Healthcare and treatment without insurance for asbestos exposure

Michael Bartlett

By Michael Bartlett

Posted on July 15th, 2020

As a person who struggles with cancer, it can be very difficult to afford the healthcare and treatment you need without insurance. However, there are several resources that can help you receive healthcare and treatment for cancer you may want to take into consideration.

During the last century, asbestos was present in large amounts in over 75 industries, as well as in the military, which inevitably led to heavy exposure among industrial workers and veterans. Today, approximately 20% of former industrial workers and over 30% of veterans struggle with a disease as a consequence of occupational or military asbestos exposure. Because the diseases which stem from asbestos exposure are very aggressive, they require adequate and effective treatment immediately. However, without health insurance, it may be very difficult to find the financial resources you need to afford care and treatment for your diagnosis.

The majority of people with a history of asbestos exposure develop a form of cancer, which, while it is a terrible disease, may help you access a series of resources so that you can afford the healthcare and treatment you need. Consequently, if you developed cancer as a result of asbestos exposure, you may try to receive money from the following resources:

  • Local hospitals: Some of your local hospitals may provide free healthcare and treatment to cancer patients and may have a charity program available for you. While not many hospitals offer this benefit, it is definitely worth trying to contact your local hospitals and medical facilities to see whether they can help you with your cancer treatment.
  • The Patient Advocate Foundation: Since 1996, the Patient Advocate Foundation has been helping people with serious diseases receive the treatment they need. They also provide education, legal counseling, and referrals to cancer patients with regard to healthcare, insurance, financial issues, job discrimination, and debt management. To find out whether they can help you receive cancer treatment, please contact the organization at 866.512.3861 or by accessing this website.
  • Local community and religious organizations: Oftentimes, local community or religious organizations can help people who struggle with cancer receive the healthcare and treatment they desperately need. Thereby, it is a good idea to contact your local community and religious organizations to see if they can provide you with the money you need to afford treatment.

Resources for veterans injured by asbestos exposure

Most veterans who came to struggle with cancer as a consequence of military asbestos exposure qualify for free-of-charge healthcare and treatment from the VA medical facilities. This benefit will highly depend on your disability rating, your income level, and your military service history. Nevertheless, because veterans were heavily exposed to asbestos, they often end up suffering from aggressive forms of cancer, such as mesothelioma, which makes them eligible for a 100% disability rating. Furthermore, there are a significant number of veterans affected by asbestos exposure who also struggle financially, which is another reason why they are likely to receive free healthcare and treatment from the VA. If you are a veteran who has one of the following diagnoses, you can apply for disability compensation with the help of a lawyer who specializes in toxic exposure cases, which will mostly depend on your disability rating:

Since the process of filing a claim for disability compensation is very complex and requires solid evidence of your military asbestos exposure and of your related diagnosis, the assistance of a lawyer whose main area of practice is toxic exposure is absolutely necessary. They will take care of the majority of legal aspects of the process and your involvement will be minimal, which will allow you to focus more on your health and treatment.

The disability compensation, which is a monthly benefit, will help you afford superior healthcare and treatment if you do not already qualify for free healthcare and treatment from your local VA medical facility. You can find a list of VA medical facilities by state here. We strongly encourage you to get in touch with your local VA medical facility, as, if you have a serious disease as a result of asbestos exposure, they will help you receive the treatment you need.

How to get health insurance as a cancer patient

If you struggle with cancer as a consequence of asbestos exposure, you may eventually want to get health insurance, as it entails a series of important benefits. There are several ways you can do it, such as the following:

  • The employer or union of your spouse: If your wife or husband has a job that provides health insurance, you can ask if you can also receive it or if you can buy into it. In the unfortunate case, you lost your job within the last 60 days and had insurance, it is a good idea to ask if you are eligible for COBRA, which is a law that allows you to keep your health insurance for 18 months following the loss of employment. However, you will have to pay fully for it.
  • Medicaid: As a state-administered health insurance program that offers low-cost or free health insurance coverage for the residents of the United States, Medicaid may be the solution you are looking for. In 30 states, it covers individuals who are below 138% of the Federal Poverty Level, which is approximately $16,240. In the remaining 20 states, Medicaid covers low-income families with children, pregnant women, the blind, and people with other disabilities. To apply for Medicaid, please visit this website.
  • Purchase insurance yourself: You can buy health insurance either through a company that provides it or through the marketplace or exchange of the state you live in. However, it is worthy of note that if you purchase insurance through a company, you will not qualify for discounts based on your income. On the other hand, if you buy it through the marketplace or exchange of your state, your income will be taken into consideration. Lastly, it is important to know that you can only buy insurance during the Open Enrollment, which is every year between November and January.

Our law firm provides quality legal assistance to the victims of asbestos exposure

With over 30 years of experience in pursuing compensation for veterans and former industrial workers injured by asbestos exposure, our attorneys specialize in toxic exposure cases and are bound to help you recover the money you deserve from the liable parties.

As a former industrial worker injured by asbestos, you are eligible for compensation from the asbestos trust funds of your employers, which we can efficiently assist you with obtaining.

Filing a claim to recover compensation from the asbestos trust funds of the companies which manufactured the dangerous products you were in contact with on the job will not only result in financial compensation but will also hold the responsible parties liable for their negligent actions.

If, however, you are a veteran, you are eligible for compensation both from asbestos trust funds and the VA, the latter being in the form of monthly disability compensation, which we can also help you receive. You will only have to send your attorney your employment or military records, as well as your medical records, documents that will be used as evidence to support your asbestos claim. Our law firm works on a contingency fee basis, which means that you do not owe our attorneys any money unless they recover compensation on your behalf.