Fundraiser for Local DJ Stabbed 7 Times During a Robbery in Dupont

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by Prince Of Petworth August 19, 2015 at 2:25 pm 24 Comments

DJ Nestor via GoFundMe

“Dear PoPville,

DJ Nestor was attacked in the early hours on Thursday August 13 in the Dupont Circle area just as he entered his car.

The attacker demanded his wallet as he held a knife to his face and just as Nestor reached out to hand over the wallet, he was stabbed on the neck, face, chest, stomach, head and other parts of his body 7 times.

Thankfully they have released him from the hospital now, however, since he is injured and unable to work his friends and family are trying to raise funds to help pay his medical and living expenses (he is a father of two).

As a DJ, Nestor line of work is usually contractual and does not include a medical plan. As we are aware of this reality, we wish to help him meet his medical bills, pay the necessary medicine and also diminish his loss of income. Please help us?”

northeazy

This rash of violent crime this summer has been HORRIBLE. And to hear he complied with the robber and was still attacked is down right frightening. As for his insurance issue, with the passage of the ACA (also known as Obamacare) he should technically already have a plan. However, if he opted to pay the fine (as many have in the first year of the ACA) instead of getting a plan, he has three options: 1) apply for DC Medicaid. It is dependent on income, however. Or 2) he can still apply for Obamacare. I mention this because he can submit his bills and his insurance will kick in RETROACTIVELY. I have personally done this with DC Medicaid. 3) DC has an excellent victim of violent crimes program whereby the DC tax payer through the city will pay for his medical expenses so long as a police report was taken. The perpetrator does not need to be apprehended for this to work.

I presume this attack will cost him a lot financially and it would be a shame to use any funds raised through this fundraiser on medical expenses when the taxpayers will take care of it. The money is better spent to supplement any lost income or additional expenses incurred from this brutal attack.
- textdoc
  
  Good to know re. the issue of health insurance and medical expenses — I was wondering the same thing.
- M
  
  He cannot apply for a qualified health plan (i.e. insurance company like BCBS) through DC HealthLink at any time. It has to be during open enrollment unless you have a qualifying event (like having a baby, getting married). That’s what open enrollment is for….if folks applied for health insurance any time they needed it, it would be 10x more expensive than it is now. Here’s hoping he does have another way to get coverage.
  
  Make sure you have health insurance, people! Shit happens. Sometimes terrible shit like this. It’s going to cost you a whole heck of a lot more to not have it.
  
  *Not affiliated with gov, medicaid, insurer, DC HealthLink, anything. Wish everyone knew more about their options.
  - charlie
    
    Almost as if being a victim of violent crime is a qualifying event….
    - ExWalbridgeGuy
      
      except, no, it is not a qualifying event…
      - anon
        
        If he lost his income, he might be newly eligible for additional tax incentives, which is a qualifying event in DC. https://dchealthlink.com/help/articles/en_US/FAQ/special-enrollment-circumstance-change-plan-outside-open-period-qualifying-life-events
      - anon
        
        Also, it seems like the DC Health Exchange authority may have leeway to let people enroll in extraordinary circumstances on a case by case basis.
- justinbc
  
  Great info, hopefully someone passes it along to him.
- thismoi
  
  Even if this was an open enrollment period or there was a qualifying event, it would not be possible to have the insurance coverage applied retroactively to a time when you were not covered. Just so folks are aware.
  - DC10
    
    DC Medicaid has retroactive coverage if you meet eligibility guidelines.
    - thismoi
      
      That would make sense – but, to my understanding this is not the case for “Obamacare”, that is, regular old insurance obtained through the Marketplace.
- Ben
  
  The Crime Victims Compensation Program covers up to 10k in lost wages. Dunno what documentation you need to prove it as I did not go that route when I used the program. Agree though – plenty of programs available to help him.
shaw

Dupont is a big neighborhood – anybody know which block this happened on?
- thebigclub
  
  1300 block of Connecticut Ave.
  - jdre
    
    Dang. What time of day? (Not victim blaming at all, just curious.)
    - jdre
      
      “Early hours” covers a lot of ground
  - jumpingjack
    
    Was it on the east side of the street? There was a homicide there in 2012, tied to one of the clubs on that block.
    - LoganRes
      
      I think he was DJ-ing at Cafe Citron and his car was parked nearby.
      
      As for the murder at the Indian restaurant (turned nightclub at night) back in 2012 – a fight broke out inside, continued out in the streets and someone was stabbed/shot to death.
spookiness

1) Is it known if victim is DC resident? (re: DC Medicaid, violent crimes program, etc.)
2) Health insurance is a must, but unless you’ve got big savings, so is disability insurance.
3) I’m not alarmist, but I’m seriously reconsidering my nighttime/life activities and venues, and daytime as well, particularly when alone.
- Ben
  
  You don’t need to be a D.C. resident to be covered by the Crime Victims Compensation Program.
Ben

D.C. has a fund for victims of violent crime (Google Crime Victims Compensation Program). It’s actually a fairly well run organization and I had no issues getting a check cut for what my insurance didn’t cover. In his case they should fully cover him (including loss wages if he can prove it).

Just go in with your ducks in a row (I had a spreadsheet with all of my expenses, justification and a copy of the receipt). I was even able to expense pain medication. Best of luck!
- squish
  
  I’m so glad you posted this, and I hope he’s able to take advantage of the program. Props to you, Ben.
Ally

Thanks for posting and hope he recovers soon. Will pass along to my friends to see who is able to donate.
anon

As an unemployed DC resident, still paying for the insurance plan I had before Obamacare, I can say that when I looked into getting an Obamacare plan, the only plan I was eligible for, since I had NO income, was to go on Medicaid. So, if his income is gone, he may be eligible for Medicaid as well. I don’t know how long ago your income had to be gone. And while you can only sign up for Obamacare plans during open enrollment periods, with qualifying exceptions, I doubt that you can only sign up for Medicaid then, as Medicaid existed before Obamacare, and I don’t think it had enrollment periods.

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