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Neurologist for Someone without Insurance??

Mon, 09/13/2010 - 04:44

Hi there,

I'm new to the site.  I am a 31 year old woman, I live in the Los Angeles/Long Beach area.  I am getting my Masters Degree in Social Work right now and am in my last year.  I also was diagnosed with Myoclonic Epilepsy when I was about 16.  I had a Gran Mal seizure and had about 4 smaller ones around that  time.  I have been on meds ever since and haven't had any major problems.  I take Topamax now that I usually get from family doctors, clinics, etc since I don't have insurance anymore.  However, for my current internship at the University I attend they are asking for me to get checked out by a Neurologist to possibly get hired there, per the Stipend I receive.  They are saying it could be a liability for me to transport clients, etc in the future if something "were to happen"... assuming they mean I have a seizure.  

does anyone know of any resources to see a Neurologist?  is it legal for them to base my employment on this?

 

Thanks.

Comments

Re: Neurologist for Someone without Insurance??

Submitted by phylisfjohnson on Mon, 2010-09-13 - 09:27

Medical Assistance

If you Google “Hill-Burton Act” or go to http://www.hrsa.gov/hillburton/ you’ll find a gold mine of information about who qualifies, which facilities are obligated to provide free or reduced-cost health care and how to apply.  The Hill-Burton Hotline is 1-800-638-0742 or 1-800-492-0359 in Maryland. 

Below is a link for clinic listings where you can get: Help for medical or dental problems FREE…Help for just a nominal fee…Help for a small donation...Some clinics are for low-income people…and some only serve local community residents…

Just click on http://www.freemedicalcamps.com/index.php  to find the Free Medical Clinic or Free Dental Clinic in your state, nearest you… 

Pharmaceutical Patient Assistance Programs

  • Many pharmaceutical companies offer Patient Assistance Programs to those who cannot afford the cost of their medications but are ineligible for Medicaid due to their income.  Following is a list of each company’s contact information…
  • Banzel—Eisai Neurology Patient Assistance Program (1-866-694-2550)
  • Carbatrol—Shire Pharmaceuticals Carbatrol Patient Assistance Program (1-908-203-0657)
  • Depakene—Abbott Patient Assistance (1-800-222-6885)
  • Depakote, Depakote ER—Abbott Patient Assistance (1-800-222-6885)
  • Diastat Acudial Rectal Gel—Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Patient Assistance Program (1-800-511-2120)
  • Dilantin—Pfizer, Inc. — Connection to Care (1-800-707-8990)
  • Felbatol—Meda Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program (1-800-678-4657)
  • Gabitral—CephalonCares Foundation Patient Assistance Program (1-877-237-4881)
  • HP Acthar Gel—Questcor Pharmaceuticals Acthar Gel Patient Assistance Program (1-888-435-2284)
  • Keppra, Keppra XR—UCB Patient Assistance Program (1-866-395-8366)
  • Lamictal, Lamictal XR—GlaxoSmithKline Bridges To Access (1-866-728-4368) *Advocate must pre-enroll patient
  • Lyrica—Pfizer, Inc. — Connection to Care (1-800-707-8990)
  • Mysoline—Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Patient Assistance Program (1-800-511-2120)
  • Neurontin—Pfizer, Inc. — Connection to Care (1-800-707-8990)
  • Phenobarbital—Xubex Patient Assistance Program (1-866-699-8239)
  • Sabril—Lundbeck’s SHARE Call Center 1-888-45-SHARE (1-888-457-4273)
  • Tegretol, Tegretol XR—Novartis Patient Assistance Program (1-800-277-2254)
  • Topamax—Janssen Ortho Patient Assistance Foundation (1-800-652-6227)
  • Tranxene—Lundbeck’s SHARE 1-888-45-SHARE (1-888-457-4273)
  • Trileptal—Novartis Patient Assistance Program (1-800-277-2254)
  • Vagus Nerve Stimulator—Cyberonics (1-800-332-1375 ext. 7493) or BJ Wilder Therapy Program
  • Vimpat—UCB Patient Assistance Program (1-866-395-8366)
  • Zarontin—Pfizer, Inc. –Connection to Care (1-800-707-8990)
  • Zonegran—Eisai Neurology Patient Assistance Program (1-866-694-2550)
  • Needy Meds—This website provides information on patient assistance programs available for each medication. Go to www.needymeds.org.
  • Express Scripts Specialty Distribution Services Rx Outreach Medications—This provides discounts for some generic medications. (1-800-769-3880)
  • Xubex Pharmaceuticals Xubex Patient Assistance Program—This provides discounts for some generic medications. (1-866-699-8239) or www.xubex.com
  • RX Hope—This website provides information on patient assistance programs available for each medication. Go to https://www.rxhope.com.
  • PHRMA—This website provides information on patient assistance programs available for each medication. Go to http://www.pparx.org.
  • Together RX—This website provides information on patient assistance programs available for each medication. Go to http://www.together-rx.com.
  • Veteran’s Affairs Veteran’s Benefits—This website provides information about benefits for veterans. Go to http://www.va.gov.
  • Eli Lilly & Co—This website provides information about their patient assistance program and its eligibility requirements. Go to https://www.lilly.com      Phylis Feiner Johnson    www.epilepsytalk.com
  • Medical Assistance

    If you Google “Hill-Burton Act” or go to http://www.hrsa.gov/hillburton/ you’ll find a gold mine of information about who qualifies, which facilities are obligated to provide free or reduced-cost health care and how to apply.  The Hill-Burton Hotline is 1-800-638-0742 or 1-800-492-0359 in Maryland. 

    Below is a link for clinic listings where you can get: Help for medical or dental problems FREE…Help for just a nominal fee…Help for a small donation...Some clinics are for low-income people…and some only serve local community residents…

    Just click on http://www.freemedicalcamps.com/index.php  to find the Free Medical Clinic or Free Dental Clinic in your state, nearest you… 

    Pharmaceutical Patient Assistance Programs

    • Many pharmaceutical companies offer Patient Assistance Programs to those who cannot afford the cost of their medications but are ineligible for Medicaid due to their income.  Following is a list of each company’s contact information…
    • Banzel—Eisai Neurology Patient Assistance Program (1-866-694-2550)
    • Carbatrol—Shire Pharmaceuticals Carbatrol Patient Assistance Program (1-908-203-0657)
    • Depakene—Abbott Patient Assistance (1-800-222-6885)
    • Depakote, Depakote ER—Abbott Patient Assistance (1-800-222-6885)
    • Diastat Acudial Rectal Gel—Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Patient Assistance Program (1-800-511-2120)
    • Dilantin—Pfizer, Inc. — Connection to Care (1-800-707-8990)
    • Felbatol—Meda Pharmaceuticals Patient Assistance Program (1-800-678-4657)
    • Gabitral—CephalonCares Foundation Patient Assistance Program (1-877-237-4881)
    • HP Acthar Gel—Questcor Pharmaceuticals Acthar Gel Patient Assistance Program (1-888-435-2284)
    • Keppra, Keppra XR—UCB Patient Assistance Program (1-866-395-8366)
    • Lamictal, Lamictal XR—GlaxoSmithKline Bridges To Access (1-866-728-4368) *Advocate must pre-enroll patient
    • Lyrica—Pfizer, Inc. — Connection to Care (1-800-707-8990)
    • Mysoline—Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Patient Assistance Program (1-800-511-2120)
    • Neurontin—Pfizer, Inc. — Connection to Care (1-800-707-8990)
    • Phenobarbital—Xubex Patient Assistance Program (1-866-699-8239)
    • Sabril—Lundbeck’s SHARE Call Center 1-888-45-SHARE (1-888-457-4273)
    • Tegretol, Tegretol XR—Novartis Patient Assistance Program (1-800-277-2254)
    • Topamax—Janssen Ortho Patient Assistance Foundation (1-800-652-6227)
    • Tranxene—Lundbeck’s SHARE 1-888-45-SHARE (1-888-457-4273)
    • Trileptal—Novartis Patient Assistance Program (1-800-277-2254)
    • Vagus Nerve Stimulator—Cyberonics (1-800-332-1375 ext. 7493) or BJ Wilder Therapy Program
    • Vimpat—UCB Patient Assistance Program (1-866-395-8366)
    • Zarontin—Pfizer, Inc. –Connection to Care (1-800-707-8990)
    • Zonegran—Eisai Neurology Patient Assistance Program (1-866-694-2550)
    • Needy Meds—This website provides information on patient assistance programs available for each medication. Go to www.needymeds.org.
  • Express Scripts Specialty Distribution Services Rx Outreach Medications—This provides discounts for some generic medications. (1-800-769-3880)
  • Xubex Pharmaceuticals Xubex Patient Assistance Program—This provides discounts for some generic medications. (1-866-699-8239) or www.xubex.com
  • RX Hope—This website provides information on patient assistance programs available for each medication. Go to https://www.rxhope.com.
  • PHRMA—This website provides information on patient assistance programs available for each medication. Go to http://www.pparx.org.
  • Together RX—This website provides information on patient assistance programs available for each medication. Go to http://www.together-rx.com.
  • Veteran’s Affairs Veteran’s Benefits—This website provides information about benefits for veterans. Go to http://www.va.gov.
  • Eli Lilly & Co—This website provides information about their patient assistance program and its eligibility requirements. Go to https://www.lilly.com      Phylis Feiner Johnson    www.epilepsytalk.com
  • Re: Neurologist for Someone without Insurance??

    Submitted by cdean08 on Fri, 2010-09-17 - 00:00
    Thank you so much! I will try out this info!

    Re: Neurologist for Someone without Insurance??

    Submitted by phylisfjohnson on Sat, 2010-09-18 - 10:12

    There are also some medical resources I came up with after a bit of searching:

    Free / Low-Cost Health Clinic Finder -- helps you find free or low-cost health clinics near your home.  http://www.pparx.org/en/prescription_assistance_programs/free_clinic_finder The National Association of Free Clinics -- volunteer-based, health care organizations that provide a range of medical, dental and pharmacy services to economically disadvantaged individuals who are predominately uninsured.  http://www.freeclinics.us/freeclinic.php Free U.S. Medical and Dental Clinics -- some clinics offer help for just a nominal fee or a small donation…others are for low-income and homeless people…and some only serve local community residents. Click on your state to find the clinics closest to you.  http://www.freemedicalcamps.com/index.php 

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Centers -- Federally-funded health centers provide medical care, even if you have no health insurance. You pay what you can afford, based on your income.  http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/  

    I hope this helps.     Phylis Feiner Johnson    www.epilepsytalk.com

     

    There are also some medical resources I came up with after a bit of searching:

    Free / Low-Cost Health Clinic Finder -- helps you find free or low-cost health clinics near your home.  http://www.pparx.org/en/prescription_assistance_programs/free_clinic_finder The National Association of Free Clinics -- volunteer-based, health care organizations that provide a range of medical, dental and pharmacy services to economically disadvantaged individuals who are predominately uninsured.  http://www.freeclinics.us/freeclinic.php Free U.S. Medical and Dental Clinics -- some clinics offer help for just a nominal fee or a small donation…others are for low-income and homeless people…and some only serve local community residents. Click on your state to find the clinics closest to you.  http://www.freemedicalcamps.com/index.php 

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Centers -- Federally-funded health centers provide medical care, even if you have no health insurance. You pay what you can afford, based on your income.  http://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/  

    I hope this helps.     Phylis Feiner Johnson    www.epilepsytalk.com

     

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