If you need MEDS, BUT CAN'T GET AID FROM SOCIAL SERVICES & MY INSURANCE WILL BE CANCELED

I have MS. Right now I can get medications, but soon I will have my insurance canceled due to nonpayment of the premium. I can't get any help from social services due to being slightly over the income limit. I am stuck and without my medications I will be a goner. My medications cost $1082.00 per month without the insurance, but without the insurance I can't get them at all. I can't believe this is happening to me. What do they expect me to do?


Unfortunately, your situation is very common. I would suggest writing a dire need letter (make a copy before you mail it just in case it doesn't get there---that way you won't have to write the letter again from scratch).

A dire need is simply a letter that you send to the attention of the hearing office where your claim is pending a hearing date. In the letter, you need to specify (remember, a staff member will read your letter) very clearly how bad your financial situation is. In certain instances, a dire need letter can result in a hearing request being expedited, which simply means that your case will be moved up faster.

There are, of course, no guarantees as to whether or not your dire need letter will produce the desired result. Additionally, if your request for an expedited hearing is granted, there are no guarantees as to how much faster you will get a hearing date.

But, certainly, it's worth a try if your situation is especially abysmal. Typically, the basis for sending a dire need letter to the Office of Hearings and Appeals involves the imminent danger of eviction from rental property or the foreclosure of real property i.e. the danger of becoming homeless.

However, in your case, your dire need letter should also focus on your need to have access to your medications. More specifically, you should point out the fact that you will not be able to afford your meds, and, as a result, your health will be in danger.

Something else I would suggest is this: about two weeks after you've sent in your dire need letter, contact a senator or congressman's office and ask one of their staffers to do a congressional inquiry on your behalf. These offices do this all the time and, again, though there's no guarantee as to effectiveness, it can't hurt to have a politician's office call the hearing office on your behalf.

In your case, it may be a good idea to tell whichever congressional or senatorial staffer you speak to that your situation is especially urgent due to the medication situation.