We've been
waiting for his disability to come through. To accomplish that task, we visited
agency after agency (federal, state, county, local, and health) and at each
one, filled out reams of forms. Each form had to be accompanied by its own set
of backup "proof."
My poor
3-in-1 inkjet printer really got a workout making copy after copy. My stapler
got a workout marrying each copy to the correct form. My paper clip supply fell
away to nothing when I didn't want holes in some of the papers.
I'm sure
many of you know exactly what I mean.
So, we
figured that once he received notice that he'd be getting a small but
reasonable monthly benefit payment, all that would be over.
Sheesh.
It's worse.
We had word on Thursday, for example, that Medicaid actually went through for
him. We didn't expect to get that. They gave us his account number and said a
card was on the way and to use the letter and the number in the meantime. We
had an appointment for an ophthalmologist Friday afternoon and flashed our
wonderful paper at them.
It wouldn't go through. It was denied. The reason was
"Inactive Status." The letter clearly said, and they could see it and
agreed, that it was approved back to June 2013. Still, the automated system
wouldn't accept it. Out comes the checkbook, which is now $185 lighter.
Good news
is that if we can clear this up, and re-submit, eventually, it will be
refunded.
So,
tomorrow morning, we hit the Medicaid office with our letter, with a copy of
the eye doctor's printout of the denial, and with a ton of questions. Red tape.
Also, his
student loan from decades ago reared its head a couple of weeks ago. They plan
to yank $150 from his reasonable-but-not-hefty monthly income. Of course, if we
submit the right forms, they might be able to make it go away. Red tape.
I spent
today with the first of two sets of papers. I wrote 8 statements to explain
some of the expenses he was claiming on the Hardship papers. These papers allow
them to consider halting the deductions until he can get them to discharge it
entirely due to his disability and inability to get a job. They expect backup
of food expenses - who keeps Food 4 Less and Walmart grocery receipts for a
whole month?
I finally
matched everything and packed it into an envelope ready to mail in the morning.
The other
form, for the total discharge, is still making its way to our home. When that
arrives, it is a different roll of red tape, one page for us, and one for his doctor.
And so, I
wonder, how on earth did we ever get wrapped up in this huge ball of red tape
that is getting bigger and stickier and, as my little sister used to say,
worser and worser?
Father, I
must laugh at all of this or else we'd cry. But I know you have our backs and
once we get all of this to all of the right people. it will (or should) ease
up. Meanwhile, please guide us to all the right answers to put on all the
appropriate lines on all these wild and wonderful forms. We trust you. We must,
because, you see, our eyes, ears and mouths are now covered with all this
sticky red tape.
No comments:
Post a Comment