment. They are ages 58 and 60, so they don’t qualify for Medicare, and don’t have a child under 19, so they don’t qualify for Medicaid. What are their options for insurance so my dad can get surgery and the treatment he needs? They obviously can’t afford insurance! They live in Texas. I don’t have any idea how to help them find answers.
TLDR; 60 year old father has heart failure, no insurance, $24k family annual income, and no idea how to get insurance.
Edit: I’m sorry I don’t think I made it clear, they know and are willing to get insurance now, but not sure how to find any affordable insurance since ACA open enrollment is over.
Submitted September 16, 2018 at 11:26AM by scotgirl6 https://ift.tt/2pdJ4Je
