Congestive heart failure. Insurance got me over the hump and now lets me die slowly.

[haele]

13. If the poster is still fairly young and reasonably healthy, it's probably congenital.

My very active father had a congentital heart problem (one of his main arterial valves was faulty) and was diagnosed with it at the age of 61, but he was lucky - retired Navy reservist with Tri-Care as well as employed as a teacher with full benefits, so when he was diagnosed, he was able to get sufficient care to keep him going another 14 years with a reasonable quality of life between his work benefits and after his retirement, Tri-Care. He should have died nine years ago,but he was able to keep going well enough to take a trip to Japan and China in 2010. It was a stroke - he had a regular annual procedure that required he be off his blood thinners for two weeks - that killed him.

With the proper care, which might include surguries, a pacemaker as well as diet and regular visits and medication, the poster could easily live another 20 to 40 fairly productive years and the ability to still support himself and his dependents. But without the right type of attention and medical care, the poster may be able to hang on a few more years, but they're going to be careful (no work - which usually means no income), stressful and painful - and very expensive if he wants to have any quality of life.
As for medication - many of the Big Pharma companies have "reduced cost" prescription plans that they use as a tax write-off; perhaps the poster can qualify for some of those programs. Many hospitals and clinics have connections with state assisstance or their own assistance programs that might provide a lower cost suppliment; the poster should check with the hospital to see what is available for him.
If he's lucky, he might get SSDI soon. If not, it's going to be a short, tough, miserable bankruptcy-inducing slog.
I'm sorry. Single payer would really help the poster. That his co-pays are over what he can pay and keeps him from getting the medical treatment he deserves is unconscionable.

Haele