What to do about medicare/healthcare and ALS

[amanda31]

2 years ago my brother woke to see he couldn't walk with out having to hold on to something, today he can't walk at all and now has a peg tube. Doctors want to run this one test yet we just don't have the money and he can't get medicare cause his disability is too much. He does have all the symptons of als and m.s. :?::?::?::?:

 

[indigosd]

Re: What to do?

Amanda, I am so sorry about your brother. I think that you are confused about " he can't get medicare cause his disability is too much".
Medicare is a part of Social Security Disability Insurance. If you are disabled, if you have paid into Social Security you will receive both after a 5-6 month waiting period with the diagnosed of ALS. MEDICAID is a state program funded by the Federal Government with matching funds and is only available if you meet their income eligibility guidelines. Have you contacted the ALS Association or the MDA in your area? How incredible and tragic that he has a PEG/is immobile and is still not diagnosed.

 

[amanda31]

Re: What to do?

i spoke with some lady yesterday and she is seeing what she can do to help us, also she told me that my brother should be coming up on his 2yr waiting period for medicare,see yesterday i was going on with what the social worker of a hospital told us and i believe that's why they sent him home with just the peg tube and not the machine....i also found out that my family has had 3 people to die from ALS and when i explained to the women that it was my great grandfather, my grandmother and my cousin she told me that it runs thru my family. my uncle said it was a curse upon my family:evil:

 

[indigosd]

Amanda,
1. Does he have the diagnosed of ALS?
2. Has he applied for SSDI/Medicare?
3. Have you contacted ALSA or MDA?

I am unsure how to help you help your brother without more information.

"Some lady" Who? "2 yr waiting period for Medicare"? WHAT? Please give more information and facts :]

 

[indigosd]

Here is a link to the Alabama Chapter. The ALS Association Alabama Chapter: Awareness Home Page

Link to MDA http://www.mda.org/

 

[amanda31]

i spoke with a woman from ALS Clinic at Crestwood Medical Center in Huntsville AL. and she is seeing what she can do for us.. no my brother hasn't been diagnosed yet but i found out yesterday that ALS does run in my family on my dady's side, i've lost 3 family members already from it and after speeking with brother's doctor today they are also helping more because of the family history.

 

[amanda31]

thank you for that link, that's who i called and she put me to a woman named Lynn Sanderson

 

[indigosd]

Amanda,
I am so sorry. If you go to the thread "Do I Have ALS" you will see may posts on the top that are sticky notes and they will tell you the diagnostic criteria/testing needed for a ALS diagnosed. You can also do a search for SSDI or Medicare or Medicaid in the search box and will find a lot of helpful information. It is just criminal that they have not diagnosed him if he has had it for 2 years, unable to walk or eat and has a PEG to say nothing of the family hx! IF he has the diagnosed of ALS and IF he has enough quarters to be eligible for Social Security Disability Income they will back date to when the symptoms first began and he may not need to wait the 6 months for Medicare and SSDI! I think from what you have told me that your first step is to get a definite diagnosed and then phone Social Security! I know how frustrating all of this is and I am so sorry for the family hx.