Corinth
How am I supposed to afford one?? I need to go on a long term treatment (6 months my Doctor said) but I have no money. The antibiotics I can take that I can afford & am NOT allergic to are getting rid of these infections but they keep coming back. Does anyone know about where I can find help? I am so jaded about this system! Thanks :/
St. Martin
a bit unclear on your problem. lack of money for out-of-pocket health care and your infection/s keeps coming back! if you are in the U. S.A., however you acquired MRSA is responsible for your bill. let me phrase that another way. most people acquire this infection FROM BEING IN A HOSPITAL OR TREATMENT CLINIC. MRSA stands for Methicillan Resistant Staph Aureaus. Penecillin was the first antibiotic to be developed and we are currently on the 5th generation since the prototype (penecillin). MRSA is prevalent in hospitals. can be carried on clothing, hard surfaces. You had to have a break in your skin to get it. now, you say you have to undergo 6 months of treatment. wow. that must have been some large wound to begin with and some heavy-duty exposure to the pathogen. MRSA is extremely difficult to get rid of. If you really can pin this infection from visiting a hospital, go have a talk with the billing representative/social worker of that hospital. DEMAND that THEY PAY THE PRICE OF TREATMENT BECAUSE IT WAS THEIR HOSPITAL THAT GAVE IT TO YOU FROM THEIR EMPLOYEES NOT PRACTICING PROPER HYGIENE TECHNIQUE/S. This is called a "hospital-acquired" infection. trust me. they will know what you are talking about. Have you been tested for HIV? Is your immune system otherwise compromised? It's hard to give advice when one does not have all the data. hope this helps.
Roslyn Harbor
Does your doctor know you have no insurance? Have you talked to the specialist regarding payment arrangements? Also, look into Care Credit. It is a line of credit to use for medical care.
Le Roy
If you have MRSA, you are a public health hazard--go to a hospital and explain your cicumstances. I am certain they will treat you, money or not, because of the public health significance. Lindsay is a dumbass--MRSA can be spread by fomites.(fomites are anything you touch)
Indian Harbour Beach
If you need long term treatment for MRSA, I'm assuming you need a lengthy IV antibiotic course, PICC line, weekly labs and the works. Yes, this is very expensive. Yes, you need it. See about getting on Medicaid or public assistance. Talk to a medical social worker at the hospital. Talk to the pharmacy providing the IV medications and see if they can work out some kind of payment plan. The company I work for makes every effort to accomodate people who can't pay. Good luck
Chester
I would visit your local health dept (get a copy of your medical records and take with you, at the very least take a copy of your culture and sensitivity report). Most health dept's have an adult clinic, that's where I would go. They should get you the proper treatment (as this is a public health concern). MRSA is on the rise in the communities now, it is no longer just a concern to hospitals. Another possibility is a free clinic in your city (if there is one). In my city they provide free treatment and medications. Another possibility is a local clinic that might have a sliding fee scale based on how much you are able (or not able) to afford. Also check with your local Dept of Family and Children's Sevices. There are often funds that are available for citizens on emergency basis only. In the event your doctor says you cannot work until you are culture negative you may need to apply for assistance. They can direct you how to do that as well. Good Luck! Addendum. There are two major ways people become infected with MRSA. The first is physical contact with someone who is either infected or is a carrier (people who are not infected but are colonized with the bacteria on their body) of MRSA. The second way is for people to physically contact MRSA on any objects such as door handles, floors, sinks, or towels that have been touched by an MRSA-infected person or carrier. If your skin is not intact (cuts, abrasions etc) then contact is much more likely to occur. People can also have MRSA in their lungs and nasal secretions which will then make DROPLET transfer possible. (People who are colonized with MRSA usually have it in their nose. When we were tracking the source of an MRSA infection in the hospital we cultured the staff's nares. The patients were placed in isolation which included gowns, gloves and MASKS - per CDC quidelines)Also, as someone else mentioned contact the Infectious Disease Office Manager and tell them your predicament. There are resources they may be aware of to help you as well, in addition some physicians do provide care for a reduced or no fee. As a side note, any hospital that has EVER received funds from the HILL-BURTON act are required to provide you treatment whether or not they received those funds 30 years ago or even if the amount was minimal. They are required by law to post this information (usually found in the ER registration Dept). Try not to get jaded about the system. In many cases the system has been abused for years by people who just didn't want to pay their bill. There are still caring people within the system who will see to it that you receive the care you need. In our hospital if you pay just $5 a month, the Billing Office is more than willing to work with you. Good luck! Let me know how things work out for you.2nd Addendum"Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is a type of staph that is resistant to certain antibiotics. These antibiotics include methicillin and other more common antibiotics such as oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin. Staph infections, including MRSA, occur most frequently among persons in hospitals and healthcare facilities (such as nursing homes and dialysis centers) who have weakened immune systems (see healthcare-associated MRSA).MRSA infections that are acquired by persons who have not been recently (within the past year) hospitalized or had a medical procedure (such as dialysis, surgery, catheters) are known as CA-MRSA infections. Staph or MRSA infections in the community are usually manifested as skin infections, such as pimples and boils, and occur in otherwise healthy people." This is taken from the CDC reference sheet on Community acquired MRSA. If you go to the billing dept of a hospital and ask that they take care of your bill because you think you got MRSA there, they will refer you to their legal dept. and at that point you are going to need an attorney to make the case for you. I'm not trying to discourage you, and I really do hope you get this straightened out quickly.