Guaranteed Healthcare

I am thankful everyday that I have an employer that allowed me to get health insurance for the first time in 7 years. I am 29 years old, and have a blood condition called ITP. I don't know how I got it, but, I am stuck with a moody unpredictable auto-immune condition.

I was first diagnosed with this condition in 2004 while I was attending graduate school and generally wearing myself extremely thin in order to balance going to college and working two jobs. My health was deteriorating, but I couldn't stop because I had too much work to do. After a pesky cold and cough that wouldn't cease (and it was beginning to affect my sleep), I decided enough was enough, and I had to go to the medical clinic on campus that was covered by my tuition in order save a few dollars on co-pays and prescription pay.

They gave me something to help me sleep and get rid of my cold, and they decided to do a blood count. Not being pleased with the results, they wanted me back the next day for another blood count in case there was an error with the machine. My blood platelets which I knew nothing about prior to this visit were extremely low. So dangerously low they said I had to go to the emergency room IMMEDIATELY or I could bleed in my brain -- not exactly what one wants to hear from a doctor.

Since I felt fine aside from being tired, I wasn't really sure what was happening. They explained to me that a person's blood platelets range from 150,000-450,000. That day I had 8,000 and I was in danger. So, I reluctantly went to the emergency room and was admitted to the hospital. I stayed for a week enduring numerous tests, and obtaining three blood transfusions, transfusions of IVIG (gamma globulin) and followed up by putting me on steroids- Prednisone to stop the antibodies that were attacking and destroying my platelets. Not having health insurance, my family helped me out for a little while after my hospital release, but eventually the bills became too much and I was going crazy on a weekly basis going to a hematologist obsessing over a number- what is my blood count this week?

After gaining weight, increasing fatigue, stress, stomach pain, discomfort, moodiness, and generally feel depressed from the DIRT CHEAP Prednisone that I wasn't responding to, I decided to stop going to the doctor. I didn't have health insurance again until this year when I began working for Apple. I had a relapse and this time my blood went even lower to 2,000 platelets which is extremely dangerous. Another week in the hospital, and only transfusions of IVIG, I am still not responding to the Prednisone which has kept me off work, caused me to gain 25 pounds and is making me almost suicidal.

My hematologist has another drug, Rituxan that will provide better results than the Prednisone that I am not responding to. Unfortunately, Rituxan is $4,000 per shot as it is an IV drug. Since United Healthcare is greedy, they clearly do not want to cover the cost of this drug. So, despite my deductible and out of pocket maximum have been reached, I still cannot get this drug. I find this disgusting and I am suffering. My co-insurance bills continue to come in everyday and are much more than I can afford making $12/hr.

I just do not know what to do except try to fight with United and try to get them to cover the cost of this drug for me. I cannot stand to be on Prednisone for much longer. It's destroying me, my hair is falling out, I am depressed, and am having a hard time losing the weight I gained in the mere month that I have been stuck on this steroid once again.

Why now, even WITH health insurance am I fighting and struggling? Despite the literature showing that this drug works for my condition, because the FDA has not said this drug works for my condition, I cannot receive it, and it's absolutely disgusting.