Family member is sick but has a Tourist Visit

[AshMarty 360]

11 hours ago, Boiler said:

Not in her lifetime and nothing that allows her to stay.

 

From my family experience not sure how a figure can be quoted, OK we did not have the US issues, but never thought the treatment required could be that specified.

I work in a medical/rehab facility and if a facility knows a patient doesn't have insurance they will sometimes do a contract of out of pocket expense prior to beginning treatments.

 

11 hours ago, Fmert001 said:

The hospital also said she has to let the visa expire then can issue a card for healthcare??? I don’t know how true that is 

I would talk to a social worker that can help you manage the case. I know we have a lot of private funds set up at our hospitals to help families with medical costs and social workers should help guide you through the process and give you any information on programs. Also I would think about getting in touch with the embassy and seeing if there is any way they can sponsor her medical treatments.

[AshMarty 360]

Also the hospital is probably referring to emergency Medicaid and that is why they say the visa needs to run out.

 

http://www.mymedicare.com/medicaid/emergency-medicaid/

[CEE53147 559]

It is unfortunate but born American citizens die from cancer all of the time because they cannot obtain treatment. 

 

My son has a precancerous condition that if it becomes full blown cancer has a life expectancy untreated of 6 months (and he is in his 30s and  likely much younger than your aunt). More than 1/3 of our monthly income goes for his health insurance and another significant amount for prescriptions. Emergency Medicaid does not cover treatment for chronic conditions like cancer  My child would not receive treatment without payment. Co-payments next year will be 40% of the costs. While I am very sympathetic for your aunt's situation, I also view it from my personal perspective. I cannot afford to care for her while struggling to care for my own family member and survive myself (I am elderly and disabled).

 

It is a very unfortunate fact of life not only in the US but elsewhere.  Best of luck to your aunt.

[AshMarty 360]

Also one last thing.

 

If you booked the plane ticket from Haiti to the US with a credit card you should check and see if the credit card has travel health insurance. Some credit cards have a travel insurance plan as part of the package but you have to book the trip with the card in order to use this benefit. The downfall is it isn't usually more than a 10,000 dollar cap but still it is a little portion of a medical bill if needed.

Edited December 11, 2017 by AshMarty

[Fmert001 127]

1 hour ago, AshMarty said:

Also one last thing.

 

If you booked the plane ticket from Haiti to the US with a credit card you should check and see if the credit card has travel health insurance. Some credit cards have a travel insurance plan as part of the package but you have to book the trip with the card in order to use this benefit. The downfall is it isn't usually more than a 10,000 dollar cap but still it is a little portion of a medical bill if needed.

I will check with my dad but thank you everyone for the advice

[Fmert001 127]

1 hour ago, AshMarty said:

I work in a medical/rehab facility and if a facility knows a patient doesn't have insurance they will sometimes do a contract of out of pocket expense prior to beginning treatments.

 

I would talk to a social worker that can help you manage the case. I know we have a lot of private funds set up at our hospitals to help families with medical costs and social workers should help guide you through the process and give you any information on programs. Also I would think about getting in touch with the embassy and seeing if there is any way they can sponsor her medical treatments.

Thank you I will look into it anything will help 

[Fmert001 127]

1 hour ago, CEE53147 said:

It is unfortunate but born American citizens die from cancer all of the time because they cannot obtain treatment. 

 

My son has a precancerous condition that if it becomes full blown cancer has a life expectancy untreated of 6 months (and he is in his 30s and  likely much younger than your aunt). More than 1/3 of our monthly income goes for his health insurance and another significant amount for prescriptions. Emergency Medicaid does not cover treatment for chronic conditions like cancer  My child would not receive treatment without payment. Co-payments next year will be 40% of the costs. While I am very sympathetic for your aunt's situation, I also view it from my personal perspective. I cannot afford to care for her while struggling to care for my own family member and survive myself (I am elderly and disabled).

 

It is a very unfortunate fact of life not only in the US but elsewhere.  Best of luck to your aunt.

I’m sorry to hear about your son but I wasn’t asking for a handout I was more inquiring her status so we can maybe get health care we are willing to do monthly payments or health insurance paying full price is expensive.... I was trying to get information on her legal status not a handout thank you 

[databit 328]

15 minutes ago, Fmert001 said:

I’m sorry to hear about your son but I wasn’t asking for a handout I was more inquiring her status so we can maybe get health care we are willing to do monthly payments or health insurance paying full price is expensive.... I was trying to get information on her legal status not a handout thank you 

If you own a house, you could get a second mortgage to pay for her treatment. Or use the house as collateral for a loan.

 

You should also talk to the doctor about the prognosis. If she is terminal, your money spent on her back in Haiti would provide her with round-the-clock nursing and the best palliative treatment, both unaffordable in the US.

Edited December 11, 2017 by databit

[kris&me 572]

Before you completely give up, think of this

many people do come to the USA for treatments although it is usually surgery

take her to a Cancer center / there are several in Miami area 

see the social worker there and ask about getting treatments and help 

 

they may and they may not be able to help but worth the effort

sorry for your situation and God bless you as  try to help family 

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

  If your aunt is in status until April and the cancer is aggressive, she may not be alive to be treated. She could die waiting to get out of status. Would it not be better to get her somewhere where she can get help ?

[AshMarty 360]

4 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

Can you share the basic details? 

Do you know what counts as “emergency”? Just wondering if she has been in the US for months with a diagnosed illness, how that can be considered an “emergency”. Unless I misunderstand the use of the term in this context, it should be for something critical that is sudden and unforeseen?

It is, if they give the reason they need to show that they can fund the treatment etc.

 

The wording in very interesting on the emergency Medicaid website. I know working in healthcare things can be very specific to coverage. I have never had a patient that I am aware of use it (but I work in a rehabilitation hospital and not an acute care setting) so I can't say what will or would not be covered. I do however work with international patient's regularly most are sponsored by their embassy and a couple pay out of pocket for their health care here.

 

The website for emergency medicaid states:

       "Unlike regular Medicaid or private insurance, these benefits are intended to provide payment for certain patients experiencing acute symptoms that could negatively impact the life or health of a patient, or the dysfunction of a body part or organ."

 

Depending on what kind of cancer you have it can easily go undiagnosed until you have acute symptoms.

 

Not knowing the exact situation, the type of cancer or what symptoms prompted the initial medical visits would make it difficult to figure out if it would be covered. But all big hospitals have social workers whose main job is to give guidance to patient's and even help fill out paperwork for something like emergency Medicaid. Although April is a far ways away for the expiration of the current visa.

 

http://www.mymedicare.com/medicaid/emergency-medicaid/

Edited December 11, 2017 by AshMarty

[Fmert001 127]

2 hours ago, AshMarty said:

 

The wording in very interesting on the emergency Medicaid website. I know working in healthcare things can be very specific to coverage. I have never had a patient that I am aware of use it (but I work in a rehabilitation hospital and not an acute care setting) so I can't say what will or would not be covered. I do however work with international patient's regularly most are sponsored by their embassy and a couple pay out of pocket for their health care here.

 

The website for emergency medicaid states:

       "Unlike regular Medicaid or private insurance, these benefits are intended to provide payment for certain patients experiencing acute symptoms that could negatively impact the life or health of a patient, or the dysfunction of a body part or organ."

 

Depending on what kind of cancer you have it can easily go undiagnosed until you have acute symptoms.

 

Not knowing the exact situation, the type of cancer or what symptoms prompted the initial medical visits would make it difficult to figure out if it would be covered. But all big hospitals have social workers whose main job is to give guidance to patient's and even help fill out paperwork for something like emergency Medicaid. Although April is a far ways away for the expiration of the current visa.

 

http://www.mymedicare.com/medicaid/emergency-medicaid/

 

2 hours ago, NigeriaorBust said:

  If your aunt is in status until April and the cancer is aggressive, she may not be alive to be treated. She could die waiting to get out of status. Would it not be better to get her somewhere where she can get help ?

When I go back and visit I will get more information but the problem is the healthcare in Haiti do not have the standards they have in United States and we just found out her condition we she fell ill last month it’s stage 4 but I don’t have all the information how aggressive the cancer maybe

[Fmert001 127]

3 hours ago, kris&me said:

Before you completely give up, think of this

many people do come to the USA for treatments although it is usually surgery

take her to a Cancer center / there are several in Miami area 

see the social worker there and ask about getting treatments and help 

 

they may and they may not be able to help but worth the effort

sorry for your situation and God bless you as  try to help family 

My parents say they are taking her this week because there are a couple of hospital in Miami Dade county and broward that I have researched that offer help so hopefully some good news..... Thank you so much for your advice

[Fmert001 127]

11 hours ago, NovaSprings said:

OP, I am so sorry, it is so hard when you are put in a situation where you desperately want to help, but your choices are limited.  I just wanted to add a caution regarding your aunt going to Canada.  Like the US, because she is a Haitian citizen, she will require a visa to visit Canada.  When she applies (regardless if it is as a parent or just a visitor visa), one of the questions she must answer is, is she in good health.  If she answers no, and has no extra insurance coverage that she can prove, she will be refused a visa.  Canada is very protective of their health care system, so, Canadian Boarder Agents can also refuse entry if the agent feels the visitor is not in good health or is coming to Canada to seek medical care.  Unfortunately, I have seen this happen at a boarder crossing with my own eyes (person unrelated to me, being interviewed right beside me).

As someone who has a loved one who has a terminal illness, my heart feels for you.  Please know that you and your aunt will be in my thoughts.

Thank you so much

[Fmert001 127]

6 hours ago, SusieQQQ said: