Suffering from a chronic illness can be a challenge in itself, but this challenge is increased dramatically for those without health insurance or access to affordable healthcare and prescription drugs. Sadly, the people who often need quality health care the most, are those that are unjustly denied health insurance simply for having a “pre-existing condition.” While this may make a difficult situation even harder for someone with a chronic illness, there are ways to make life easier. Here we outline alternative insurance options, prescription tips and natural solutions that could potentially make coping with a chronic illness much less of an uphill struggle.
1Insurance Options for Pre-Existing Conditions
Become a Group of one - In some states it is possible to classify yourself as a group of one for insurance purposes. This means that, like any other company, insurers legally can't deny you insurance or raise your premiums to crazy rates in account of your pre-existing condition. In states where you can't become a group of one, you can become a group of two.
Cobra - This is super expensive, however, if you have been laid off then it may prove very difficult getting insurance any other way.
Last-Resort Insurance - In every state there is an insurance company that is known as “the insurer of last-resort.”
This company has to accept anyone. This only applies to those who lose their employer-related insurance and apply for this “last-resort” insurance within 63 days.
High-Risk Pools - Some states have high-risk pools which are designed for the sole purpose of covering those people who have pre-existing conditions. Check this list of states to see if yours is included.
2Free Local Healthcare Resources
There are usually local health clinics offering free or nearly free medical services not too far from most communities. Three good directories to help you in your search are: this one from HRSA.gov, 211.org and ISafetynet.
When looking locally for help, it's always good to consult with your local physician; he or she will most likely have invaluable insights into the vast, complex web of health insurance plans and healthcare providers, free or not. Also, go to your municipal social services office to see what plans your local government is offering.
3Social Security Disability Benefits
Many people with chronic illnesses are able to receive social security disability benefits providing that they have worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes. Eligibility does not depend on your diagnosis, but rather on what you can and cannot do and more importantly whether or not this affects your ability to work. In general, to get disability benefits you must meet two different earnings tests:
1. “Recent work” test based on your age at the time you became disabled.
2. “Duration of work” test to show that you worked long enough under Social Security.
After two years on disability you are eligible to receive medicare. For more information on social security disability benefits and how to apply, go to the SSA.gov website.
4Prescription Drug Plans
For those without health insurance, there is the option of enrolling in a prescription drug plan. To avoid singing up for a plan that is ultimately useless, it is crucial that you do your homework first and ask all the right questions of the company's representatives. For example, do any of the local pharmacies in your area work with this plan? Are the prescription drugs that you require covered? Be sure to review all the information and coverage details before committing to anything.
5Getting Prescriptions Without Seeing a Doctor
If it is just prescriptions that you require, it is possible to get these without seeing a doctor. Although not necessarily recommended, you can get $50-$100 consultations with faceless "virtual" doctors online. By law, you don’t actually have to see a physician in order to get a prescription, however there is the concern that a virtual doctor may not ask enough questions about the medical history of you and your family in order to accurately prescribe the prescription that you need.
6Getting Your Prescriptions Abroad
With the price of prescription drugs in the U.S. being astronomically high, many people with chronic illnesses are simply unable to afford the drugs that they need on a regular basis. Buying drugs from countries such as Canada or Mexico is an alternative cost-cutting solution that can save you a fortune.
Of course, there are many aspects to take into account before you cross the border to pick up the drugs you need. Be sure to look into safety issues, legalities and prescription requirements. Also, consult with your doctor for his or her recommendation as to whether buying your particular drug would be safe in Mexico or Canada.
Probably the best option for those who are interested in buying prescription drugs outside of the U.S. is to shop at online Canadian pharmacies. This is completely legal just as long as you are buying from a certified a Canadian pharmacy and with a valid prescription. Legally you are allowed to purchase up to three months supply of your prescribed drug at once.
A couple of reputable online Canadian pharmacies are CanadaDrugPharmacy and CanadaDrugs.
7Herbal Alternatives
Natural remedies have been used for centuries, and believe it or not many of the current prescription drugs are plant-based. Around the world, an estimated five billion people rely solely on herbal remedies, presumably to varying degrees of success.
As natural remedies are of course natural, they are for the most part safe to take. However, it is still very important to do adequate research into which remedies will suit your issue. Luckily there are many websites that make this a simple process and MamaHerb is a great website to start with.
It is worth noting that the FDA does not currently supervise the manufacture or importation of herbal remedies, although they are legal to buy and consume.
8Emotional Freedom Technique
EFT is a relatively new discovery that many people worldwide are now using with extraordinary success. It works on the fundamental premise that “all negative emotions are caused by a disruption in the bodies energy system.” Distressing memories cause energetic imbalances which in turn create an electrical charge in the body which is what we then correlate with a negative emotion. By re-balancing this energetic disruption, the negative emotion that we perceived ceases to be.
EFT works to some degree on pretty much anything: anxiety, stress, addictions, weight loss, pain relief and phobias just to name a few. Even for chronic illnesses, EFT has proven to be very successful in alleviating pain and eliminating the emotional aspects of diseases.
The best thing about EFT is that it is incredibly easy to self-administer. All it involves is tapping on certain meridian points whilst simultaneously mentally tuning into a specific issue. You can learn the basics for free at the official EFT website. For complex issues, you may want to call on the services of a professional EFT practitioner.
9Qigong
Qigong in an ancient system of energy healing from China. Assuming the belief that illness is caused by imbalance and blocks in the flow of one’s life energy, qigong combines breathing techniques, gentle movement, and meditation to cleanse, strengthen and circulate this life energy.
In China, qigong is common practice and acts not only as a preventative healthcare measure but also a method of self-healing from a wide range illnesses (including some that are considered Chronic conditions in the U.S.).
Asides from general improvements in posture and respiration, relaxation, blood pressure and concentration, scientific research suggests that qigong may be beneficial for asthma, arthritis, cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, headaches, pain, and a wide variety of common ailments.
You can learn more about qigong from these videos on ehow. Another useful Qigong website is Chikung-Unimited. You can also get free videos on Youtube simply by typing in qigong exercises.
Qigong exercises involve limited movement and so if your physical abilities are restricted due to your illness, there should still be certain exercises that prove to be very beneficial for you.
10Eat Healthily
Managing your diet can be one of the most crucial aspects of controlling your chronic illness. Avoiding bad habits like binge eating (or conversely long periods without eating anything at all), and controlling exactly what kind and quality of ingredients you are consuming play a big role. Eating healthily is also just generally a good idea for keeping your mind and body healthy, whether you suffer from a chronic illness or not.
-Conclusion
As you can see, there are many options for you to consider when managing your chronic illness without the luxury of quality and affordable health insurance.
Most important, keep your thoughts positive and your mental state strong, knowing that you will always have the inner resources to deal with whatever challenges life throws at you.
