Pills (Flickr user bitzi (cc: by-nc-sa))
Part three of our week-long series of round tables brings to the discussion a group likely too-familiar with the health care system: people with long-term illnesses. Robert Groth, of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, has multiple sclerosis. Sid Whigham of Lincoln, Nebraska, had one of his legs amputated due to complications from diabetes and a blood clot; he has also been battling blood cancer for the last two years.
The show is a co-production of WNYC Radio and Public Radio International, in collaboration with The BBC World Service, New York Times Radio and WGBH Boston.
Major funding provided by:
Comments [2]
SIDNEY WHIGHAM IS MY GRANDPA AND HE IS AMAZZINGG
For people with autoimmune diseases on Medicare, Plan D and the doughnut hole are disastrous.
People with these types of diseases have to pay the doughnut hole at the beginning of January. This means coming up with $5000. in one payment. This is caused by the fact that the injections for these diseases, whether MS or complicated Rheumatoid Arthritis cost in the range of $1800.00 a month.
Once in the catastrophic level, my out-of pocket health costs still run over $11,000 a year. Last year, they exceeded my income.
In the last quarter of last year, Medicare paid $33,000 for my prescriptions. We need cost controls.
I, not only have one auto-immune disease, I have two, and I have renal disease, chronic anemia, and a macular hole. Try paying for all of that!
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.