GHPP/ Med coverage Help

lgbionic

New member
Hi All,

First I would like to introduce myself. My name is Leo and I'm 21 years old. I need feedback, help, comments anything from you guys. Well I was on Medi-Cal (medicaid) and California Childrens Services, both of these insurance cover all my CF needs. But I turned 21 last month and they closed them down. I apply to the Genetically Hadicapped Persons Program (GHPP) on January 4 and it has been a month and I have heard nothing from them. I've been calling these two ladys at GHPP one in Oakland and one in Sacramento and they say that I don't appear on the system and they don't know where my application is. I sent another one on February 1 so that's two and still don't know. I told one lady that I had proof from the US Postal that they had recieved it and signed it. Has any one gone through this.

At the moment I'm out of: Xoponex, Hyper-Sal, Tobi, Cayston, Vitamin D, and Azithromycin. I had run out of Creon as well but my clinic gave me a coupon and I have a month supply. I called the CF Patient Assistance and they gave me phone numbers to get aid to recieve free meds since I don't have insurance at the moment.

I though Medi-Cal was something I needed in order to get GHPP, so I went and applied but I was denied because I'm 21 and I'm NOT disabled (my lung function is at 80%) However, they did sign me up for LIHP (low income health plan) but that's just for primary care not specilty care for CF. Should I disinrolled from it since most programs that manufacturers offer they say that you should not be getting any governmental help?

Please anyone from California who has GHPP response and even others just give me words of advice. I'm so overwhelmed that I just feel like crying, I feel hopeless, my lungs are feeling the lack of medications. I know I'm 21 and that I'm an adult and should be acting like a man, but this is too much. I don't have parents which is the reason why I don't have insurance, my aunt raised me but she was never legally my legal guardian. So now that I'm 21 I am on my own.

-Thanks.
 

triples15

Super Moderator
I'm sorry, I'm not in California so I can't help you at all on the GHPP.

I really just wanted to say welcome to the forum! I hope you get some replies.

I have seen posts on here in the past of people in Cali having a really tough time with the GHPP program, quite similar to what you are describing. Not being able to get anyone on the phone, being dropped from coverage for no reason with no explanation, being told they didn't submit necessary paperwork when in fact they had.

I'm sorry you are going without meds and having such a hard time! Insurance issues and the bureaucracy we have to deal with at times is frustrating and maddening, sometimes to the point of tears. Ugh. I hope you are able to follow-up on the programs that the CFPAF led you to. I know there are programs for most of the meds you mentioned, so I really hope you are able to get your hands on them before too long!

Take Care! And again welcome aboard!

Autumn 32 w/CF
 

rmotion

New member
I'm sorry, I'm not in California so I can't help you at all on the GHPP.

I really just wanted to say welcome to the forum! I hope you get some replies.

I have seen posts on here in the past of people in Cali having a really tough time with the GHPP program, quite similar to what you are describing. Not being able to get anyone on the phone, being dropped from coverage for no reason with no explanation, being told they didn't submit necessary paperwork when in fact they had.

I'm sorry you are going without meds and having such a hard time! Insurance issues and the bureaucracy we have to deal with at times is frustrating and maddening, sometimes to the point of tears. Ugh. I hope you are able to follow-up on the programs that the CFPAF led you to. I know there are programs for most of the meds you mentioned, so I really hope you are able to get your hands on them before too long!

Take Care! And again welcome aboard!

Autumn 32 w/CF

GHPP is sometimes slow to respond. I have had GHPP for almost 20 years.
You just have to fax them and by mail.
Sometimes clinic can call but they get the same.
GHPP is short staffed there is only a few people working for the program. Just be patient and polite you'll get through.
pS I have extra xopenex and hyper sal if you need some :?
 

kmhbeauty

New member
I also have extra hyper s if you need some! I have GHPP and every year to reapply, its a problem and I go without insurance for about 4 months. I send my application in always 2 months early. GHPP is just understaffed and difficult to have at times. Sometimes you will even get bills because ghpp didn't pay them and they end up going to collections even though the company is supposed to take a loss if ghpp doesn't pay. It is illegal to send a person under ghpp a bill, so I have been told. I had a 400 dollar bill that went to collections that I had to pay, and I make very little money. I am thinking about taking the company who sent me the bill to small claims, next mission. I do not have any advice besides keep sending your application and make sure your doctors send their part. There is something the doctors have to fax over to complete your application. Keep calling and keep bugging them. Try faxing the application and make sure you have everything they listed. A picture of your driver license ect. Try calling after you fax it. I am about to redo my yearly application and dreading it. I always have to hope nothing goes wrong with me in that 3-4 months without insurance. Hope that helps
 
send me an email with your address and such to christine.long.tg@gmail.com. What form of creon are you on? After an ice storm that shut down shipping for days when my son was young, I started refilling his creon immediately and have a small batch of extra bottles built up (always use the oldest and keep rotating, they're all within good use time). Also do you use xopenex as an inhaler or vials for nebulizer? I may have some hypersol to send your way. I can get a box in the mail right away. It won't help solve your problem but may help give you a little buffer until your needs kick in.

Some of the manufacturers have program to help those without insurance coverage. Have you googled and looked into that? Any little bit could help.

Hang in there and be persistent. Just keep calling/faxing etc daily and try to be pleasant. It's so hard but you don't want to upset someone that has the power to ignore your requests....been there and done that.
 

Paula10

New member
I have had GHPP and I am going to get back in it hopefully this week.
The reason they are not answering you, is coz the budget from State of Cal. is NONE EXISTENT ande they are not fully staffed at all, but hve one or two ladies just in charge of paperworkd and all the details and they have no time to anser anything. I've been there waiting but usually they take care of it and its resolved. I m so sorry to hear this as I was hoping to get in soon and get hospitalized myself.
I would call over and over and fax to them until you get an answer.
 

lizramirez

New member
I am so sorry that it has been such a struggle to apply for GHPP. What county are you in? I work for an organization in Los Angeles county that works on health access issues, I don't know if I can help, but I would like to try. My name is Liz and I work for Maternal and Child Health Access, www.mchaccess.org, my phone number is 213-749-4261. Thanks for sharing your story and stuggle.

Liz :)
 

JustDucky

New member
Geez, so sorry you are having issues....I am not from Cali but I too have extra hypersal (wish I had the others to give you). Good luck, I hope everything works out for you.

Jenn 41 wCF
 
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