The Crosswalk
A Roots & Roads resource for navigating serious illness and end-of-life care decisions.
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in our hero's journey
"Behind every chronic illness is just a person trying to find their way in the world. We want to find love and be loved and be happy just like you. We want to be successful and do something that matters. We're just dealing with unwanted limitations in our hero's journey." - Glenn Schweitzer
Coping with a Serious Illness
“A serious health problem can disrupt all aspects of your life, whether it’s a chronic or life-threatening illness, such as cancer, or a major health event such as a stroke, heart attack, or debilitating injury.
Many serious health problems seem to develop unexpectedly, upsetting your life out of the blue. You may feel overwhelmed by waves of difficult emotions—from fear and worry to profound sadness, despair, and grief—or just numb, frozen by shock or the feeling that you’ll never be able to cope. The emotional upheaval can make it difficult to function or think straight, and even lead to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.
But whatever your diagnosis or emotional response, it’s important to know that you’re not powerless.” - helpguide.org
information and resources
to help you navigate the journey
Coping with a Life-Threatening Illness
Helpguide.org offers steps you can take to cope, ease stress, and navigate the journey.
Resources for serious illness and end-of-life care decision-making and caregiving
“Understanding and discussing topics like advance directives, palliative care, caregiving and hospice care may feel overwhelming on top of dealing with a serious or life-limiting illness.”
CaringInfo’s guides and resources can help guide you through your journey and assist in your understanding of the choices you have.
7 Ways to Make the Most of Your Hospital Stay An article published on Nextavenue.org on July 5, 2023
"Regardless of your situation, you can be your best advocate or have a family member serve in that role if you are unable. Here are seven considerations for being the best advocate for yourself or a loved one during a hospital stay:"
The No Suprise Act A federal law that went into effect on January 1, 2022 and protects people from unexpected medial bills.
"The Act protects you from unexpected out-of-network bills from:
- Emergency room visits
- Non-emergency care related to a visit to an in-network:
- Hospital
- Hospital outpatient department
- Ambulatory surgical center
- Air ambulance services
These protections apply to you if you have health insurance through an employer (including a Federal Employees Health Benefits plan), the federal Health Insurance Marketplace, a State-based Marketplace, or other individual market coverage."
Know Your Rights When You Aren't Using Health Insurance The No Surprises Act is a federal law that went into effect on January 1, 2022.
"Usually, if you don't have or use health insurance to pay for your care, providers must give you a good faith estimate of how much it will cost. You get the estimate when you schedule care at least 3 business days in advance or if you ask for one. You may be able to dispute your bill if it’s at least $400 more than the estimate."
Extra Help Program Thanks to the new prescription drug law, the Inflation Reduction Act, in 2024 people with Medicare may qualify for even more savings through the Extra Help program.
The Extra Help program "is a Medicare program to help people with limited income and resources pay Medicare drug coverage (Part D) premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and other costs. You also won't have to pay a Part D late enrollment penalty while you get Extra Help. Some people qualify for Extra Help automatically, and other people have to apply."
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