I had insurance at one time. It wasn't the best but I did have it. Then I lost it. For 3 yeras I crossed my fingers, and prayed I would not get sick. I have diabetes and was diet controlled at that time, and I tried not to worry.

Then I started feeling crappy, my weight creeping up and finally I got sick. My diabetes worse. At then time I was EXTREMELY active, but my diet was bad. And I was remiss in learning about my diabetes. I actually developed diabetic ketoacidosis. Look it up online. But I thought i had food poisoning, and for 3 daysI laid in bed at home.

I didn't think I could be admitted to the county hospital, because I was unemployed. Stupid of me to not know. The county hospital is there to help indigent people. So I was taken there, and admitted. Directly to ICU. You don;t think I was worrying about how I was going to pay do you ... I was dying, but I didn't know that. On my 6th bor 7th day, I had a major heart attack in the hospital.

While I was there I was visited by a social worker. I was so unworldly about these things! Man o man was I a greenhorn! But I learned from her about the county card, from here forward called ccss for short. While not perfect ccss did get me in to clinics, the hospital and free meds. I'd had to get in a line at 5 am to sign up, and while I had ccss, I could renew it. It alsogave me the ability to use a primary care facility off the campus of the county hospital, in a nicer neighborhood. But every time I needed something special, the doctor's hands were tied. The specialty clinics were a nightmare to deal with and the doctors really not helpful. Weeks and weeks for appts., stuff that was not covered.

One thing I learned was that I had to be pretty aggressive, trying to be served. A couple of times I had to get down right sneaky to get whhat I felt I needed. I used a number of tactics, and managed to work out most of what I needed. One of those was contacting admin. at the hospital and complaining or showing up. Not being rude, just stating what I needed. The 1st few times it worked ... then they got used to us and stopped helping us. One time I showed up at the clinic without an appt, swearing I did have one. I lied my ass off and got in. You had to be there. Everyoine knew I was lying, but couldn't turn me away. As it just so happened. I was admitted to the hospital right from the office ...

And one more thing NEVERleave a dr's office without a note or the referals you need. They go missing!!!!! I can't tell how many referals "disappeared" ...Lie and say you need them for your employer and the employer hdoesn;t have a fax machine. That's what I did. My primary would noi communicate with Social Security, so I could get disability. So, one old day I said, "Dr. xxx I need a note for my employer saying what is wrong with me. They are pressuring me to go back to work, and he'll only listen to you." I crossed my fingers. He wrote it ...and actually wrote a little too much, but gave it to me ... I was able to take it to social services, and Social Security and had SSDI  and Medicaid within the month. My pending case got approved because I MOVED on it.

Get at least a note from who saw you or the CLEARLY written discharge paperwork, and make sure you ASK if you should see another or different dr.

Also, BRING A FRIEND. They are really a witness. Don't let yourself get shuffled around wiothout back up!!! Have someone go with you. They don't even have to speak, just listen. Make sure youn include them in conversations so everyone knows you have backup. Anyone who works in a medical setting is less likely to screw around if someone else is there. They can always say you were upset and did npot understand, but not if you have back up.

Ask if the dr. is making what you say a matter of record. My old primary dr. left out major chhunks of what I'd been complaining about, and kept me from getting disability for many months. You can always go t their office ands ask for your records. That's how I found out hed was not telling all.

When I took my mom to the ER to be checked out, I found out her complaints were not written up the way we said them. This was bad because it took along time to get her treated, because she was not considered to have anything wrong with her.                                                                                                                                          One thing that bis bad is that the county clinics are too busy. One cardiologist told me the reason I couldn't breathe, was that the reason I cou;ldn't breathe was because I was too fat ... but previously I was told I needed heart bypass ... I was told that after I saw the guy, too, and I am headed for surgery.

You have to be especially proactive.

I got Medicaid /// finally, because I fell below the poverty line. my monthly check is small. I do have an unreported sider income, but it isn;t like I make millions of dollars. If I make evn a few dollars over what this is I would lose it. And this doesn't make sense.

That young lady who wrote about her problem, needs to get hip about what she can do, what's available to her and how to fixit! But she may have to beg a bit. My primaryt while I was in  CCSS didn't know how for me to get on medicaid. He actually told me till I did his hands were tied.

I hope ya'll don't think I am a jerk ... I don;t act all agressive either. I am polite ... I did have a crying jag once , and it didn't help.

The primary guy ... doesn't know how I got SSDI. He kept saying I was not all that ill, but I was // am. When I went to pick up my records, I told him I had gotten it, but not how.

Always go armed with questions. And write down the answers!!! If they think you are paying attention, they may help you more.