This is an exciting partnership with Vitamix! Thank you for all your hard work Brian! The OCF forum members dont always know how much hard work you do behind the scenes to help OC patients, caregivers and with research. There arent many who would work as hard as you do (many 14 hour days) without ever taking a paycheck or expecting anyone to thank them. Thank you for your dedication to all things OC!

How to make it fair for both medically needy while addressing income is not easy. I have a suggestion about how to screen lower income patients. Many OC patients are no longer able to work and are on SS disability years before their retirement time. Maybe anyone who receives SS of any type or public assistance would automatically qualify. For those who are not on SS, how about a percentage of the Federal Poverty Level Guidelines? I retired from old Ma Bell where there were programs to help lower income people pay their basic monthly phone bill if they were under certain monthly income levels. This should be something that could easily work in qualifying OC patients for their eligibility. To ensure this is available to help the most needy, I suggest the maximum income level of 200% (maybe even 253% so its not too stringent and would not give to medically needy) of the Federal Poverty Guideline for 2014. But at the same time, the lower the income the higher on the list the person would be placed.

Federal Poverty Guidelines for 2014

As far as making certain someone is an OC patient, that would be the easy part. We all go see so many doctors any one of those specialists can simply write a brief note saying something like "_____ has been under my care for oral cancer since ____". This way its not too personal but it would screen out non OC patients from attempting to take advantage of the program. Not all OC patients need to use something like the Vitamix on a regular basis, some are lucky enough to return to eating normally after their treatments. So maybe a note stating medical necessity of a blended, pureed diet would be enough to qualify someone?

Does anyone else have any input as to how best to address the income and diagnosis obstacles?


Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile