After months of anguish involving our insurance and a drug called Prograf, getting my adoption records opened and trying to register with my Native American Indian tribe, we have finally found some relief. It looks like we will be able to get our Prograf.
Our family started a journey a few months ago that has been both painful and heart-wrenching. We have gone down roads that I never expected I would ever have to travel on. Searching for my adoptive parents was one of them. This was something that I was not eager to do.
As most of you know, our insurance coverage changed when the economy went all crazy, and as a result the anti-rejection drug Prograf came off the table when the new plan went into effect. This backed us into a corner trying to figure out how we were going to be able to come up with the thousands of dollars a month to pay for this one drug alone that I will have to take for the rest of my life. We were told by the transplant center that there would be no transplant if we couldn't get aftercare drugs -- something our insurance plan originally covered.
This past week we were notified that our insurance will offer an option that will cover Prograf. The insurance will be expensive, but nothing compared to the cost of the drug without insurance. We were overwhelmed, to say the least. Over these past months we have been blessed to have so many people step forward to help out in whatever way they could. Some offered advice, some legal counsel, and some offered friendship. There were many prayers and many thoughtful wishes. Lois and the girls and I are thankful to everyone who has helped us along this journey.
While all of this has been going on, it has also opened up some questions about my adoption records. We have court records showing that I have two sets of names for my parents. How does that happen? Well, we aren't sure, so we are still going to try to figure out all that. It also suspends any hope of trying to get registered with the Indian tribe. We were asked by a representative of the tribe to get the original birth certificate so they could run it against their membership. We did that, but that individual never responded when we tried to contact her to let her know. Most of that problem can be attributed to just one person who doesn't seem to care about our request. Maybe we will have to talk to someone higher up in the tribal council or make a run to Arizona. One step at a time.
Again I have no words. We thank you all.
And YEA, Prograf!
Showing posts with label Prograf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prograf. Show all posts
October 13, 2009
April 18, 2009
Where do we go from here ? ¿ ?
Normally I would post this on my other blog, but I've decided I could really use some extra eyes on this one so I'm posting it over here as well. Any help or thoughts would be appreciated.
It turns out that because I am an American Indian I may be entitled to help paying for drugs that I will need post-op. Drugs that I will need for the rest of my life. These anti-rejection drugs can be very expensive and cost many thousands of dollars a year. Our insurance won't pay for them.
When Lois and I got married we compared our work insurance benefits and discovered hers were definitely a lot better than mine. I have been on her plan ever since. When we discovered that I was going to need to have a transplant we were happy to find that her plan would actually cover the operation. We also learned that some of the drugs I would need for aftercare would also be covered, but not all of them. Some of them are going to end up costing us a lot.
The other day I got a phone call from the transplant center informing us about our insurance benefits and what they would cover. A drug called Prograf is the biggy. Prograf is designed to lower the body's immune system. While your immune system is there to fight infection, it will also fight against a new transplanted organ such as a kidney or liver because it thinks the body is being invaded. Prograf, along with other drugs, are used to help fight against organ transplant rejection. Apparently I need to find a way to pay for this immunosuppression drug before I can get a transplant. Or else ¿ ? ¿
The transplant center is doing its best and willing to do what it takes to help us out in exploring all our options. But now we have reached an impass. The idea to look into Indian benefits was actually the social worker's thought. A good one. Buuttt... I was adopted and I have no ties with my Indian tribe. I know that I am a Yaqui Indian because my parents said so. They adopted three of us -- two Yaquis and a Pima while they lived in Phoenix. But my case is no different than any other adoptee's. When the adoption is finalized, they reissue a birth certificate that shows the adoptive parents as the natural parents. There's nothing on it that says, adopted.
So I must first somehow prove that I was adopted and then find a way to have my adoption records opened so that I can prove it to the tribal council. And then I might be eligible for Indian funds.Years ago I did a little research on trying to find my natural parents. I wrote a letter to ALMA Society (Adoptee's Liberty Movement Association) and they responded by telling me there might be a loophole in finding my parents because I was Native American.
Adoptees who are of American Indian heritage can learn their original names and names of their birth parents by taking advantage of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1977.
This law was made for a number of reasons, but the one that is of most importance to me is that my records can supposedly be opened due to genetic and medical reasons. It is a federal law. In my case I am not so much interested in finding my natural parents but rather looking for medical history and acknowledgement from the tribe so that I can apply for grant money so I can show that we can get the Prograf. Without that, there will be no transplant.
Anybody know any adoption law? We're stumped.
It turns out that because I am an American Indian I may be entitled to help paying for drugs that I will need post-op. Drugs that I will need for the rest of my life. These anti-rejection drugs can be very expensive and cost many thousands of dollars a year. Our insurance won't pay for them.
When Lois and I got married we compared our work insurance benefits and discovered hers were definitely a lot better than mine. I have been on her plan ever since. When we discovered that I was going to need to have a transplant we were happy to find that her plan would actually cover the operation. We also learned that some of the drugs I would need for aftercare would also be covered, but not all of them. Some of them are going to end up costing us a lot.
The other day I got a phone call from the transplant center informing us about our insurance benefits and what they would cover. A drug called Prograf is the biggy. Prograf is designed to lower the body's immune system. While your immune system is there to fight infection, it will also fight against a new transplanted organ such as a kidney or liver because it thinks the body is being invaded. Prograf, along with other drugs, are used to help fight against organ transplant rejection. Apparently I need to find a way to pay for this immunosuppression drug before I can get a transplant. Or else ¿ ? ¿
The transplant center is doing its best and willing to do what it takes to help us out in exploring all our options. But now we have reached an impass. The idea to look into Indian benefits was actually the social worker's thought. A good one. Buuttt... I was adopted and I have no ties with my Indian tribe. I know that I am a Yaqui Indian because my parents said so. They adopted three of us -- two Yaquis and a Pima while they lived in Phoenix. But my case is no different than any other adoptee's. When the adoption is finalized, they reissue a birth certificate that shows the adoptive parents as the natural parents. There's nothing on it that says, adopted.
So I must first somehow prove that I was adopted and then find a way to have my adoption records opened so that I can prove it to the tribal council. And then I might be eligible for Indian funds.Years ago I did a little research on trying to find my natural parents. I wrote a letter to ALMA Society (Adoptee's Liberty Movement Association) and they responded by telling me there might be a loophole in finding my parents because I was Native American.
Adoptees who are of American Indian heritage can learn their original names and names of their birth parents by taking advantage of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1977.
This law was made for a number of reasons, but the one that is of most importance to me is that my records can supposedly be opened due to genetic and medical reasons. It is a federal law. In my case I am not so much interested in finding my natural parents but rather looking for medical history and acknowledgement from the tribe so that I can apply for grant money so I can show that we can get the Prograf. Without that, there will be no transplant.
Anybody know any adoption law? We're stumped.
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