On Facebook Lumigrate-Fibromyalgia (i think it was) we (in general) were asked the question below:
Allright ... do you lose money due to your health? Make it? Sell products related to it? Have stories about your financial situation to share that we can commiserate or learn from?
My response:
Note:
Most of my idea's relate to getting money back at tax time~ and using my health to the advantage.
I am married and we file jointly~ I have to claim my disability as I file w/ my husband and together we make over the amount that is tax free income.
I'm on perm disability, so I have the maximum taxes taken out of each monthly check. The first year I did not do this and we had to pay~ the following year we changed it to the maximum amount to be taken out and we receive money back~ I would much rather over pay though-out the year then have to come up with a big lump sum come tax time.
Then every co-pay be it doctor, testing, hospital, we get a receipt. Also ~ glasses~ hearing aids~ acupuncture~ any thing medical NOT covered by insurance we get receipts, then run them by the tax lady to make sure IRS will accept them…its better to have the receipt than not and check~
Also the millage from home to Dr’s office or health related testing, hospitals, etc ROUND TRIP~ this is countable for the taxes too~ our tax lady told us to go to ‘Map Quest’ put in our home address, then the address of where the Dr's office is (or hospital or lab or testing ctr) then click on ‘Get directions’…if you print this set of directions it also will state the exact miles from your home to office~ then you double it for the round trip. Each time you go to this facility you can mark it right on this print out w/ the date~ its an easy way to keep track of your mileage.
Get receipts for bridge tolls as they go into the count w/ the millage~ and parking garages too~ they can be added into the mix~ as long as it all revolves around a medical apt. of some kind.
After Dec is over is ask your pharmacy for the past years printout of your medicines that you have paid for~ and your total will be right there at the bottom of the page for you. These get added into to the medical total also. This list will have all your medicine co-pays and the prescriptions you might have had to pay for in full $ if there were any.
Come tax time~ this is all recorded~ it helps my husband and I a lot getting a better return~ usually just my co-pays for medicine alone goes from 2000- to 2500-.
I know it sounds like a lot of work, but you are actually doing it in piecemeal.... you have to make your self be diligent...and not forget the receipts!
Due to the different meds I take~ my body is always changing sizes~ and as I age w/ this fibro and chronic fatigue, i realize more my limitations and what i really can do and can not do with my time....My husband and I continually go though our home and clothes closets for donations to the thrift stores all this we claim for our taxes too~ and the best thing besides the $ advantage, my home is getting de-cluttered, and more calming w/ the extra stuff boxed up and taken away~ I feel less stressful. Each return is allowed up to a certain $ amount with OUT listing the actual donations~ however most years we donate $3000= to $5000= and for this you have to write an itemized list of the donations. It really is not so bad~ I take the pen and paper~ my husband picks up the item, we discuss the price we think is fair to list for the item, normally its what you would sell it at a garage sale or the like. Mind you I had a huge bunch of audio books~ listened to them once~ they were about 30- new, I put 20 on them each…that is a bit high, but the boxes looked like they were just bought, the disc’s not a scratch…by time we were done~ I had over $200- in the box in just audio books!
You can count donations of books to a library as charity as well~ again you have to list your items…hardback…paperback….brand new….
This is our main way of trying to save $ someway from what we have to pay out....we don't do the drug by mail program even though it saves 10- on generics per 90 day supply mainly due to the fact of how my husband is paid~ and how we budget the money~ we cant have the mail order pharm. taking the $ when their timing is right~ it might not be for us~ where in a day or two, the money can come out...
this is all i can think of~
anxious to read others input as well.
Comments
This is fine that it catches people here, Cherie -- figuring that people with Chronic Diseases will then see it, but I actually started a whole section about financial stuff related to health care as it will likely be something that people with all health status will look to, plus the area for how to make money off of health care would attract people who want to write about how they have a business related to health care and how they are making money from it. A place for people to share marketing ideas and connect! So I'd actually see this going under the losing money on health care Forum but starting a topic titled EXACTLY how you did this one would be ideal! Now others might follow suit! This was great information!
Here's the link to that Section on Financial things on Lumigrate.com:
www.lumigrate.com/forums/financial-things-related-health-care [2]
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [3] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!
Mardy~ im confused, did this not go into the "financial things related to health care" forum? That is where I thought i put this. I am sorry If i messed up~ I posted a few things last night and I must have gotten turned around in 'forum land'
So much for me 'thinking better at night', eh? haha 
Glad you liked the ideas~hope they can help others.
night~Cherie