He has asthma and COPD and when he is having trouble breathing, I have to stay with him. My children are working or out of state and not much help. We are getting so behind on rent and utilities. I asked for extensions and have until next week to come up with rent ($575), utilities ($295), and a truck payment ($460). My check today for two weeks was $360. I have called Red Cross, Salvation Army, and OACAC for help and they all say I make too much money. (They look at gross wages not what I actually bring home after taxes and insurance). Where can I get some help? I can't very well provide him with oxygen if we are out in the street.
Now my mom is also on MedicAID, so whatever isn't paid by Medicare is picked up by Medicaid. You need to speak clearly with your hospice group as to how they handle the billing for anything that is not fully covered under hospice. But your out of pocket should be minimal under Medicare.
If so, then the hospice provider (which is being paid by MediCARE) should be able to provide to him and bill to Medicare: oxygen, specialized beds, any other specialized equipment or other items needed for his care. My mom is now on hospice since June 2013 (14 months) and her hospice provider has gotten: a specialized bed; air mattress (on a pump so it ebbs & flows - this is to keep bedsores more minimal); adult diapers; disposable feeding bibs; gloves for changing her & disposable mats for under her bottom (she is totally bedfast); a gerichair for strolling about & a bathing gerichair to be able to take into the shower; & cases of both Boost & TwoCal HN with FOS. All this billed to Medicare as hospice is totally a Medicare benefit.
Now if he is on Medicare and the hospice isn't providing these type of services, you need to find another hospice group. Hospice is totally a self-directed choice under Medicare, so you can pick the vendor. You can call the bigger ones (VITAS & Compassus) and find smaller more local ones through your AOA. They will come out and do an evaluation for placement of services. Since he is already on hospice, this should be a slam-dunk for transfer of provider. For my mom, I fired the first hospice group within the first 8 weeks as they would not update me on her vitals in a timely manner and their stance was more like, we are just waiting on her to die so why do extra's. She's still with us too and for 14 months since going onto hospice. Good hospice provider can make a difference plus she is one tough old bird.
You made 360 in two weeks, but you missed a lot of work time so I assume that would be your take home for normal single week, making your monthly take home$1440, the expenses you listed add up to $1330, but your expenses are not covering critical things like food or gas for the truck to get you to work, car insurance, etc..
Difficult to deal with at this time, but the truth is your income won't support those expenses, and that has nothing to do with hospice or your husbands condition, unless you just lost his income.
Look at someone taking over the truck or potentially turning it back in and getting a lower end used vehicle, try Carmax. Look at cutting back other expenses....sorry this is tough and the timing sucks
If he has any retirement plans, now would be the time to draw down on them to pay bills. I assume you've checked, and your company doesn't have family leave.
Ask your landlord if you can cut your rent back temporarily to $500. See if the utililties will accept some sort of payment plan. If you have another car, sell the truck or get SOMEONE YOU TRUST! to take over the payments.
Call the Council on Aging (or whatever it's called in your area) and see if they have any other ideas for you.
It's an awful situation when we are caring for a loved one on hospice and have to worry about paying the bills as well. I am sorry for your predicament. I know life isn't fair, but . . .
At times like this, one has to cut back on expenses.... such as cellphones, cable, internet, etc.... if you have another vehicle already paid for, then sell the truck as that is a huge monthly expense.
So sorry to hear about your husband.
One never knows how long hospice will be, you may be better able to manage a long stay at a facility, where you can visit before and after work. I understand the draw go do this at home, but it is a lot more draining and complicated.
Unfortunately, your husband will pass, I hate to compound the tragedy with burdening you with debt.