Round 1,000,326 with the insurance facilitators. Update on the noncompliance acts that I am receiving with our so-called State of the Union – government.
Well, I’ve officially lost to the government to retain my health insurance coverage, Medicaid to cover my medical supplies and hospital visits. Apparently, I will not be applicable for Medicaid until April 1st due to the new Affordable Health Care Policy. I’d like to address a bit of the conversations I’ve had with the DHS office and the Legislature’s office because maybe there is someone in my network that may have other options. I will do my best to explain the process, but — myself, doesn’t exactly understand all the new insurance effects.
I have been circling case workers for months attempting to continue the fight to keep this insurance instated to benefit a healthier life. Today I reached out to the Legislature’s office of Tim Wahlberg, who may become a resource to direct my issues. I spoke with an associate in the Jackson, Michigan office. I wrote this Legislature’s office a privacy statement letter addressing my complications with the Department of Human Services office of Mecosta County and the countless caseworkers who show little empathy for my frustrations. In this letter, I addressed a brief summary of my physical disability, which is a disease from birth.
My permanent disability is a disease called sacral agenesis, which is not curable but can been tailored to a healthier lifestyle with monthly medical equipment and treatment at the University of Michigan hospital. I try not to schedule appointments at the doctor’s office but sometimes I need to go because of treatments & check-up visits. This is sort of a private matter so I hope not to address the details but — let’s just say I need monthly supplies to take care of myself on a daily basis.
The Legislature’s office told me to reapply for benefits on the mibridges.michigan.gov website for health insurance. I filled the electronic application, which took 25 minutes, answering all personal questions about my income, bank statements, paystubs, full-time student status, assets and more personal information. But not ONE field asked about my permanent disability. I thought this was kinda annoying because you are able to apply for (Health Insurance, Food Stamps & Cash Assistance). But where does it say if you are a disabled person?
The DHS office of Mecosta county called two hours after I filled the new application this afternoon. The new caseworker’s name is Beth, and like all my caseworkers in the past, she was very pushy. She even read the annoying “Terms Of Conditions” that I already agreed to electronically. When I asked a question about the health coverage, she snapped that I was getting ‘ahead of the interview.’ Beth responded that I would not receive medical assistance because there is a waiting period for new applicants to cover under Medicaid. At this point, I was confused because I’ve been covered on Medicaid most of my life and now — since January – there is absolutely no insurance to take care of me. And no policy or structure that I can follow to gain this insurance back. Her response was to bring in all my documentation for the verification process and than – it would take a week or more for her to file everything in the Lansing office. The verification process requires my bank statements, pay stubs for the entire year, any assets, copy of my apartment lease and student status. This is such a long process and its always changes… obviously that’s why I am currently dropped from the insurance provider, Medicaid. Since I was not satisfied with Beth’s response, I asked to speak with Pam or Kim; who are the supervisors. I spoke with Pam, who was much nicer & more helpful than Beth. Pam explained that I would apply for health insurance and be denied. I would become denied because I do not have any dependencies (which means kids) and I am a single person who does not fit in the criteria for health coverage. After the denial letter, which may take weeks for the caseworker to correctly file, I will be put into “a cloud – she said” for a few weeks until the disability application comes around. After the disability application is submitted, I would be put in the pool of new applicants to receive Medicaid in April. To my understanding, since I clearly have a physical disability; why can’t we skip the extra steps and go straight to the frosting?? No, apparently there are forms and policies to follow. =/
Pam was very understanding but I still wasn’t satisfied. After getting off the phone with the DHS office, I called the Legislature’s office in Jackson and relayed the message. Apparently, these are true statements so I cracked the whip tonight to get the process moving. Tomorrow, I will provide all the verification forms and physically hand them to the caseworker to avoid being lost or misplaced — like previous times.
Even though I will not be put in the cloud of new applicants until April 1st, I cannot give up. I decided that I have less than 10 days to find a way to cover my medical supplies. Ten days is when the monthly shipment departs from the insurance provider, so I need to get things moving quickly.
What I don’t understand — is why I have to constantly fight every single month to keep this piece of shit insurance? I know its not much because its Medicaid && I feel like everyone has it because they are low-income or they popped out 3 or 4 kids. But seriously, what more must I do to prove that I have physical limitations? Do I need to expose my body to them? Should I pull out a catheter and piss in their office? Will any of these actions get the attention that I deserve?
Why did the insurance drop in the first place? Why won’t caseworkers do their job and get it right the first time? Obviously, I am not looking for answers from you, but I am just asking these questions because it doesn’t make sense.
