Cancer Survivor Has Relapse, Lost Medicaid
Donation protected
September 18, 2018: I had a mastectomy of the right breast and a lymph node under my right arm removed due to cancer. I was in hospital for 3 days, but was weak and unable to return home, which was an apartment on the 2nd floor of old building downtown, so I opted to recover at a local nursing home 2 miles from my apt.
Medicare helped me for a time, then added Medicaid, was able to pay some bills & sustain my apartment thinking I could return in a short time. Wounds around the surgical area of my chest were exasperated by the Chemo I was on and I remained very ill for months, even after the four courses of Chemo stopped Feb 6. I still could not return home, even though I had been paying for it for 6 months.
The nursing home told me that the $360 I was paying for their care as a co-pay would, on March 5, be changed to $1135 (I only get $1180/mo SSD/SSI). Since I had no choice, I agreed...losing my apartment.
If I can move up the list on one of two HUD subsidized apartments (I was told I'd move to #7 on my birthday in August for one of the apts), I'd be able to move out of the nursing home and recover my Pension and pay a special rate for rent, leaving me enough money to pay bills that I still owe. I'm at least $2000 in arrears, including my phone, which is also a necessity.
My wounds are slowly healing but I'm caught between a rock and a hard place. Landlord will not let me return to the apartment as the inspector said my disability would require an elevator he can't, understandably, afford to install and I have nowhere else to go except stay in the nursing home, which takes all but $45 of my income each month. I paid taxes for years and I can accept the large co-pay for living here and being cared for, but I can't afford it.
When I do eventually get to the top of the list for either HUD properties, I will have to borrow money from family somehow to pay for moving and rent deposit.
I am asking for help because I don't know what else I can do. I used to be an audio and video editor, but no one seems to need my services despite repeated attempts to publicize them. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Medicare helped me for a time, then added Medicaid, was able to pay some bills & sustain my apartment thinking I could return in a short time. Wounds around the surgical area of my chest were exasperated by the Chemo I was on and I remained very ill for months, even after the four courses of Chemo stopped Feb 6. I still could not return home, even though I had been paying for it for 6 months.
The nursing home told me that the $360 I was paying for their care as a co-pay would, on March 5, be changed to $1135 (I only get $1180/mo SSD/SSI). Since I had no choice, I agreed...losing my apartment.
If I can move up the list on one of two HUD subsidized apartments (I was told I'd move to #7 on my birthday in August for one of the apts), I'd be able to move out of the nursing home and recover my Pension and pay a special rate for rent, leaving me enough money to pay bills that I still owe. I'm at least $2000 in arrears, including my phone, which is also a necessity.
My wounds are slowly healing but I'm caught between a rock and a hard place. Landlord will not let me return to the apartment as the inspector said my disability would require an elevator he can't, understandably, afford to install and I have nowhere else to go except stay in the nursing home, which takes all but $45 of my income each month. I paid taxes for years and I can accept the large co-pay for living here and being cared for, but I can't afford it.
When I do eventually get to the top of the list for either HUD properties, I will have to borrow money from family somehow to pay for moving and rent deposit.
I am asking for help because I don't know what else I can do. I used to be an audio and video editor, but no one seems to need my services despite repeated attempts to publicize them. Your help is greatly appreciated.
Organizer
James Finch
Organizer
Bradford, PA
