Posted by Racer on January 7, 2004, at 16:26:37
Has anyone here been on SSI for depression? The local clinic that provides free services to me, due to my inability to get medical insurance, suggested the other day that I get qualified for SSI, in order to get access to medical care. I've got mixed feelings about it, mostly negative, but thought I'd ask if anyone here had any experience with it. Are there any good points that I haven't thought of? Are there any quagmires hidden in the brush? Anyone?
One of my concerns is that the medical care will be awful, another is that I'll be set onto a path that's difficult to get off again. A further issue is that I do need some medical care now, but I'm terrified that, as a poor person, I won't "deserve" proper care, and will get the sort of care that makes you wish they'd killed you outright. Does that make sense to anyone? Sure, we've probably most of us been through it, so I'm sure it will.
Here's the main point of urgency, by the way: that lump found in my breast last summer? The mammogram came back without any definitive findings, the ultrasound was done on the wrong location, and the surgeon thought it was a strong candidate for cancer. The tests were supposed to be done again, but I was in the hospital after a suicide attempt instead. As a result, I still need to have those tests repeated, and still don't have coverage. I'm sure the women here understand this one: if I have to lose my breasts, I'd rather a qualified surgeon did the work, rather than someone who's so incompetant only county hospital will employ him. I'd rather have the new kind of surgery, where they do reconstructive work as well as amputation.
Mind you, I know there are fully qualified and ambitious young doctors working at county facilities in the US these days, getting credit towards their student loans through working where otherwise they wouldn't. I also know that there are some very devoted, True Believers who work there because it's the Morally Right Thing To Do. I'm still too frightened by past experiences to be eager to find out which sort I'd get, and we are talking about things that can't necessarily be fixed if they're done wrong.
So, anyone have any words of wisdom?
(And Phil, if you're reading this, got a movie recommendation for you: go rent Blue Collar Comedy Tour, The Movie. It won't help your situation in any meaningful way, but one of the guys is so funny I still laugh after seeing it several times. You'll know which one I mean. Hey, and it comes with my guarantee: If you don't receive full satisfaction from the product, the cost of this recommendation will be refunded in full...)
poster:Racer
thread:297753
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/2000/20031122/msgs/297753.html