Comments on: I Hid My Chronic Illness From My Employer and It Mostly Worked Out http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/i-hid-my-chronic-illness-from-my-employer-and-it-mostly-worked-out/ Everything About Money You Were Too Polite To Ask Wed, 22 May 2013 01:47:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: M57 http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/i-hid-my-chronic-illness-from-my-employer-and-it-mostly-worked-out/#comment-36560 M57 Tue, 26 Feb 2013 07:07:07 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=24012#comment-36560 @MagnoliaQueen The individual insurance has improved greatly since the Affordable Care Act was passed. I have Crohn's disease and was able to buy a great PPO plan. It's not as affordable as through a job but my insurance paid over $30,000 for just my prescription medications and I paid a fraction of that. We'll see how it evolves with the health insurance exchanges but so far so good. If you are a student or unemployed, the drug companies will often help with the cost of those really pricey drugs. It's disheartening to know that I can never earn enough money to cover the amount my insurance has paid for my care but I wouldn't be alive if I had to cover my hospital bills up front so I'm incredibly grateful. The system is rigged for big bills but if you have a chronic/major illness, a support group can really help you learn how to minimize your costs. @MagnoliaQueen The individual insurance has improved greatly since the Affordable Care Act was passed. I have Crohn’s disease and was able to buy a great PPO plan. It’s not as affordable as through a job but my insurance paid over $30,000 for just my prescription medications and I paid a fraction of that. We’ll see how it evolves with the health insurance exchanges but so far so good.

If you are a student or unemployed, the drug companies will often help with the cost of those really pricey drugs. It’s disheartening to know that I can never earn enough money to cover the amount my insurance has paid for my care but I wouldn’t be alive if I had to cover my hospital bills up front so I’m incredibly grateful. The system is rigged for big bills but if you have a chronic/major illness, a support group can really help you learn how to minimize your costs.

]]> By: Hayley Judd@twitter http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/i-hid-my-chronic-illness-from-my-employer-and-it-mostly-worked-out/#comment-36390 Hayley Judd@twitter Sun, 24 Feb 2013 15:42:22 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=24012#comment-36390 Thanks everyone for the great feedback and lovely comments. I hope everyone who's shared their stories is doing okay - it's an awful, awful illness, BUT the good news is every day the researchers are learning more about autoimmune diseases. Thanks everyone for the great feedback and lovely comments. I hope everyone who’s shared their stories is doing okay – it’s an awful, awful illness, BUT the good news is every day the researchers are learning more about autoimmune diseases.

]]> By: Hayley Judd@twitter http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/i-hid-my-chronic-illness-from-my-employer-and-it-mostly-worked-out/#comment-36389 Hayley Judd@twitter Sun, 24 Feb 2013 15:39:12 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=24012#comment-36389 @polka dots vs stripes I'm actually living in the States now, and yes...it is very different. I'm ridiculously fortunate to get health insurance through my husband's job, and to have a profession that allows me to freelance. That said, we wouldn't even be here had I not been able to get insurance. Not going to lie, the US health system absolutely enrages me. It just seems so blindingly obvious to me that public healthcare is the only way to go, but as a guest in your country, I try not to be too vocal about it (although I mostly fail at that). It's just so outrageously unfair and punitive. @MagnoliaQueen, I wouldn't belittle your illness! I had a side effect of terrible joint pain for the grand total of two days, and nearly went out of my mind with the pain. I'm glad the horribly expensive drugs are helping! @polka dots vs stripes I’m actually living in the States now, and yes…it is very different. I’m ridiculously fortunate to get health insurance through my husband’s job, and to have a profession that allows me to freelance. That said, we wouldn’t even be here had I not been able to get insurance.

Not going to lie, the US health system absolutely enrages me. It just seems so blindingly obvious to me that public healthcare is the only way to go, but as a guest in your country, I try not to be too vocal about it (although I mostly fail at that). It’s just so outrageously unfair and punitive.

@MagnoliaQueen, I wouldn’t belittle your illness! I had a side effect of terrible joint pain for the grand total of two days, and nearly went out of my mind with the pain. I’m glad the horribly expensive drugs are helping!

]]> By: Dancercise http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/i-hid-my-chronic-illness-from-my-employer-and-it-mostly-worked-out/#comment-36343 Dancercise Fri, 22 Feb 2013 22:54:52 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=24012#comment-36343 Two people in my life have Crohn's and it is just the worst. One of them has a degree from UC Berkeley but lives with her parents and works part time because it's so bad for her that she can't work a full-time job. Thank you for sharing this. You've encouraged me to be extra generous in my annual donation to the US Crohn's and Colitis Foundation next month. Two people in my life have Crohn’s and it is just the worst. One of them has a degree from UC Berkeley but lives with her parents and works part time because it’s so bad for her that she can’t work a full-time job.

Thank you for sharing this. You’ve encouraged me to be extra generous in my annual donation to the US Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation next month.

]]> By: Olivia2.0 http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/i-hid-my-chronic-illness-from-my-employer-and-it-mostly-worked-out/#comment-36323 Olivia2.0 Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:37:47 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=24012#comment-36323 Try having a chronic condition like this (I have Lupus) and living in the US. Until literally this week, I HAD to have a full time job in order to maintain health insurance. I just got married and I'm now going on my husband's insurance. And I've been VERY lucky to work mostly in non-profits, where I get a generous (for the US) # of sick and vacation days, but I still get flack for actually taking them. It's hard to explain that I am sick, but for me sick is being in so much pain I can't get out of bed. Try having a chronic condition like this (I have Lupus) and living in the US. Until literally this week, I HAD to have a full time job in order to maintain health insurance. I just got married and I’m now going on my husband’s insurance. And I’ve been VERY lucky to work mostly in non-profits, where I get a generous (for the US) # of sick and vacation days, but I still get flack for actually taking them. It’s hard to explain that I am sick, but for me sick is being in so much pain I can’t get out of bed.

]]> By: Keri Garel@facebook http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/i-hid-my-chronic-illness-from-my-employer-and-it-mostly-worked-out/#comment-36320 Keri Garel@facebook Fri, 22 Feb 2013 21:26:56 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=24012#comment-36320 I too have UC (isn't Remicade great? Nothing worked for me before it), and I'm interviewing for new jobs right now and trying to decide just how much to tell them. (Everyone at my current job knows and is wonderful about it.) Good luck, Hayley! I too have UC (isn’t Remicade great? Nothing worked for me before it), and I’m interviewing for new jobs right now and trying to decide just how much to tell them. (Everyone at my current job knows and is wonderful about it.) Good luck, Hayley!

]]> By: MagnoliaQueen http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/i-hid-my-chronic-illness-from-my-employer-and-it-mostly-worked-out/#comment-36299 MagnoliaQueen Fri, 22 Feb 2013 20:32:23 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=24012#comment-36299 @polka dots vs stripes I am in the US with a chronic illness, also an autoimmune one. Luckily (?) mine is just trying to destroy my joints, so I don’t feel sick and need to miss work. And, definitely luckily, my insurance has approved and is paying for me to be on some ridiculously expensive drugs that are helping me. I always have some amount of worry about what would happen if I lost my job, and therefore my insurance, because I would have no dream of paying for these meds that cost more than I earn in a year. @polka dots vs stripes I am in the US with a chronic illness, also an autoimmune one. Luckily (?) mine is just trying to destroy my joints, so I don’t feel sick and need to miss work. And, definitely luckily, my insurance has approved and is paying for me to be on some ridiculously expensive drugs that are helping me. I always have some amount of worry about what would happen if I lost my job, and therefore my insurance, because I would have no dream of paying for these meds that cost more than I earn in a year.

]]> By: polka dots vs stripes http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/i-hid-my-chronic-illness-from-my-employer-and-it-mostly-worked-out/#comment-36291 polka dots vs stripes Fri, 22 Feb 2013 19:51:00 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=24012#comment-36291 I am so grateful to not have a chronic illness, but also cannot stop imagining how utterly different this would be for Americans. I'm pretty sure my year's worth of paid time off was used up by the second or third time Hayley "missed a couple days." In addition, I earn my sick time as we go through the year (and my sick & vacation time are one and the same) so I think I have all of 3 days available to me right now? And not to mention what would happen to my health insurance if I couldn't work anymore and went into freelancing... I am so grateful to not have a chronic illness, but also cannot stop imagining how utterly different this would be for Americans. I’m pretty sure my year’s worth of paid time off was used up by the second or third time Hayley “missed a couple days.” In addition, I earn my sick time as we go through the year (and my sick & vacation time are one and the same) so I think I have all of 3 days available to me right now?

And not to mention what would happen to my health insurance if I couldn’t work anymore and went into freelancing…

]]> By: wallrock http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/i-hid-my-chronic-illness-from-my-employer-and-it-mostly-worked-out/#comment-36279 wallrock Fri, 22 Feb 2013 18:59:49 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=24012#comment-36279 Having a chronic illness and trying to maintain a full-time position is a very hard thing to do. A former coworker of mine was diagnosed with Crohn's and it was rough. At the time I was at a small company that was relatively strapped for cash and we just didn't have the ability to bring on temporary people to fill in for her absences. I hate to admit it but there were nights when I was stuck in the office trying to do the work of two and I really resented my coworker over it. I just didn't know how bad a chronic illness affects simply everything in your life. Having a chronic illness and trying to maintain a full-time position is a very hard thing to do. A former coworker of mine was diagnosed with Crohn’s and it was rough. At the time I was at a small company that was relatively strapped for cash and we just didn’t have the ability to bring on temporary people to fill in for her absences. I hate to admit it but there were nights when I was stuck in the office trying to do the work of two and I really resented my coworker over it. I just didn’t know how bad a chronic illness affects simply everything in your life.

]]> By: Catface http://thebillfold.com/2013/02/i-hid-my-chronic-illness-from-my-employer-and-it-mostly-worked-out/#comment-36271 Catface Fri, 22 Feb 2013 18:43:57 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=24012#comment-36271 Hayley, I admire your candor. Wishing you good health. Hayley, I admire your candor. Wishing you good health.

]]>