MEDS & FAMILY INCOME...YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

Are you a Canadian balancing the cost of meds and the cost of providing the day to day needs of your family?

Here’s a chance to have some input… I/WE ALL NEED you passion AND your anger on this one at an upcoming roundtable discussion.

Is the high cost of meds biting into your family’s income? Are you taking “older” generation meds rather than the “newer/”latest” ones because of the price? Your family’s gross income puts you in the “between” brackets….too much for federal/provincial assistance but not enough to pay for the meds you need? Are you worried about when extra meds may need to be added? How will you pay?

It’s NOT just COPD related meds but the high cost of ALL meds. I.E. ; diabetes….It comes down to how it impacts your family’s income AND the drugs you could or should be taking but maybe you don’t or aren’t because of $

Tell me your story PLEASE!

Without going into government …(i.e. who you back party wise or don’t back etc).; I would like to know. The reason: your input may make a difference when it’s presented at a roundtable discussion about same sometime the week of the 21st… .

Although the MP doing it is from our neck of the woods (Nova Scotia); I’ve been asked to present scenarios or “physical people” (along with others from different disease backgrounds etc) about this issue. In my opinion, regardless of where you live in Canada, Alexa McDonough is still an MP and if this helps take things back to Ottawa then so be it….It all helps…..

Yes we have socialized medicine in that as Canadians, we receive proper medical “treatment” when we need it. BUT; that doesn’t cover medicines and the hardest hit are those who are working, or a spouse who is working, and barely making ends meet even before the cost of meds.

What do you do when you fall between the cracks?

Please write your story…..with an emphasis on meds, med costs, how you might be doing without certain things etc etc. What % of your current income goes to meds your family uses, or should be using?

I would be honoured to include/present your situation. Better still; if you live here you can attend with me. Even Phil who cannot make it will be doing a write up for “his” story.

Several on this board are very active in trying to promote COPD awareness and all that it encompasses. We work at it daily……and; personally speaking, we get very tired and oft times sooooooooo discouraged.

We have a door opening right now; albeit a crack; but still…

Please help us, help ALL of us by sending me your information/story and I PROMISE I will march in there well prepared and ready to KICK BUTT and TAKE NO PRISONERS !

You can e mail me at Jackie at copdcanada.ca, send me a private message here (PM) or at jwr at eastlink.ca or even send it to Bear here or at BBrooks at copdcanada.ca or sympatico. ca….

We only have a week and this is a GREAT opportunity to say your piece…..

Thank you &
Easy Breathing E’one……

[spike99]

In the old days, many large companies were offering "after" retirement company pension, "after" retirement medical benefits and "after" retirement personal insurance. If one was lucky enough to start working under age 25 and work until 55, they could get their 75-80 points in. Thus, early retirement at age 55 (or around this date). If wondering, my father retired with full "everything" at age 58. And at age 74, he's still doing great today. Today, our world is much different. He knows it and I know it. Today, one will be "very lucky" to work in the same company for 25-30 years. When they do retire, one will be "very lucky" to have a company pension, and if they are still "very lucky", they will receive "full medical coverage until death". Just last month, the company I worked for 18+ years announced that in 5 years, one will NOT have any benefits at retirement. If they retire after working 5+ more years, the worker will be "on their own" after retirement. Thus, I must now figure out how I can have "affordable" medical benefits when I early retire. If wondering, I already have high BP, already have a lung / breathing problem, already have pre-Type 2 Diabetis, already have minor chest pains (early signs of triple bypass - like my father had at age 57) and I already have early arthritis. And, I need a colonoscopy done every 3 years - due to need for early colon cancer detection (just like my father). Magnify 15+ years from today and guaranteed, I will need medication for something. And a single daily pill can cost over $500-$800 / month. Especially the heart drugs - that my father is on today. If wondering, he takes 8 different pill everyday - but health wise, he's got the body of a 55 year old. On average, that's $2,000 / month just for mandatory drugs that is "after" company retirement package is paying.

Don't know if government should be forced to pay, companies should be forced to pay or insurance companies should be foreced to pay. Or, if the person who early retires should be forced to pay. (like its starting to turn into). I do know that if someone early retires (at age 55) and they aren't 65 yet, who should pay for one's mandatory pills (and related medical support costs) during this "gap" period? I certainly don't want to work until age 65 - just to pay for my mandatory daily pills and other yearly medical exams. Especially knowing that the longer I work, the more stress it puts on my body, and the more one is forced to be take daily pills. One of those, you are "forced to work yourself into the ground" things....

I'm sure many folks in their 20s-40s aren't thinking about their future retirement years. They are too busy just trying to survivie their busy day (or too stressed out just trying to keep their current job). But one day, they too will be asking that same questions as you and I. How does one "pay the gap" between early retirement and when government starts "pitching in"? Especially when the Canadian government is thinking about moving the yard stick (sort of speaking) upwards to age 70.

Something to think of...

.

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

Scary isn't it Spike? Boy you've got a passle of things to ne concerned about.

Many are already living on that ship and the hole in the boat keeps getting bigger.. Gross income might be enough to live on as long as folks are healthy. Heaven forbid if someone in the family gets ill.

Then there's the scenario I.e. students who may have diabetes, just graduating university and need daily meds. They would no longer fall under their parents med plans and they're facing $40K in student loans. What do they do?

[spike99]

Here's something I posted on a Disability forum a few weeks ago. Someone suggested that my Canadian government should "cut down" monthly payments to our disabled. They felt a family looking after a disabled person was "living off their tax dollars". Below is what I wrote in return....

---------------------

.

My oldest son is both mentally and physically disabled. He was born disabled 13 years ago. My wife had to quit her high paying full time job to look after our son. He needs 24/7 care and besides that, he has ongoing medical problems as well. Besides his mental disability (currently rated at a 3-4 year old) and his physical age of 13, he's had his share of health challenges. Just to name a few, they are: Open heart surgery (age 2.5), broke both his ankles to correct their alignment (age 3), he broke his ankle (from a swing set accident at age 4), he had Leukimia - ALL (age 5), he's got a broken vertibra in his lower spine (age 10) and this summer, he'll need steel rods instlalled down both sides of his spine. Currently, his spine is collapsing. He also has ear tubes, had 12 teeth pulled out (side effects of chemo) and most of the time, must wear leg braces. Because of this and his many other sick days from sore stomachs, sore muscles and other pains, my wife must look after him 24/7. He can only handle a special needs school 3 days / week. My wife home teaches him the other 2 days. If one adds up the financial gain & impact areas of: Income tax "disability" reduction, medical insurance at 80% (for things that are covered), loss of my wife's previous pay, his special equipment, etc. etc., it doesn't even come close to cover the support dollars he needs in life. Thus, our remaining single income (from my full time job) has to cover our normal living costs, and the direct / indirect things that aren't covered for my son's special needs.

If more normal & healthly people (if I could use these words) walked in our shoes for a year (to pay our bills, to do our many sleepless nights, to provide 24/7 care, etc. etc.), they would understand. People with a disablity and their families need MORE support dollars. Support dollars for both direct and indirect costs for a disabled person. I really wish the author (that was mentioned in the first post) lived in our shoes. Then, he'd really understand that folks don't pick their disability. It picks them. It is thrusted upon them regardless of age, race and income. And so is the many "lack of support dollars" and many other hardships that go along with it as well.

BTW: Did you know that it costs my family $75/day of "out of pooket" expenses every time my son is in our local Childrens hospital. There's gasoline of $20, there's food (for the caregiver at his side (at $25-$30), there's hospital parking ($12,00), wear/tear on our vehicle and there's baby sitting costs for our other 2 kids. $75 (or more) x average of 10 days per month in the hospital is $750/month of "out of pocket" expenses. Try paying $750 / month (average) x 12 months x 13 years. That's $117,000 of indirect medical support costs (since my son was born) that my government and my insurance company won't cover. Oh, did I also mention my wife also had to quit her full time job to provide 7/24 care as well? Thats over $540,000 (AFTER taxes) is lost income - from her job over 13 years as well. Add all this up and my son's disability has cost us over 3/4 of a million dollars - in only 13 short years.

Add all this up and really think about it!!!! Are folks with disability and/or their families with disability being paid enough for their "out of pocket" medical and other special needs expenses???? Is our goverment really dishing out enough dollars for our less fortunate??? I can tell you from first hand experience, our disabled and folks with long term health problems are not given enough dollars for support. I can prove it many times over.

BTW: When you turn older, can't drive, must take a taxi to/from the hospital for medical exams and have NO dollars in your pocket to visit your local doctor, you'll understand why people (like my son) need more dollars for both indirect medical support. Some day, you too will understand...

Something to think about!!!!

.

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

Spike.....

I'm at a loss as to what to say to you; other than thank you for being so open and honest and being "public" about it.....

BTW; I can relate; even in my own very small way.

I have a former BIL who's in an institution/home ( he's 30 now) ...his mother , (his mom; my former MIL, and I remained good friends till her death this spring) well; it's kind of sad though he's being well cared for from what I can determine.... "nuff said..

Thank you Spike. I will add YOUR words and story, and I will be honored, when I get to "present" ......

Be well and think well....
Jackie NS