The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 73

10 North THE BOSTON SUNDAY GLOBE JULY 24, 1994 Four people without health insurance tell of the toll Carolyn Landry-Billias, Lynn: Dropped as bad diagnosis arrives ttti'" s. t.w... 7 Jim Quinn: "You have to go out there GLOBE PHOTOS TSAR FEDORSKY and get your own information-" fter years of insurance ill coverage, Carolyn Landry-Billias is finding herself with none just as Li LI she needs it most Landry-Billias has chronic active hepatitis C. The blood test that diagnosed her problem was taken in six weeks in which she had fallen behind in her premiums. So Landry-Billias received two pieces of bad news at once: one telling her about the diagnosis, the other telling her the health insurance plan had dropped her for nonpayment and she couldn't get back in because the hepatitis was now a pre-existing condition.

For 20 years, Landry-Billias, 47, had Blue CrossBlue Shield insurance through her husband's small business. The plan didn't cover diagnoses tests or prescriptions. In 1992, she became ill and needed tests to discover the hepatitis. In addition to the $6,000 insurance premium, she racked up $7,000 in medical bills, making payment difficult, hence the six-week gap. "It became a preexisting condition because I had a six-week gap in payment, but I didn't know I was cut off," Landry-Billias said.

"I didn't think. I didn't know about that or that having a particular blood test would give me a preexisting condition. I just did what the doctors told me to do." Then Landry-Billias went to her family doctor of seven years. "He said that with no insurance, he couldn't take me. He knew a chronic disease would need a lot of care.

I went to three other family physicians and I was refused by all." "I ended up being eligible for free care at the clinic at Salem Hospital," but a clinic is best for the flu or a broken leg and not a chronic illness, she said. Chronic hepatitis is an incurable liver infection caused by a virus that is mainly transmitted through blood transfusions. It is generally treated by medication. Ultimately, Landry-Billias found a specialist at New England Medical Center who "took me right in," as Then in 1991, after her COBRA had run out, Jim Quinn lost his job And have Fun! The Globe's Travel Pages will help. he Boston 6lobe 466-1818 for Home Delivery.

i Jean and Jim Quinn, sMiddleton: Kidney 5 gained, but work and insurance lost ve always been healthy, but in 1988, I took sick," said Jean Quinn, mother of two grown sons. "At first I didn't know what I had." vThat was back in the days when Jjean Quinn was covered under two 'Insurance plans, one through her job with the Commonwealth of Mass-Jachusetts and the other through her husband Jim's job at Pan Am. '2 After a series of tests, Quinn was 2 diagnosed with renal disease and had a kidney transplant in 1989. "It tjsayed my life," she said. Just as her life was saved through medical technology, other areas of their lives began to fall apart.

As the economy worsened, JJean Quinn lost her job in 1989, keeping her insurance through a fed-Jeral plan called COBRA a plan that allows people to buy their health insurance for 18 months after losing their jobs. NORlHWEmY Professional Service Directory LEGAL SERVICES SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY Don't give up. Disabled applicants must often appeal to get benefits. Neil Onerheim and Judith Nathanson limit their practice to claims for Social Security Disability. Coauthor of An Advocate's Guide to Sunming the SSI System.

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"Besides crying every night," Jean Quinn said, she got on the phone in search of help. "There was a lot of despair there. I've never been without health care." Her fears were abated for a time when Jim Quinn was able to buy health insurance through the unemployment program, but that, too, was limited. So Jean Quinn got on the phone again. Finally, she found a Medicare program that covers people for three years following an organ transplant.

"You have to go out there and get your own information and you have to dig," said Jim Quinn. In September of 1992, when she passed the three-year anniversary of her transplant, her Medicare ran out Now the Quinns have no health insurance. Jean Quinn's medication for her kidneys costs about $90 a day, an expense they pay out of pocket even though Jim Quinn is just working part-time and Jean Quinn is still unemployed. "They have this great technology," said Jean Quinn, referring to the kidney transplant that saved her life. "But the insurance has to keep up.

Otherwise, you make yourself sick again walking the floors at night." In her quest to find health insurance, Jean Quinn looked into receiving disability, but was told she hadn't worked 10 consecutive years. "They told me to divorce my husband and I'd be eligible. Twenty-five years we are married and I'm going to divorce him? I started crying. I couldn't wait to get out of there." They also told Jean Quinn that if she were to reject the kidney, she would be eligible for government insurance coverage. "If I were to lose the function of this gift and go back on dialysis, then I would get Medicare," she said.

The Quinns are both actively seeking jobs, but find that not many employers want people in their 50s. Jean Quinn hopes that even people who have health insurance pay close attention to the debate and push for universal coverage. "A pink slip can come in the mail today for anybody," she said. SKATING CENTER 425 REAR BROADWAY (RTE. 1) SAUGUS, MASSACHUSETTS 01906 (617)231-1111 Air Conditioned Located adjacent to Osco Drug and Rte.

1 Racquet in Saugus Plaza. South bound on Route 1. ioiuiu Thurs: 10-12 1-4 Fri: 7-11 Prices Include Skate Rental T3 30, 1994 6:00 pm RIVER SPAS. TIC! pi- "became a preexisting of pocket and to make sure it was not reported to the insurance company. Billias has written to the president and her congressmen about the issue, and has gotten more active in the health insurance debate.

And she has become bitter about doctors who will not treat her even if she is willing to pay up front. "You know my insurance, when I had it, didn't pay for everything anyway, and then I used to pay for doctor visits," Landry-Billias said. I didn't think to say, 'But I paid you all these and coverage fails you have no health health insurance for themselves and the employees of the restaurant in 1989. "It was a domino effect. One child's illness disrupted 30 people," Gresek said.

i They went without health insurance for four months while Gresek worked the phones. Finally, she discovered a state program that would insure Daniel if the family paid into the state's Medicaid program. With Daniel out of the group, the insurance premiums for the rest of the family and the employees dropped to affordable levels and they were able to buy insurance again. In fighting these battles, Gresek has turned to the Boston-based advocacy group, Health Care for All, who assisted her and she has become active in the local health insurance debate. "I didn'd waqit to feel like a victim.

I want to make a difference," she said. PrShorJcRoMeijOutfit Carolyn Landry-Billias: Hepatitis soon as she put up $250, but she still faces astronomical drug costs. And, she said, her family has developed a fear of preexisting conditions. "My husband should be tested for hepatitis, but he's afraid he won't get insurance if he gets the test," she said. "We know what happened.

I have that shadow of fear that he is also ill." The fear that her children also might have hepatitis was too much for Landry-Billias to bear. Finally, she took her 12-year-old twins for a blood test, but was careful to pay out Cheryl Gresek: "It's happy birthday, has seen one of her children caught in a health insurance snag. Six years ago, Gresek's youngest son, Daniel, was born with a heart defect. At the time, the family was insured through her husband's business, a small restaurant in North Reading. The restaurant employees were also insured.

After just three months, Daniel's medical bills reached $150,000 and the premium for the Greseks' family coverage jumped from $198 to $1,375 per month, because costs in their group at the Hartford Insurance Co. had risen so significantly. The individual plans for employees jumped from $97 to $530 for a single employee plan. "I contacted the insurance commissioner and was told it was legal. They could charge us more than my husband makes," said Gresek, noting that the Hartford's slogan was, "When you need us most, we're at our best." Unable to bear the enormous costs, Gresek said they dropped the l)eiafliiirlil)ltj ill, 3." GRAND OPEMIMG! Hot Spring Spa Showroom 1 1" fter years of grass-roots 1 1 I activism on access to ll 1 health insurance, Cheryl I Gresek, an Ipswich moth-Li mX er of six, is facing the second health insurance nightmare of her life.

Gresek's daughter, Sonia Mak-son, was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma, a form of cancer, not quite two years ago, when she was 18. "Our health insurance Bay State covered most of her bills, but informed us that when she was 19, they would no longer cover her." The Greseks were able to extend Makson's coverage for one year by putting her in school. It was during this time that Makson received a bone marrow transplant, and her cancer has been in remission for eight months. But this week, Makson turns 20 and her health insurance runs out. "It's happy birthday, you have no health insurance," Gresek said.

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