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Old 02-05-2006, 06:29 PM   #28
Gina
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Alexandria, VA
Posts: 197
Thanks, LANI, YOU are ABSOLUTELY

the FIRST person that I have shared this insurance story with who "GETS iT"...my non BC friends think that I am just out in left field. I am so grateful that you understand exactly HOW the system is "by design" arranged to wedge many of our sickest and poorest citizens right in the middle of that rock and very hard place. You are a connoisseur of Aristotle's aporiahs, no doubt as am I. I applaud you!!! smile smile smile. This law needs to be changed. You are right. I believe it was actually Cynthia from Alexandria (my area) who is a lawyer and offered to do something to make a difference. The first thing that needs to be addressed is exactly what you have just SO WELL STATED ABOVE: Insurance and Disability for her-2 mediated disease sufferers.

Again, thank you for HEARING me. I hesitated to besmear these hallowed pages with my personal skeletons as I did not want to deter any one who really NEEDS to apply, but if they do, I want to them to move forward with their EYES wide open. If someone would have even explained the intricacies of the disability law to me, BEFORE, I signed on, or had I had an insurance or social security advocate (or an ENRON-type accounting agency "re-allocate" about $250 of my uh VAST hee hee assets to the Cayman Islands..hee hee hee), perhaps I would have faired better. As it was, like many ordinary Americans, all I had was H.& R. Block and we merely dutifully reported my 1099's for the amounts that...get this?? ...smile they actually were...also, folks SHOULD keep in mind, that self-employed DISABILITY folks fall under a completely DIFFERENT set of rules than others who have an employer...also, my case, was "unusual" for many reasons..not the least of which it was very hard for my social security reviewer to look at this tall, well-dressed, energetic, fair, and somewhat intelligent woman he saw before him and be very swayed that I was "DISABLED" physically. No manner of argument on my part or even 3 of my at that time 5 binders could convince him that I really was terminally ill--he had no concept of bio-technology and herceptin. He did not know what "HER-2" was ... He harrassed me at my home endlessly sending me what amounted to dunning letters and even left scary messages on my voice mail to the effect: "Ms. Popp, we KNOW you are working and that you are intentionally exceeding your work limit as set by law...blah blah blah" and many other messages. It was so disturbing. It made me feel like I was the worst crimminal in the world...a girl from West Virginia who had been raised in church and attended 3 times a week and who had read the whole Bible at least 3 times...and the commandments...many more than that..smile..a girl who never took anything from anybody--a girl, more than any other who lived by the principle of "MAKING HER OWN LONELY WAY."

Thanks, Lani Just getting that off my chest has erased 10 years off one of my 9 cat lives..smile...

My best to you and to us all,
Gina
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