A Brief Commercial Announcement
Jul 30th, 2008 at 10:21 am by Susie
Here’s the deal, kids: I’m out of work now and I need three different surgeries. (I’m just the tiniest bit suspicious that this had something to do with the timing of my layoff.)
I’m having one surgery (an eye operation - I’m seeing double) in two weeks, but I need to schedule the other two and I just can’t fit them all into the next month, which is when my insurance runs out.
I figure three months’ COBRA coverage will do the trick. That’s $447.91 per month, for a grand total of $1343.73.
I plan to pick up some of that slack with blatant advertising (expect to see a lot more ads and text links - please click on them, it helps) but I also need to ask you for donations.
If you can’t afford anything, don’t worry about it - I, of all people, understand. But if you can, please make a contribution - or sign up for the monthly subscription option, right up there at the top of the page where it says “Donate here.”
Thanks for anything you can do! And let’s keep fighting for a society where bloggers don’t have to hold fund drives to get their health care…
Why is there a limit of $50 on contributions? Is that your number or Amazon’s?
That’s Amazon’s. They have a daily limit per person.
Hi, I’m a Digby reader who is willing to help. But I only do snail mail donations
if ya got a snail mail address, I’ll send a little help your way
good luck and get well soon
Do you have an Amazon.com honor account? I can give through that.
This is your opportunity to be a patron of the arts, just like the Medici!
Hit that Paypal button, and you can call yourself “Piero Il Magnifico”* when you look in the mirror in the morning.
*I call myself “Piero”: adapt your name as needed.
There’s an Amazon honor button up the top of the page. Click on “Donate Here.”
Done! Good luck Susan. I only wish I could give more.
Another digby reader who could send a little via snailmail.
Have you looked into vision therapy for the eye thing? It’s done a lot for me. Heard about “Stereo Sue” on NPR 2 years ago - she started having things jump visually, and after 6 weeks of exercises started seeing 3-dimensionally for the first time she could remember.
Good luck
Another (Philly) reader who read about your situation at Digby’s blog, and just contributed via PayPal.
Glenn Greenwald sent me. Donation’s on the way. Best wishes.
Glenn sent me, too. Wish I could send more. Keep on keeping on.
Would like to contribute. Need an address I can send a check to. Do not do business over the internets.
Best wishes for your speedy recovery.
My insurance went up to $1500/month. Yes, that’s per month, each and every month. (OK, full disclosure: I rounded up from $1,497.)
I took Cobra after downsizing, kept it until it ran out, could not get anything else affordable–then, the rates began going up exponentially. Right now I can’t find other insurance and I can’t even move out of my state until I reach Medicare age (two-ish years) and can get Medicare. Until then, with a pre-existing condition of cancer which requires close monitoring (and many expensive tests), I’m stuck with this blood-sucking insurance company. Gotta keep the Aetna execs in multi-million dollar compensation packages, ya know.
A few years ago, sometime in the 90’s, a friend told me that an acquaintance of ours who ran a small garden design/landscaping business and was in her early 50’s had had a heart attack and was back then being charged $18,000 a year for her insurance. I couldn’t believe it–I couldn’t imagine how anyone could do it. I dread to think what she’s charged now. Well, that’s what our 401K’s are for–getting through the pre-retirement downsized time…by handing our savings over to the health insurance companies.
Interestingly, I was in the midst of trying to find cheaper insurance when my cancer was found. Let me tell you, it is damn difficult to find out what a policy actually covers until you actually have it! Almost impossible to be an informed consumer. After that, it was simply staying in the state individual plan pool–which looks at rates only once every 5 years. Last year Aetna had to lower rates a bit–made up for it this year, as they will do until their next 5 year review.
Best system in the world? Ha!
I had such hopes for universal healthcare with this election….
Best wishes, Susie. Love the work you do here.
Susie, Hi. Another Glenn Greenwald well wisher here! I’m able to make a donation now and can help a little each month as well. Best of luck!
hummingbirds in the butterfly bush
I understand the health needs. I’m 21, and I’ve spent 15 years of my life without health insurance.
I came by way of John Cole. I can’t give much, but it’s something, right?
Best of luck to you and yours.
Jon at ATR sent me.
Here’s the deal, kids: I’m out of work now and I need three different surgeries. (I’m just the tiniest bit suspicious that this had something to do with the timing of my layoff.)
FYI, you might want to talk to an attorney about this. I believe this was part of what the ADA was trying to combat. (I’m a maritime attorney who sits on her ass all say and avoids courtrooms at all costs, so don’t take my word for it, but it might be worth looking into if your suspicions have weight.)
Good luck. Greenback electrons are whizzing your way.
I sit on my ass all day. Stoopid fingers.
I sent some money along. Let us know if you need more.
Strength to your arm.
Matt
Hi there,
Best of luck with the surgeries. I just wanted to suggest that you remove the sentence “please click on [the ads], it helps” (along with this comment) since such content can definitely get you in hot water with some ad networks…
I want to help - I do don’t have credit cards- but do snail mail .email me and I will be sure to send a little something…..( I am an RN without health insurance- cancelled due to family medical cancer history…so sucks….) I hope some day we can form a Blogger Union and buy insurance as a block of people….take care and do email me your address…I also will put a notice up over at watergate summer….
John Amato sent me, and I sent donation…wishing you all the best
moi aussi de Mr. Amato. a votre sante!
Dear Susie,
Found you via John Amato and oh so happy to put you on my priority read bookmarks & payday reminder list to send along what I can manage on my paydays twice monthly. All good wishes.
As a former philadephian, I would love to help you.
But I only do snail mail.
If you e-mail your address I will send a check.
I will pray for your return to good health
Came over via GG at Salon and Paypal’d you some $. Every little bit helps, yes?
would like to send a check. read c&l all the time, can’t make political donations, so why not just send you a check and help.
any chance we can get a po set up so we can send. I can cover a few hundred.
maybe we could send the dough to John Amato, and he could pass it along (I asked on his post)
or you could get one of those “Mailbox” thingys, so we could send you some donations the old fashioned way
I’m not goin away till you do somethin …
so figure somethin out …
I came over from C&L. Sent you paypal and wish you luck.
We had to buy a very high deductible plan after paying $1,100 cobra a month. It doesn’t cover much. I am holding off(luckily I can) on a neck surgery until we get something that looks like Universal Health Care.
Ins. is a Pain in the Neck!Ha!
Just been to Canada, although they have 13%tax they sure are happy people. They told me they can’t imagine having to worry about healthcare the way we do.
Freelancers Union membership health insurance, kids — I’m now paying $535 I think it is per mo. for BCBS Empire… Before I found the Freelancers plan, I was paying $1600 per mo. the corporate crooks out there were charging for an indiv. plan — , couldn’t sustain for one more month, and I joined Freelancers… not in every state, but in many, many.
Check it out… membership, benefits, or insurance, website at http://www.freelancersunion.org, or email Member Services at membership@freelancersunion.org
GeoffreySF
Hey Susie,
Best of luck from everybody at Wo’C, and fervent hopes for a speedy recovery.
Everybody get their stimulus check? We didn’t…I have spent most of my week in a waiting room in an attempt to talk a Social Security administrator. What a mess..no money for us until next year! I was counting on it . We were even tracking it on their website and up till the last minute it looked like a no brainer. Feel better Susan! Speedy recovery girlfriend!
I’ve dropped you a little something through Paypal — had to depend on the kindness of friends for medical stuff myself last year. Take care and hope the surgeries go well!
Little something from paypal. referred by glenn. good luck. Be well.
T/U to Geoffrey, #30, for the tip abut Freelancers’ insurance.
Of course, still very difficult to know what is actually covered.
Hi Susie! Greetings from Canada, city of Regina, province of Saskatchewan. (We have t-shirts that say “Saskatchewan: Easy to draw, hard to spell.”)
I’m a severely low-income person, but I’d like to send you a little something, just on principle. Whatever problems the Canadian healthcare system has, I’ve never had to worry about the kind of shit you’re going through. Good luck!
I will need a snail mail address, as I don’t have a credit card. Also who do I make the money order out to?