Regence Cut my Health Insurance over $9.90! Help!

Hi Everyone ,
My name is Annie Fitzgerald and I was just cut off by my medicare advantage plan by Regence Blue Shield over a $9.90 premium! Yes, you read that right...  $9.90!!  I now only have basic Medicare.  You might be wondering ....well hey, that's insurance right?  It's better than nothing right?
WRONG!!! 
I  was recently diagnosed with stage 3 Chronic Lymphocytic leukemia and I had begun chemotherapy treatment about 2 months ago while on Medicare & a Medicare Advantage plan from Regence Blue Shield.  Then last month it was discovered that I had a minor pulmonary embolism or a blood clot in my left lung.  It wasn't really a big deal, but as soon as I finished a 8 week course of both IV and pill form of chemo,  then I would start on a blood thinner to prevent further clots and break up the one I have so it doesn't go to my heart and cause a heart attack or my brain to cause a stroke.  Well, without any prior warning, on April 2nd I received a letter from Regence cancelling my coverage over a petty $9.90 bill! 


 I called Regence & I laughed and said that I could pay for it today, but I was told that I was 2 days late for that and all I could do was file what was probably a useless "greivance" with the insurance company that just screwed me over $10!!  I called Medicare and filed a official complaint which supposedly..... allegedly will be resolved within 30 days.  I told them that I don't have 30 days.... That I will start to run out of my 8 medications by yesterday, April 10th and I will be unable to continue my chemo treatment or see my oncologist , pulmonologist, my cardiologist or any doctor for that matter. My primary care doctor will not see me unless I pay $150 up front. .which I don't have!   I have NO drug coverage either and the out of pocket expense for my meds minus my chemo pills is approximately $400-$500 per month!!! I certainly don't have that kind of money either.


Even if Medicare rules in my favor, there's no guarantee that I will either be able to get back on with Regence or sign up for a new Medicare Advantage plan! Heck, even if I just miss a month of cancer & other meds, it will set me way WAY back in my treatment!  


This is where you come in..... If you can afford to donate at least $10, or whatever you can afford, it will get me one step closer to getting the care my health....and my life so desperately needs right now.  Every penny donated will go directly towards my medical care .  Any excess funds will be donated to charity fighting for Medicare For All.  


This isn't the first fight for my health in my life. This is just the first time I've felt so alone in trying to lead a normal life.


See, I have been living with multiple serious medical issues and disabilities since birth.  I was born blind, with heart problems, & I was not expected to live past the age of two.  I was taken in by 2 incredible foster parents at 11 months old anyways despite a all but certain date with death for my second birthday   Well, I certainly fooled those Doctors! Ha!  By age 3, my vision began to return in both eyes despite having Glaucoma,  Macular Degeneration , & retina issues since birth.  At age 5, I was adopted by those loving foster parents I mentioned and they both worked harder than the average parents to make sure that all of my health needs were met.   Whether it was hundreds and hundreds of hours spent driving me from specialist to specialist or taking me to the many many surgeries I had as a child, holding me in her arms post-op because the nurses couldn't keep me calm, despite the many times I vomited on her.  Sorry Mom!  Or maybe its when she would spend half a day on the phone with insurance companies making damn sure that all of the hundreds of medical procedures were paid for and covered by insurance....over and over again. .  Or going with me to Disneyland in 2nd grade after Kiro TV 7 and make a wish had gifted me with the trip after I'd endured 8 surgeries that year alone.  Mom said it was the first time I'd smiled in over a year.  


Well, I grew up with many of these health issues into adulthood.  I beat a lot of the odds.  Like not going blind again by 9th grade/age 15 as many eye doctors expected.  But I also had bigger badder battles too, well into my adulthood.   But now I had to fight and spend hours & days on the phone with insurance companies verbally fighting, begging, and pleading with them to cover this desperately needed medication, test , or procedure.  It was a lot harder than my mom had made it look.  I still got billed for things that were supposed to be covered and other similar insurance issues.  I've had 38 surgeries,  one for every year of my life and I've been in and out of the hospital several times over the last 5 years and I have had /are now battling multiple sclerosis , cervical cancer and  I  nearly died over gall bladder and liver complications.  


BUT... it's NEVER been this bad until now. This is why I need help until I can get back on my insurance. Anything helps, thank you for taking time to learn about my story. Just reading these words means the world to me.


Thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to read my story and donate if you can.


 #MedicareForALL  #Iwillneverstopfightingformed4all