Sandi--Tuesday

A little good news today.

First, Sandi made it through the day without needing a nap and without her vision going blurry today. This is the first time since she started chemo again  that she has made it through the day without her vision going so bad, at some point, that she couldn't see. Only a couple of times in recent weeks has she made it through the day without a nap. So, while everything else seems the same and she still has the body aches and pains from chemo, we take this as a good sign.

Second, after applying back in mid January for food stamps and Medicaid we finally got some food stamp funds today. It was a small amount and clearly didn't reflect them going back to January to calculate what we revived. We aren't sure where the line was drawn and won't know until we get the award letter, but it is something and it does definitely help. We have our fingers crossed that Medicaid has also been approved for her and we just don't know it yet.

I know for many of you both of these things don't mean much. But, for us with the way things are, these small things are huge deals.

Food Stamps--Update

Back on January 23 right before Sandi went back in the hospital she did the phone interview that Texas Health and Human Services requires. Based on what she had been told, while she was in the hospital, I spent a lot of time pulling stuff together  providing duplicate copies again of things they already have.

Based on what she was told Thursday by phone by "Victor" when we still had not received any assistance or anything in writing, they denied us. Supposedly they did not get anything from us. Since they will not accept or sign for certified mail one can't do that and prove it got there. Our only recourse is to copy 30 pages of stuff and send it again.

Frustrating to say the least.

Paperwork

While we still do not know our food stamp status and Texas Medicaid has still not paid the cancer doctor for part of the treatment for Sandi from way earlier this year, I received today the official form to request help from TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES with Medicare Part B. As expected, the nineteen page form duplicates information they already have had for us going back over two years. It also duplicates every single thing the Social Security Administration requested and verified. 

 

Took two hours for me to complete and another hour plus to copy all the records so they could have them again. The postage paid envelope they sent is way too small for the application, let alone the supporting documents, so it took some doing to get everything in there. Finally did it with Karl's help. It now sits on the kitchen table waiting to go out tomorrow on its journey to Midland, Texas in the far western side of the state. With the holiday next week, I doubt if it will make it to anyone's desk until late next week.

 

Hopefully, once they get it, it will move right through the system and is quickly approved. I need every penny I can have of my disability check so being approved would be a big help.

Kevin

Update on Things---Dealing with TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Back in late November I wrote about how I had finally gotten approved for assistance for Medicare Part D by the Social Security Administration.  It took a while longer, but, I now know in general terms what kind of basic help I will receive on my medication costs. Anything helps and this will help me. Late last week I applied online for the program I wanted for drug coverage after overriding in the system (I think) the program that they had automatically put me into.

No surprise that the program they were automatically putting me into--something offered through AARP---had restrictive drug quantity limits and would not cover one of the drugs I am on for my high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. Having played drug roulette before where my blood pressure meds were changed due to insurance nonsense with the result I wound up in the hospital, I have no interest in doing that again.  

Back when I was working I used to scare folks because sometimes I would be beet red in the face and other times I would be as pale as a ghost. People I worked with tended to notice that sort of thing. It isn’t something you can hide like trying not to limp even when your leg and back are hurting big time. I have weird blood pressure issues where I can easily soar sky high (over two hundred) and then drop to below a hundred twenty minutes later. Basically, it is a roller-coaster effect and I have to be on meds that handle that sort of thing. Therefore, I went with a program that appears to not only be cheaper than the program they picked for me but also--at least for now--covers my drugs. It is going to be another ten days or so before I know if I got in and when coverage starts.

Like I said, anything helps. If things go the way I want, this will help.

Dealing with TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES remains far more difficult than it should be or is necessary. Appeal letters went out today trying again to get us back on food stamps and Medicaid for Sandi and Scott. Somehow, and probably because of the original foul-up with Social Security, they have Sandi making a very nice income. I have provided proof again that the figure is/was wrong. I have also provided again documented proof that she is out on UNPAID medical leave and, in addition to other issues, is facing some sort of cardiac surgery to remove the thing from her chest wall slightly behind her heart. I have sent proof to the various people at the various levels who have handled the case incorrectly in the hopes that one of them can fix his or her error and thus restore our much needed food stamps and their Medicaid coverage.

I also included the latest bill from the cancer doctor as Texas Medicaid has not paid that. Now the bill has risen to 847 dollars and with more cancer treatment most likely needed in the upcoming weeks it needs to be paid by them ASAP.

What really took the cake with Texas HHSC was the deal we got yesterday. As I explained back in late November, I had been denied by Texas HHSC for help with Medicare Part B because I had failed to fill out an application. Being certified by the feds wasn’t good enough for the state folks. Also, the family being on food stamps with the same agency having financial records and every other thing on us going back two years plus was not good enough. I had to fill out another application for that and I hadn’t done so. Of course, one can’t fill out an application if one does not get one. So, I appealed the decision--pointed out the obvious problem that NO APPLICATION ever arrived--and requested an application.

I continued to request an application from each person in a different office in the state as the case was assigned a hearing officer, a date and time, etc. I kept pointing out there was no need for a hearing at this point as all I really needed was an application. I finally got my application yesterday.

In SPANISH.

After repeatedly requesting it and never once using anything other than ENGLISH, they sent me a multi-page horrendously long form all in SPANISH.  I can’t read Spanish. I can’t write Spanish. I do not understand anything sent to me in Spanish. My Spanish understanding consists of two obscenities. Two obscenities that I will not repeat here and are not found on any government forms to the best of my knowledge.

I have requested this morning an application in my native language of English.

Next time you see Texas Governor Perry on television talking about waste of tax dollars and how the state of Texas will not participate in the expansion of Medicaid because the state can set up things so much better than federal folks, think about us. Think about what we went through and have been going through to get the very little bit of assistance this state provides to their neediest residents. Residents, who, through no fault of their own, got sick, can’t continue to work, and need help.

Think about how Texas ranks number one in the number of people without insurance. Think about how Texas ranks at near the bottom on education and a number of other things. Think about us and what we have gone through and are still going through.

It just isn’t right. It is bad enough to be sick, disabled, etc. but those in charge make things much worse and much harder than they have to be.

Kevin