Need advice: 'Obama Care' and an almost homeless freind.

[chknltl]

My freind lives in a trailer out in my back yard. He has no source of income currently although he does under the table handiwork when and where he can find it. He is 60 years old, he has never had medical insurance. Furthermore he is very stubborn, (cranky old fart) and never takes advice from freinds.

A few days ago he was sitting on the dock of a nearby lake fishing. While fishing he left his feet in the water and they got horribly sunburnt. Predictably he refused any advice we had (get to an ER) and figured to tough out the burn.

The next day his feet swelled up to the point his ankles disappeared. The swelling is down but the blisters that covered the entire tops of both feet have ruptured. Both feet look horrible-he can not walk because of this. IMO he needs medical attention. He claims that he is ineligible for any medical attention.

I'll let this OP soak for a bit but what i hope for is advice. We live in Washington State. What resources can he actually take advantage of? Is there any coverage from the ACA that he can ask for? If so will he get charged for not signing up for it before all this happened to him?

Not seeking medical advice here, IMO he needs to get to a doctor and I want to present him with options. Thanks

[frazzled]

1. Washington State Apple Care (Medicaid)

If he truly has next to no income, he should be eligible for Medicaid under expanded ACA rules. If not, a subsidized ACA individual plan, which would probably cost very little.* Though you can't sign up for that until open enrollment in November. The Apple Care Medicaid is open enrollment year round. Start here:

https://www.wahealthplanfinder.org/_content/Homepage.html

*I was talking to one of the Caregivers who helps take care of my elderly parents, and she says she has an Obamacare plan (had never been insured before). She said she pays $27 a month (plus any copays, etc.).

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. Emergency room. Hospital will help them apply for medicaid

[chknltl]

10. Thanks. Will look into it.

If he does not get better by morning AND he still refuses to go to ER i will call the number given to me elsewhere in this thread to find out for myself exactly what services he can get. He seems to think any and all options are going to cost him money he does not have. He insists that his feet will eventually heal on their own.

[left-of-center2012]

3. I'd phone adult protective services

They'd know what is available.

https://www.dshs.wa.gov/altsa/report-concerns-involving-vulnerable-adults-phone

[chknltl]

6. If his condition does not improve by morning...

I WILL call that number. By 'improve' I mean walking. Odds are I'll be calling that number. Thanks left-of-center2012

[left-of-center2012]

13. Please let us know how this turns out. n/t

[Warpy]

4. If he keeps refusing, your options are few

unless you can find a doc who makes house calls.

Second degree burns can turn nasty very quickly, especially on the feet of people over 50 who might be in the early stages of type II diabetes without even knowing it.

Keep trying to talk him into going to the ER at a county hospital. Since he's totally indigent, he's most likely eligible for Medicaid, which the hospital social workers can expedite.

He might surprise everybody and stubborn himself through this but the odds are against it, given his age.

[chknltl]

7. Good advice. I also now have a number to call and...

...you've provided some good amunition for me to use on him. Neither of us know anything about Medicaid. (I am covered by the Veterans Administration so I know nothing about non-VA healthcare) I will investigate Medicaid for him in tomorrow morning's research-assuming he doesn't get better. Thanks Warpy.

[opiate69]

5. Hey, old friend.. I haven't forgotten about you....

Maybe this weekend or next we can hook up and go through some of those old photos?

[chknltl]

8. Well well! You may have met the guy with the burnt feet!

Small world! He absolutely remembers your band and you very likely remember him....would tomorrow morning be ok? I dunno, maybe he would listen to someone else's advice. I doubt he will be better by morning and a night of suffering may make him more receptive to some common sense from others.

[opiate69]

9. Tomorrow morning could work...

Let's do the text thing in the AM and see! (And now I'm extremely curious as to who this mystery curmudgeon might be lol)

[chknltl]

11. Here is a hint

Stage manager-bouncer-front bartender-general contractor type for our favorite venue. He built the stage you played on. The kind of guy who could make rowdy drunks want to leave instead of debating the issue. He has been one of my better friends since then...oh and his outlook on life is not much improved.

[uppityperson]

12. Hospitals, ERs, used to have income dependent sliding fee thing if you asked about it

It's too easy to get blistered feet infected, he should see someone. Before expanded medicaid here in WA, we took advantage of the sliding scale fee once. Good luck with him.