Funding Concern
I am going to be pursuing the Roux-en Y Gastric Bypass and have some concerns.
Right now I am unemployed and due to the state I am living in, unable to get health care through the Medicaid expansion or any assistance with purchasing healthcare for whatever reason.
What options would I have to fund the surgery? It is really important to me I feel like I am not going to be alive a year or two from now if something drastic does not happen. I have started a Go Fund Me Campaign but its making zero progress so I am at a loss as to what to do
Gofundme - probably will not work unless you have very large circle of rich family and friends. Asking strangers on internet to help pay what some consider elective surgery is probably not going to work.
You can get a job with insurance that covers WLS, you can use your CC or apply for loan - credit to pay for it.
Since you are unemployed - you may start trying to lose some weight on your own. If nothing else - making better food choices - may improve your health even if you don't lose much weight.
Before RNY - I used to be a rather healthy and relatively active MO person, by following good diet and moderate exercise (walking).
Improving your health may make it easier for you to recover once you find a way to afford WLS.
Hala. RNY 5/14/2008; Happy At Goal =HAG
"I can eat or do anything I want to - as long as I am willing to deal with the consequences"
"Failure is not falling down, It is not getting up once you fell... So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again...."
I think at this point, you should do what Hala suggested. Try on your own the best you can for now and hopefully at some point your cir****tances will change and you can try for surgery. I know that isn't what you want to hear, but that's probably the only REAL option right now unless you have pristine credit and can secure a loan for surgery. ( I know I could not have done. My credit score was like...4. )
I don't think a gofundme account will really help you much. Most people are working hard just to put food on their own tables and take care of their families. Not many people can part with money these days.
I wanted to have surgery for years and years and just couldn't due to financial constraints. I forgot about surgery, lived my life...and eventually I got insanely lucky-I still don't know how, met,and married, a great guy and was able to have surgery last year. ( And no...I didn't marry him just to get surgery. Things just somehow fell into place for me. )
I woke up in between a memory and a dream...
Tom Petty
I waited four years until I had insurance that would cover WLS and I could afford my coinsurance. I know that is not what you want to hear, but lots of people cannot have surgery when they want to and have to wait for a variety of reasons.
I fight badgers with spoons.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255
Suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Get a job. It took me 10 years to get my surgery. I had to move 1100 miles away and change jobs and I pay $420 every two weeks for my medical insurance. I would never expect anyone else to fund my WLS.
But Obamacare covers every American (or so the left keeps telling us)... So it isn't that you cannot get health insurance. Now, health insurance that will cover WLS is another matter.
If you don't qualify for Michigan Medicare/Medicaid or they don't cover WLS, the only way you are going to do that is to get a job that has a group plan that covers it. That is just the unfortunately fact. You could consider self-pay and going to Mexico where it is much less expensive, but I'm afraid a job is required for that, too.
I know the economy sucks, and that jobs are very scarce in some areas. I don't mean to minimize that. I just don't want you thinking there is a magic way to raise $30,000.
Although I suppose you could try Carny Wilson's charity...
Lora
14 years out; 190 pounds lost, 165 pound loss maintained
You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.
I think he is in Texas, not Michigan. I'm not sure why he cannot get medicare/medicaid here. And I know people who have gotten WLS on medicare/medicaid here in Texas.
Laura in Texas
53 years old; 5'7" tall; HW: 339 (BMI=53); GW: 140 CW: 170 (BMI=27)
RNY: 09-17-08 Dr. Garth Davis
brachioplasty: 12-18-09 Dr. Wainwright; lbl/bl: 06-28-11 Dr. LoMonaco
"May your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears."
Thank you for the replies. I didn't mention it in the intro post but "getting a job" as I have been so kindly told to do, is not an option as I am in the middle of a lengthy disability battle. As it is not resolved I can not get on Medicaid from what the rep told me and it was denied. I've applied for "Obama care" and with zero income I was still not qualified for any assistance at all. 400+ dollars a month with no income. It's not possible. So yeah I didn't come for a lecture or my situation to be belittled or what not. Just looking for feasible options and a bit of understanding from people who have been in the same boat.