Well, here it is May 3, 2010. As of May 1st, my husband no longer has MaineCare. We make too much money. $1976.00 is too much money. We also got cut off from food stamps. Wonderful. Now not only do we have to pay $392.00 in rent, $230.00 in electricity, $139.00 for cable (our only entertainment outlet with the computer attached), car payment of $268.00, car insurance $88.00, etc. etc. etc. We now have to pay for food; we already spent about $50. a week (our food stamps were only $169.00). Oh yea, the feds take out $110.00 from the amount we get off the top for Medicare that I have (so it's actually $1866.00 I'm getting.). Then I have to pay for Part D, perscription plan THEY signed me up for. Another $14.75 plus co-pays for MY 8 medications (2 of my meds are not covered so they come out of my pocket) It's a wonder that seniors have to choose between medication, food, heat, or rent.
My husband has cancer. He's been hospitalized twice since January, we can't afford to get treatment now in Boston. They have what's called uncompensated care (all hospitals do) but we'd have to get the paper work form those hospitals, fill it out and wait for an answer.
MaineCare will take care of Bill again, When and if we spend $9,644.00. That's like saying you have to go to the moon and back on a bicycle.
I've called everyone from the back of beyond to find out how we can get some help for my husband. The answer, rack up the bills and you'll get the MaineCare back. Lovely. I will do anything for my husband.
The government is right now stalling and my husband is dying while they want us to rack up bills we have no hope of paying. How cool is that. We live in a very rich nation and the only ones who get richer are the politicians or the jerks who spout off on radio. Let them put some of their money in a fund to help impoverished people. NO WAY!! They "work" for their money. They are entitled to it. So are my husband and I. The land of the free is only for the one's who can make it off the backs of the little people.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
STATE OF MAINE'S MAINECARE MORE LIKE MAZE CARE.
I started this because I wanted to vent my feelings about Government Health Care. NO NOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. The State Government. The State of Maine. MaineCare is what they call it. What I call it is sucky. It is so riddled with waste I can't tell you how frustrated and how crazy it has made me today.
My husband and I are not wealthy. We were the working poor. We had 4 children and lived on under $20,000. for most of our lives. My husband was a printer. I was an office worker. True his job was a "trade" position, but he learned as an apprentice. (Not the show all you X-generationers.) He started out putting type into cases so that newspapers could be printed. Check out the history of printing. This was only 40 years ago so it's not that ancient.
Well, back to my rant. My husband has cancer. (Another blog I have is Watching my husband die.) He has been getting treatment. That's not the problem.
I have been having trouble getting answers from MaineCare regarding my husband's care. We went to Boston to have a "preliminary" diagnosis from Dana Farber. The doctor there said my husband should have a biopsy of his jaw and then surgery. That was in February. They sent this information to MaineCare. Our primary physician also sent them a letter in early March.
Today, I called them because my husband is getting worse and worse. His face is swollen, His speach is getting slurred.
I called the local office. Was told to leave a message. I did. About 20 minutes later, I called DHS again for another matter and got the person I left the message with. She said she hadn't gotten to "hear" her messages yet. Well, I explained what was happening with my husband. She said I had to call another number. So I did. That's when the going got tough.
I called the number and audioaux said to wait on the line. A receptionist finally picked up and said she's transfer me to an intake worker. Fine I thought. Well, I get someone else after 6 minutes (no kidding I've got a timer here). She said I'll have to transfer you to... You know how that went. I'm very emotional now. I hear her in the background saying: "she said Jesus, Mary and Joseph to me", (No I didn't, I was saying it as a prayer like we did in Catholic School when I was a kid) and then she transferred me. In the transferring process, this voice says we are very busy at this time. Your call will be taken in the order... I'm sure you know the spiel. Well, la de da, I was FIRST in line. So I wait somemore. Another 3 minutes goes by. Finally a live person comes on the line.
How can I help you? I start by telling her what I need. I'm getting a little emotional. She cuts me off and says, Oh, I'm just here to take a message and your phone number. They will call you back. By now, I've been on the phone for almost 2 hours trying to TALK to someone. This was at 1:33 pm.
I'm stewing at my desk, did I tell you I am emotional. I'm taking 2 blood pressure meds a day. I can feel my blood boiling litterally. I'm a wreck. I want to choke someone.
4:04 PM the phone rings. Hello, may I speak to Carol. That's me I say. I explain why I'm calling, not the whole thing because she cuts me off. I'm crying by now. She's just got to give me the number to the right department to call. I'm practically hysterical. "What do you mean? ISN"T THIS MAINECARE???" Yes she says, but not the right department. So I call this number. Another person says she will transfer me.
I talk with another person or try to because I'm crying hysterically. Can't they understand, my husband is dying before my eyes and they want to play games.
This bimbo says I'll let you talk to my supervisor. I can't even remember. I stay on the line. This other twerp comes on and I try to explain. She says well, I need to have his authorization to talk about this medical... I'm so hysterical now I can't talk. I sent MaineCare the authorization regarding myself that he signed last year.
I can't talk any more, I'm sobbing she's yelling! and I do mean yelling. I'm defeated. I hang up. Tomorrow morning I will call. I can't take anymore today. My blood pressure is off the hook. It feels as if my blood is all in my head and my top is going to blow.
Another thing, I called in to get a pain medication perscription for my husband this morning and nobody called me to say it was okay to go get it. I just called the pharmacy and oh, yes, we have it. It's ready for pick-up. I'm fuming but, it's not that person's fault.
Why aren't phone calls returned? Are we automatically supposed to be mind readers now???
To get on with MaineCare. Do you know how many different people I talked to today? At least 8. That's 8 different people in 8 different places.
Whatever happened to consolidation. This state is in need of money. They are short on people to do jobs. CONSOLIDATE damn it. CONSOLIDATE. I'm too sick right now. I have to go lay down. I'll be back with more when and if I find anything out.
As Scarlett once said: "I'll worry about it tomorrow." Hopefully my husband will be here tomorrow so I can have him authorize me all over again.
My husband and I are not wealthy. We were the working poor. We had 4 children and lived on under $20,000. for most of our lives. My husband was a printer. I was an office worker. True his job was a "trade" position, but he learned as an apprentice. (Not the show all you X-generationers.) He started out putting type into cases so that newspapers could be printed. Check out the history of printing. This was only 40 years ago so it's not that ancient.
Well, back to my rant. My husband has cancer. (Another blog I have is Watching my husband die.) He has been getting treatment. That's not the problem.
I have been having trouble getting answers from MaineCare regarding my husband's care. We went to Boston to have a "preliminary" diagnosis from Dana Farber. The doctor there said my husband should have a biopsy of his jaw and then surgery. That was in February. They sent this information to MaineCare. Our primary physician also sent them a letter in early March.
Today, I called them because my husband is getting worse and worse. His face is swollen, His speach is getting slurred.
I called the local office. Was told to leave a message. I did. About 20 minutes later, I called DHS again for another matter and got the person I left the message with. She said she hadn't gotten to "hear" her messages yet. Well, I explained what was happening with my husband. She said I had to call another number. So I did. That's when the going got tough.
I called the number and audioaux said to wait on the line. A receptionist finally picked up and said she's transfer me to an intake worker. Fine I thought. Well, I get someone else after 6 minutes (no kidding I've got a timer here). She said I'll have to transfer you to... You know how that went. I'm very emotional now. I hear her in the background saying: "she said Jesus, Mary and Joseph to me", (No I didn't, I was saying it as a prayer like we did in Catholic School when I was a kid) and then she transferred me. In the transferring process, this voice says we are very busy at this time. Your call will be taken in the order... I'm sure you know the spiel. Well, la de da, I was FIRST in line. So I wait somemore. Another 3 minutes goes by. Finally a live person comes on the line.
How can I help you? I start by telling her what I need. I'm getting a little emotional. She cuts me off and says, Oh, I'm just here to take a message and your phone number. They will call you back. By now, I've been on the phone for almost 2 hours trying to TALK to someone. This was at 1:33 pm.
I'm stewing at my desk, did I tell you I am emotional. I'm taking 2 blood pressure meds a day. I can feel my blood boiling litterally. I'm a wreck. I want to choke someone.
4:04 PM the phone rings. Hello, may I speak to Carol. That's me I say. I explain why I'm calling, not the whole thing because she cuts me off. I'm crying by now. She's just got to give me the number to the right department to call. I'm practically hysterical. "What do you mean? ISN"T THIS MAINECARE???" Yes she says, but not the right department. So I call this number. Another person says she will transfer me.
I talk with another person or try to because I'm crying hysterically. Can't they understand, my husband is dying before my eyes and they want to play games.
This bimbo says I'll let you talk to my supervisor. I can't even remember. I stay on the line. This other twerp comes on and I try to explain. She says well, I need to have his authorization to talk about this medical... I'm so hysterical now I can't talk. I sent MaineCare the authorization regarding myself that he signed last year.
I can't talk any more, I'm sobbing she's yelling! and I do mean yelling. I'm defeated. I hang up. Tomorrow morning I will call. I can't take anymore today. My blood pressure is off the hook. It feels as if my blood is all in my head and my top is going to blow.
Another thing, I called in to get a pain medication perscription for my husband this morning and nobody called me to say it was okay to go get it. I just called the pharmacy and oh, yes, we have it. It's ready for pick-up. I'm fuming but, it's not that person's fault.
Why aren't phone calls returned? Are we automatically supposed to be mind readers now???
To get on with MaineCare. Do you know how many different people I talked to today? At least 8. That's 8 different people in 8 different places.
Whatever happened to consolidation. This state is in need of money. They are short on people to do jobs. CONSOLIDATE damn it. CONSOLIDATE. I'm too sick right now. I have to go lay down. I'll be back with more when and if I find anything out.
As Scarlett once said: "I'll worry about it tomorrow." Hopefully my husband will be here tomorrow so I can have him authorize me all over again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)