Somebody Else's Problems
1. My pal A, a single mom and visiting nurse, has a kid who needs medical help. He's got psychiatric problems that the average doctor can't handle. A's got the full-time job and insurance for her little family, but she may have to quit the job. Why? Because her work insurance coverage can't cover her kid's needs and if she gets supplemental, the cost will eat up the rest of her income. Naturally the care he needs costs more than she makes. If she quits her job, she'll be able to put him on Medicaid--which will cover the costs--and maybe take care of him at home. Of course she won't be able to get insurance for herself and she'll have to live on food stamps, but at least she won't have to worry as much about her kid.
UPDATE: Amy outted herself in my comments section. IF ANYONE has ANY ANSWERS....SPILL. Secret formulae? Special hotline numbers? Tell Amy.
2. After years of making a long commute to a group practice, my friend L the psychologist recently set up her own office. Many of her patients are insured by the state--they're foster kids and newly adopted former foster kids. Because she had to get a new license number, she can't keep seeing these old patients. Why?
The state isn't taking on new providers.
Never mind that she isn't really a new provider--she was seeing these people already. Forget the fact that because she cares about these kids and families she's willing to put up with the unpaid hours of filling out mind-numbing state paperwork and traveling to the kids' schools and then providing therapy sessions that pay her $20 an hour. Nope. The state only sees that new number and says forget it, never going to happen. And the kids she sees? No provider willing to take state pay has time for new patients. The kids are out of luck too.
Dozens of phone calls later and still no answers for either woman. What the hell are they supposed to do? Maybe they could call FEMA or the Red Cross, models of efficiency. Bugger bureaucrats and red tape that protects no one.
I listen to L talk about the acronyms she's called, the agencies she's contacted and I'm ready to stomp on the automated phone machines and every useless cog of the system. Stomp, stomp, stomp. Screw the people who can't or won't help because they have to follow the rules. Screw the rules that slowly kill people. Fuck the states that mess up kids' health just to save a few bucks. Fuck 'em all. Up against the wall with the acronyms.
Grrrr.
UPDATE: Amy outted herself in my comments section. IF ANYONE has ANY ANSWERS....SPILL. Secret formulae? Special hotline numbers? Tell Amy.
2. After years of making a long commute to a group practice, my friend L the psychologist recently set up her own office. Many of her patients are insured by the state--they're foster kids and newly adopted former foster kids. Because she had to get a new license number, she can't keep seeing these old patients. Why?
The state isn't taking on new providers.
Never mind that she isn't really a new provider--she was seeing these people already. Forget the fact that because she cares about these kids and families she's willing to put up with the unpaid hours of filling out mind-numbing state paperwork and traveling to the kids' schools and then providing therapy sessions that pay her $20 an hour. Nope. The state only sees that new number and says forget it, never going to happen. And the kids she sees? No provider willing to take state pay has time for new patients. The kids are out of luck too.
Dozens of phone calls later and still no answers for either woman. What the hell are they supposed to do? Maybe they could call FEMA or the Red Cross, models of efficiency. Bugger bureaucrats and red tape that protects no one.
I listen to L talk about the acronyms she's called, the agencies she's contacted and I'm ready to stomp on the automated phone machines and every useless cog of the system. Stomp, stomp, stomp. Screw the people who can't or won't help because they have to follow the rules. Screw the rules that slowly kill people. Fuck the states that mess up kids' health just to save a few bucks. Fuck 'em all. Up against the wall with the acronyms.
Grrrr.
If she quits her job, she'll be able to put him on Medicaid--which will cover the costs--and maybe take care of him at home.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. My son gets SSI because he's autistic, so he also has medical coverage. I was told that when our income reached $3000/month, his SSI would be cut off but he'd STILL get medical. Wonder why she can't get him on the medical stuff without the SSI?
you are your mother's daughter katie.
ReplyDelete(That's a good thing)
eb--sweet of you to say so, but my mother would have DONE something. She would have flown down to Texas to do it, too.
ReplyDeleteAmy--I'm sorry. It's screwed up. Anyone we can write to? Rant at?
Maybe if they claimed to be religious, they could get faith-based initiative money.
ReplyDelete--Rob
Amy - How strongly do you feel about not leaving Texas (although I guess you'd still have to quit the job).
ReplyDeleteWould changing schools help?
My (half)sister (in PA) gets everything through school. By law she can stay in high school until she's 21 and they basically do everything for her (they reccomend specialists, she's had verious aides for different things throughout the years, etc). Granted, her parents don't listen, but that's another story all together.
Amy, is your son autistic? My late friend Marcia had an autistic son. She went through one frustration after another with trying to get him help as well.
ReplyDeleteMaybe try networking with autism non-profits to get ideas of what resources are out there. Even if the autism is only part of his problem, it's worth a try. Drop them an email. They might be able to direct you through the ucky mess of frustrating red tape entangling you know, or know some shortcuts or have some resources or ideas.
I looked up some non-profits for you. Here are the links. I hope this helps. Good luck. Maybe something you also might want to consider (you didn't hear this from me, lol) is working under the table as a visiting nurse to elderly people who just want someone to talk to.
Dallas/Fort Worth Center for Autism
http://www.dfwcenterforautism.com/
National Alliance for Autism Research
http://www.naar.org/
Autism Speaks *this web site might prove more handy as it seems more personal, started by grandparents of an autistic child
http://www.autismspeaks.org/founders.php
Lots of links on autism, scroll down to the website links
http://www.tourette-syndrome.com/autism.htm
Georgia has one hell of an autism program in the schools. We were in Cali where my son was in a mixed disabilities class and not doing well at all. Half the time the staff couldn't manage him. And there were so many issues he had in school that he didn't have at home that I just knew is was the school. Out here he's in a moderate autism only class, they have a higher number of teachers (3 adults, 5-6 kids - which is what it's supposed to be, but Cali had 3 adults and 9-10 kids with a mix of disabilities), and he's just doing fantastic! In Cali, I don't know what the cut off was for income, out here is the $3k and he still gets SSI coverage. We've had other issues because of the move we made, and we do miss family and friends, but the improvements for my son have made it all worth it. If you ever decide moving is feasible, you may want to consider Georgia - particularly into Gwinnett county or the Atlanta area.
ReplyDeleteAMy all i can do is say good luck. I'm in Texas (and my brother is mentally retarded) so I know how crapped up the system can be. I wish I had some ideas or advice for you =(
ReplyDeleteMonica's comment above reminded me that texas does have an income based insurance program--a friend of mine qualified with three kids and she was married. http://www.texcarepartnership.com/
ReplyDeleteI have no idea waht the qualifications are but good luck again doll!