How do you handle the cost of being sick?

I am ALSO angry about this. The financial toxicity of chronic illness is a real documented phenomenon and its not talked about enough. Some things that have helped me: - Patient assistance programs from drug manufacturers. Almost every expensive drug has one. Ask your doctor's office to help you apply. - GoodRx for generics. Has saved me hundreds. - FSA/HSA if your employer offers one. Pre-tax money for medical expenses. - Negotiating with providers. I've called billing departments and asked for discounts for paying in full or payment plans. They almost always say yes. - 211.org for local assistance programs. They connected me to utility bill assistance and food banks when things were really tight.

the anger is so real. like were already dealing with pain and fatigue and brain fog and disability and on top of ALL of that we have to navigate a healthcare system designed to extract maximum money from us? its cruel. one thing that helped me: a disability benefits counselor. they know about programs most of us dont. SSI, SSDI, state programs, nonprofit assistance. mine found me like $300/month in benefits i didnt know i qualified for

Have you looked into your state's pharmaceutical assistance program? Some states have programs specifically for people with chronic conditions who need ongoing expensive medications. My rheumatologist's office helped me apply for mine. Also: Mark Cuban's Cost Plus Drugs (costplusdrugs.com). Not all meds are on there but the ones that are are SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than pharmacy prices. Worth checking.

I keep a spreadsheet of all my medical expenses. Partly for taxes (you can deduct medical expenses above 7.5% of your AGI) and partly because seeing the total makes me feel less crazy about being stressed about money. It's not in my head — it's literally thousands of dollars a year. The tax deduction thing — a lot of people don't know about it. If your medical expenses are high enough it can make a real difference on your taxes.

the anger. YES. i spent $487 on medications last month alone. with insurance. and i feel guilty about spending money on heating pads and epsom salt and all the "extras" that arent technically medical but are necessary to function. its not enough to be sick. you also have to be RICH to be sick. and most of us aren't rich because being sick makes it harder to work. it's a trap.