There is no safety net “Golden Umbrella" for people who work for a living that get hit with disabling disasters.
2004 was a great year for me. Well, up until November that is. I’d achieved all my life’s goals before I hit 50. I made a good living, had around $25,000 in the bank, leased to own a new Inferno Red 2004 Sebring convertible, lived in the center penthouse of a building within the Columbus downtown skyline, and I had lots of friends. I had a little business called Jet’sArt Custom Illustrations, and when times got slow, I delivered pizzas part time in the coolest delivery car around — bar none! In the beginning of that year, I decided to forego extra expenses like health insurance and started paying down a $20,000 credit card debt at the beginning of that year by sending Visa $1000 to $1250 a month and MasterCard $600, and did it without it even denting my budget.…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments26 - Jet in Columbus
I've thought of that, but I can't get out of the lease without severe penalties that I can't afford.
27 - Dave Nalle
Oh god, you leased it. You're screwed. Leasing a car is never a good idea.
Dave
28 - Jet in Columbus
Oh well thanks for telling me when you did! The bank forced me to have $300,000 coverage on everything that can possibly happen and my payments are $789 every six months for full coverage.
At the time I thought it was petty cash and didn't give it a second thought. I had enough of a down payment to make the monthly payments only $289 a month.
29 - Dave Nalle
Wish I could have gone back in time and warned you. The insurance actually could be worse, but all those low payments will avail you nothing when you get to the end of the lease and are faced with losing the car or paying more than it's worth to keep it.
Dave
30 - Jet in Columbus
I know, I know, but I'm a foolish sentimentalist and it's the first one I got new.
sniff
31 - Jet in Columbus
I tell you what Dave, I'll do it now, in hopes of saving some other fool. DON'T LEASE A CAR!!! No matter how tempting it is.
They don't get you on the payments, in fact they'll bend over backwards to come up with a way you can afford it. What you don't realize until it's tool late is that the bank will make you get the absolute be all, end all ultimate insurance policy to cover not only the car, but to replace it at its stated value. That meant for me $300,000 coverage on everything!!!!
They'll dangle that pretty car (see my URL) and those tempting keys, and once you're hooked, you're hooked.
Dave something just occurred to me, I wonder if it's possible to arrange for someone else to assume the lease, without my being responsible if they default???
32 - Dave Nalle
That IS a nice looking car.
As for getting someone to assume the lease, you can certainly do it, but unless the bank lets you transfer it into their name you could potentially be even worse off, and the bank may make that difficult to do. They'll certainly require your victim to have damned fine credit.
Not a bad idea, though. You should check the procedures with the bank and if it's feasible that low payment is bound to be tempting to someone. You might even be able to get them to pay you something down to partially compensate you for the money you put down up front.
Dave
33 - Jet in Columbus
Thanks Dave, the only problem is I'd be without wheels, to get around in, I can't walk to a bus, nor maintain a used car. I had the presence of mind to buy an extended bumper to bumper 100,000 mile warrantee on this, so except for tires, it's all covered.
I've got to go get a denial letter from medicade monday, and I may look into it if I can find a way to ask so they wouldn't check into my current situation and take the car anyway.
I'm kinda sorta proud of myself that I haven't missed a single payment on any of my bills since this happened.
My problem is my credit rating's being destroyed by no fault of my own, by Workman's comp taking forever to pay covered medical bills!
34 - Dave Nalle
Jet, I don't think they CAN take your car. That's the one good thing about the lease. It's not your car. If they take it they're taking it from the bank and would be in deep shit. Might actually be a serious reason to stick with the lease, now that I think about it.
Dave
35 - diana hartman
Jet, per a comment you left for me:
it was your article i found so inspiring...
visiting the wounded marines at landstuhl and doing anything to get them in touch with the resources they need (which i can only do because of my friend tonia's hard work and all the hell she's been through with her husband) has become a drive for me...
it's more than frustrating, it's flat out ridiculous and inhuman how much a person must go through to get what they need when they are in such need...the lack of knowledge on the part of those in the position to know gets to me...the lack of communication between resources, the lack of cooperation from one's financial network (banks, credit card companies, employers, etc) is mindnumbing...but of course you know this, and i'm so sorry you do...
i had wanted to refer you to the VA hospital in Columbus as i'd hoped it might be of some moral support to get to know those in a very similar situation both physically and financially...i had also hoped information about resources could be shared...this is what i'd hoped until i looked it up and found there isn't a VA hosptial in Columbus...i honestly wasn't expecting that, but then i don't expect most of what i hear in the way of the what's not available...
my heart goes out to you Jet...i sincerely hope the future gets brighter...
diana
36 - Jet in Columbus
Dave #34, God if only that were true. I'm leasing it from Huntington Bank, not Chrysler.
37 - Jet in Columbus
Diana #35, it's things like that, that I'm looking for. I'm not a veteran, but it never occured for me to ask them if there were any resources that I could call.
I feel like I've fallen off a cliff, and the only help I can get from anyone entails helping me only after I've fatally crashed into the ground, hense the parachute reference. I'm watching the financial and health ground rush up at me, with no parachute to soften the fall.
I don't want or desire welfare, I don't want to be in a position of having to have it, but I guess that's fast approaching.
38 - Jet in Columbus
Diana, I admire you for the work you're doing for wounded marines, and it shows just how much of a kind and caring person you are.
Jet
39 - dasha
Jet, are you absolutely certain that none of the Ohio victims of crime funds can do anything for you? The Attorney General of Ohio web site (www.ag.state.oh.us/victim/compensation.asp) seems to suggest that you can be compensated up to $50K for "economic loss" resulting from a crime perpetrated against you. That would imply that it isn't just to cover your meds and doctor's bills, but compensate you for the loss of your previous income.
If you've been there, done that - forgive me, it just seems so wrong that there wouldn't any compensation. Most governments have funds - from assets confiscated from all manner of scum - which are used to help people in your situation.
d
40 - Jet in Columbus
Dasha 39: thanks for the suggestion about Ohio Victims of Crime. The following venom is NOT directed at you...
This is another example of someone earning an honest living having to hit rock bottom before being helped...
Ohio Victims of Crime covers...
1. medical expenses, including counseling and rehabilitation; prescriptions and co-pays; and mileage for transportation to appointments
Since I was on the job, they won't cover it because it's covered under Workman's comp. On top of this if you make over a certain income, you actually have to pay these expenses yourself and wait months to be reimbursed! I discovered I was a diabetic two months into this, and the doctor bills and related equipment and bills aren't covered because they aren't part of the original injury
2. wages lost from not being able to work
Covered by Workman's Comp at a drastically reduced level
3. replacement services, for services the victim normally would do, but must now pay someone else to do
Unless I want to defraud the program and say I paid a maid $50,000, no luck here. On top of that again, I'd have to lay out $50,000 out of pocket to be reimbursed it months later.
4. income that the victim can no longer provide to dependents because the victim is deceased funeral expenses for the deceased victim, up to $2.500.
Sometimes I feel unfortunate I didn't die.
Now comes the fun fine print, that made me angry and frustrated, (if only I could find a release by getting angry and frustrated on the antidepressants I'm on.)
All expenses will be independently investigated and verified by the Attorney General of Ohio
Which could take months while you slowly go broke paying it out of pocket and then waiting for them to eventually reimburse you.
Pain and suffering are not covered; however, if pain and suffering require the applicant to seek treatment, the cost of this treatment may be covered.
The shrink and nurses were covered under workman's comp. If they weren't I'd have to pay for them myself and...
Property damage or loss, including cash, is not covered.
Of course not.
It was after visiting this site, that I knew that I'd slowly be sinking into financial hell, and would have to spend months there before anyone could help me, and by then it'd be too late (a time which is fast approaching).
41 - Joey
Jet,
I am an affecianado of cheap, used, easy to maintain cars. I understand your leasing problems as I do a bit of financial counseling on the side. Find yourself a pro bono lawyer and see if you might qualify for a break in you lease, considering your disabilities. At least call the leasing company and put your heart on your sleeve. You will have to communicate though.
On buying a sensible rig, here's a tip. Go get a used Toyota Corolla or if you like the room, a Camry. Make it a 4 cylinder, go up to KBB on line and price it. Haggle a bit and buy it. Second choice would be a Honda Civic or Accord.. in 4 cylinder. Watch out for Honda's as the "fast and furious" crowd has ragged many potential civics out. That's why I would lean towards the Corolla or Camry.
Personnally, (this is going to sound bigoted, but it's strictly a buying strategy). I buy most of my used stuff from women. Especially one's who take their cars in regularly for routine maintenence (and save all the receipts). The interiors are usually in great shape, and the cars show little wear. Make sure the woman is a well kept, middle class and a career professional. They're out there, and they are reputable people to deal with.
I used to work for a lady who traded her cars in whenever they needed their first tire change (no kidding). It was a safety issue for her, not only for the car's ability to keep her safe, but the fact that she probably wouldn't break down someplace.
42 - Jet in Columbus
Joey, while I appreciate the suggestion and the thinly veiled commercial, I can't raise $5 for an application fee, much less buy another car!
I truly appreciate the effort though.
Jet
43 - Jet in Columbus
Joey, assume the lease on my Sebring, and sell me a Camry for $500 and you've got a deal
44 - Jet in Columbus
Joey, you be sure and get back to me about that late-model Camry for $500 now, you hear?
45 - Jet in Columbus
Nighmare continues. No organization will help me without original documentation. Since I sent it to Access Health Columbus, the Welfare department won't let me apply for a medical card without my originals, nor will Ohio State except copies.
County Welfare says it'll take 30 days or more to receive a needed medical card refusal letter for Ohio State and Knight's templar... I need it by Wednesday
I've been using my driver's license as a replacement social security card, and just discovered Ohio no longer prints your SS on the card, so I have to go apply for another, and no one will listen to me any more without one.
I feel like a rat in a maze that's designed not to have a solution.
I'm so close to giving up it's not funny
46 - Jet in Columbus
I guess tomorrow I'll go try to find the office downtown and try to ger a replacement Social Security card.
As it stands, with no organizations trying to help me, I'll have to put the first surgery on my card, probably Visa.
At the moment, I owe Visa $31,923.78 with a minimum payment of $725, and MasterCard $13,803.66 with a minumum payment of $250. Total Debt $45,727.44.
maybe I should stop asking "What next?"
47 - Jet in Columbus
Latest Update: I've just been told that any help I get from the county with my eye surgery may be deductible from my Social Security Disability checks.
I'd do better off living on the street!
48 - Dave Nalle
Jet, even if that last is true, they're not going to deduct it all at once, they'll just take out a token amount a month over a long period of time. And getting your eyes fixed ought to be a top priority.
Dave
49 - Jet in Columbus
God Dave #48, God, I hope you're right. I'm kind of worried right now about what laser surgery is like. How they keep my eye from moving while they're doing it, and that I'll have to stay awake for it.
I'm sure that on Thursday, I'll be laughing about how worried I was, but today it scares the hell out of me.
I can hear people now scoffing, "Oh he's feeling sorry for himself again, let's all have a pity party" but I'd rather be honest about the whole thing.
Also the fact I'll have to go through it repeatedly for the next few months.
50 - Dave Nalle
Everyone I know who's had laser eye surgery has had glowing reports on it. By all accounts it's fast, pretty much painless and the recovery time is short. Your condition may complicate it, but I bet it's a pleasure compared to some of the other medical procedures you've had to go through.
Dave
51 - Jet in Columbus
thanks, I'll keep that in mind. It's just jitters over something I've never done before.
52 - Jet in Columbus
Well you'll have be patient with me, I'm typing with one eye and it's blurred. Thank god I learned to touch-type in highschool, though heaven help me if I lose the homekeys half way through this.
The surgery wasn't as scary as the aftermath. I gave up counting the laser bursts after about 25. I had three doctors huddled around me peering in scopes and watching live TV pictures arguing over which one to attack first.
It's very hard looking into an intense white light without squinting, all the while being reasured that it won't hurt my eyes. After it was over I couldn't see out of my left eye at all, and my right is still blurred. They told me that that will clear up as the swelling goes down, I hope. I'm not scheduled for another set until 2-3 weeks from now, that's how long the swelling from this set is expected to last
I was advised not to have laser surgery to correct my vision because my eyes will change from day to day, or even hour to hour, so I'm doomed to buying everchanging eye prescriptions.
Still no word as to if anyone's willing to help defray the costs. It's a hell of a maze between the county, charities and the university.
They say the swelling will go down, but right now my eye HURTS.
Looks like I'll have to make another appointment about my blood sugar, as it's not under control any more.
Cue organ music
53 - DazeyMai
Jet, my heart goes out to you for the horrible nightmare you have endured for the last year and a half. I wonder if things might be different for you now if Bush had not made such drastic cuts in our domestic social programs. I won't go into my feelings about him, but when I hear or read that American citizens, such as yourself, are suffering and trying to get help, it literally makes me ill. He has the blood of almost 2500 young American men and women on his hands and yet had the gall to cut veteran's benefits. My diabetic niece had laser surgery on her eyes...it was very successful and she breezed through it. I hope yours is going well and I wish for you a bright future.
54 - Jet in Columbus
Thanks Dazey, I was really scared when it was over because I couldn't see at all out of my right eye. The blurriness it turns out is from a gel they put over a special magnifying contact lense and apparently it'll wear off over the next couple of days.
The problem is I want to claw my eye out, it hurts so much.
The frustration is that people like me can't get help before they go down for the third time.
It's like drowning and the lifeguard says I have to prove I'm really dying before he'll throw me a preserver.
Thanks for caring.
55 - Dave Nalle
What you describe in #54 is a perfect microcosm of the problem with our whole medical insurance system. The self-paid system works fine for most, we've got a state-run system to cover the truly impoverished, but no reasonable stop-gap system to cover those inbetween. It's a problem that could be solved fairly easily, but no one in elective office wants to commit to the expense and appearance of excessive state intrusion in the system which it would require.
Dave
56 - Jet in Columbus
Thank You Dave.
It's said that Naming the problem is half the battle in solving it. My problem is I see the problem all to well but I'm powerless to do anything about it, and like a rat in a maze, keep coming up at deadends, though I can still smell the cheese, which I'm beginning to suspect is outside of the box with no hope of finding it.
57 - Jet in Columbus
Ohio State just called to say the results of yesterday's surgery were inconclusive and I've got to go back wednesday after next for more.
I've been wanting to claw imaginary sand out of my eyes all day!
58 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Jet, when my wife developed diabetes, we scrapped her glasses and bought a very strong magnifying glass that she carried with her all the time.
In new diabetics, vision tends to change rapidly, and then return after a time to something like normal. Giving that you're not exactly rolling in dough, I'd suggest buying as pair of reading glasses at the drug store for cheap and a really good magnifying lense.
Eventually, you'll need new glasses. For now, give your body a chance to deal with its new chemical imbalances and learn to control them. This will take time, and stress only worsens the problem.
59 - Jet in Columbus
Shabbat shalom and thanks for the suggestions Ruvy, however my problem is nearsightedness. I can see things close up very clearly, it's things farther away than 4 feet I have trouble with.
from the feed back, I'm still getting the impression that the hospital, Access Health, the county, and a few others are still waiting to see if another is going to help me first. Which means that none of them will help until the hospital bills go into collection, which if I was dirt poor and didn't care about my credit score didn't matter, but to me it's a disaster.
60 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Jet,
It just hit me, reading this article, that some magazine might buy this story. Someone offered you help in town - maybe that person could do the legwork for getting you paid for this article, and a special fund set up to get you out of trouble.
You need financial help badly, and it looks as if everybody who might help you won't until somebody else does. That leaves you helping yourself. Sell this story, Jet. You still retain the copyright, and the very worst that could happen is that BC might have to close down this article site. If you get paid, and a fund set up to help you, that would be worth it.
You are a talented writer. You'll have more articles coming...
61 - Jet in Columbus
Ruvy, I don't know what to say!
62 - Jet in Columbus
Ruvy #60 I'm not a trained writer, but it seems more and more people have been encouraging me in this direction. If I actually recover my eyesight... and insight, maybe I'll take this, and flesh it out and try your suggestion
Another good subject would be on near-paralyzing depression and what it's like to life it from the inside.
thanks
63 - Jet in Columbus
from Chelsea Snyder on another string..."Jet #176 (yes, I'm way behind, but I've been on my death bed with my good friends Sudafed and Nyquil all day. My 21st is on Thursday and it's only kharmatic that I come down with a nasty cold right about now) -- freelancing would be right up your alley. I write for a few publications now, and only one of them have I ever had an actual face-to-face with my editor (only because I used to intern there). And like zing said, it's not enough for a living, but I get paid a decent amount, and it's enough to help pay the rent. Every little bit can't hurt..."
There's one major problem, and I hate it, I feel trapped by it, and can't find my way out of it.
Unless it pays more than the meager sum I'm getting from Workman's Comp, for every dollar I make writing, it'd be deducted from my WorkComp/social security disability check.
It sucks that I could make money in one hand, and they'll brazenly take it out of my other hand, so I have nothing to show for it.
It sucks but it's true!
Thanks for the suggestion, I'm looking into it.
64 - Dave Nalle
I made my living for several years writing basically the same variety of stuff that I now write online, but doing it for pay for a variety of small magazines. It wasn't exactly a great way to live. I had to write a hell of a lot of reviews and informational articles for it to add up to much of anything. A lot of work for the amount of reward involved. To really make money for periodicals you have to either have a syndicated column or regularly get placed in some of the very high paying 'slick' magazines, and that's hard to do.
Dave
65 - Elvira Black
Just a thought--might it be better to not pay the med bills just yet, let the various orgs sort it out, and not max out your credit cards even more at this point? Hopefully in the former case someone will eventually reimburse you. In the latter case you'll be dealing with credit card companies who won't.
Also, I think under social security disability you might be able to make a few extra hundred a month without penalty.
66 - Jet in Columbus
Elvira #65: Thanks sweetie. Unfortunately my experience in the maze gives me this.
As my credit report points go down,it gives my cards excuse to raise my rates. There's also the thing where if you're late with anything, even if it's completely unrelated to your card payments, The Credit companies can raise your rate to their default rate-ususlly 30 percent.
I have an AT&T Universal Visa and a Sears Platinum MasterCard-you'd think they'd be completely unrelated, but it turns out they're both owned by CitiBank.
Under Social Security Disability, you're right you are allowed to earn a certain amount. I already do. Social Security disability says I'm eligible for around $975 a month. Whoever I'm getting $880 from Workman's comp... there for with the allowance they're sending me only $429 a month. Total $1,309 a month.
Now here's the kick in the ass-when Workman's comp stops sending me checks, that means I drop to my max from disability from a total of 1309 down to $975 a month. My rent alone is $525 a month.
Now factor this in, from June 2004 I have 25 months before I'm eligible for Medicare to help with these damned bills & prescriptions, I'm halfway there, however if I'm hired somewhere and go over their additional income limit I lose that first.
I can't win, I just can't win.
67 - Jet in Columbus
Well, tomorrow I get to run the rat maze again twice. This time it's to try to get a replacement social security card without getting a parking ticket while waiting, and also to go over and get another refusal letter for a State medical card, and food stamps, so these charities will stop fighting over who's going to help me.
just think, if I get down to having to sell my computer, you'll never hear from me again!
Cross your fingers Arch!
68 - Jet in Columbus
I just got a letter from Workman's comp. My benifits ran out May 6th. social security disability will now raise me to only $925 a month.
With Workman's comp at $880 a month social security was sending me $429 a month, so I was just getting barely along on $1309 a month.
My rent alone is $525.
I had to find this out from a neighbor at 2:30 in the morning because the postman put my letter in someone elses box and they just put it under my door and rang the bell.
I don't think I can take much more...
69 - Dave Nalle
Let me try to put a positive spin on your income situation for you, Jet.
It's a great starting point. You're getting $925 a month just for the work you've done in the past and the suffering you've gone through. You'd only need to earn a modest additional income (off the books) to live fairly decently.
Get paid for writing, or for artwork, for in-home telemarketing or hell just buy and sell some stuff on eBay and it wouldn't take all that much to put you over the threshold of self-sufficiency and maybe more.
Don't think of your cup as half empty, but rather as half full. Figure out what you're capable of doing for a little extra income based on your talents and your knowledge and run with it.
Dave
70 - Jet in Columbus
Thanks Dave, but every time I've put my hand out on the stove it's gotten burned.
I can't do this any more
Thanks for being a friend.
71 - Jet in Columbus
Even if I notified Social Security tomorrow about my income change, it'd take months to do the paperwork, and comfirmations before they'd send me a back check... by then it'd be too late, and I can't live on $429 a month until they do, my rent's $515, my lease is up the end of june and my doctor bills and prescriptions run more than that, and I've only about $1000 left in the bank.
I'm so tired of fighting the good fight, and as Arch has said, I'm tired of feeling sorry for myself every day, day in day out...
72 - Jet in Columbus
MY FRIENDS-THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT LESSON LEARNED! Because of comments 68 and 71 ,last night/this morning I very nearly went over my balcony, that's how deep my depression is, and Dave Nalle will verify all this...over what turned out to be a paperwork snafu, that my caseworker just e-mailed me about and is trying to straighten out as we speak.
I will try to remember this, and talk to my shrink about it tomorrow. Until last night, I didn't realize how fragile my sanity really is and what a good friend Dave can be off-line and thousands of miles away.
lesson learned: wait until the morning when the light of day comes up before doing something drastic.
sincerely
Jet
73 - chantal stone
I'm glad today is looking brighter for you, Jet. There are plenty of people around who care about you.
:)
74 - Elvira Black
What Chantal said.
75 - Dave Nalle
Never do anything drastic, Jet. Even when things are looking grim there's likely to be some way out. I've had friends in similarly dire straits who figured ways out which didn't involve going over the balcony, though in one case it involved moving to Mexico for the lower cost of living, which is pretty radical.
As long as you're willing to try to do something to solve your problems then you're not truly screwed. The system is designed to eventually reward persistence. The ones who are doomed are those who give up and stop trying. Might want to move into a ground floor apartment, though...
Dave