I'm grabbing at my head about to pull my hair out and am close to losing my freaking mind over crap.
No, let me just call a spade a spade; it's not crap, it's BULLSHIT! I'm up to my lower lip in it.
I'm being clothes-lined by bureaucratic red tape. It's strangling me!
Am I PISSED OFF? Sure I am and I think rightfully so! Read on...
I'm dealing with Medicare and am not sure if I have coverage; but I have been paying into it for a year to the tune of approximately $96.00 a month automatically deducted from my monthly Social Security Disability payment. That's $1152.00 and I might not be covered. Or am I? Gary found out that the State of Ohio is also paying my monthly payment of $96.00 - a surprise to him and me and to Rita, our caseworker at Job and Family Services in Steubenville.
So let's do the math - a TOTAL OF $2304.00 is being paid into Medicare FOR ME and BY ME!
So there is some sort of double-dipping here and I can't go to a doctor and get the medical care I require due to all the uncertainty. I haven't been to a regular medical doctor, a rheumatologist, or pulmonary doctor for one year.
Before my Social Security Disability was approved I was receiving Medicaid which paid for everything medical that I needed - doctors, physical therapy, procedures (MRI, mammograms, colonoscopy, ER, hospitalizations, pulmonary care, sleep studies, etc. and prescriptions). You name it, it was paid for and there were no co-pays, no spend-downs, no deductibles - no worries!
MEDICAID IS UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE reserved for the poor and primarily for those who have no or very little monthly income and, in my case, waiting for Social Security Disability. Medicaid wasn't easy for me to get. Caseworkers are unwilling to divulge that it and many other benefits are available - that's just too much paperwork.
Many of the homeless who are waiting for their disability benefits are not aware they are eligible for disability cash assistance ($115.00 per month in Ohio), food stamps ($162.00 maximum benefit per person per month in Ohio) and Medicaid insurance. Many homeless do not have proper identification to get the benefits they deserve.
Many are misinformed by their caseworkers, as I was, but I fought - it was the third caseworker (in Cleveland) who put forth the effort in getting me my benefits. She got me back benefits too! By listening to me and putting forth an effort she found my original appointment information in the system. That appointment was from before I became homeless. I was unable to get back because the location where I applied was in a different part of town - I was without money for bus fare. End result was back payments totaling close to $700.00.
One thing this caseworker told me was that there are plenty of benefits available for the poor and homeless but, unless the applicant requests help from a specific program, caseworkers are not permitted to divulge information to the client.
The smokescreen in trying to get benefits is thick. Many of the poor and homeless accept "no you are not eligible" and give up; don't put up a fight. Many are sick and getting sicker; no energy to fight the system while health is failing.
Homelessness affects one's health - it ages a person cutting years off a person's life. I see how badly I look every time I look in the mirror - I look awful and I feel worse every day. The stress is killing me!
NEWSFLASH: 11:30 a. m. Monday - Rita from the Steubenville office of Jefferson County Department of Job and Family Services just called. She took the time to delve further into my file and found out that the State of Ohio is not paying my Medicare premium as previously reported. Oh, what should I believe anymore?
I do appreciate Rita though; she is kind and wishes she could do more to help but her hands are tied too. Benefits are determined by income and she has to go by the guidelines imposed by government.
I just opened my mail from Job and Family Services. Now it's in writing that I was denied for State of Ohio paid "QUALIFIED MEDICARE BENEFICIARY (QMB)" Reason: INCOME REPORTED EXCEEDS THE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS. We based this action on OHIO ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, Rule 07431."
Okay, it's in writing and HELL I KNEW THIS SO WHY ALL THE CONFUSION?
Poverty is by design; it's control over the masses, the gigantic thumb pushing forcefully down on the poor holding them there, making people sick-keeping them sick. It's a vicious cycle; the dog chases its tail and will never get hold of it.
In May, Social Security Disability and SSI recipients will get a one time payment of $250.00 in addition to the monthly benefit check. Food stamp recipients will receive an additional 13% in allotment per month (which boils down to an additional box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in the shopping cart). WOW, HOW GENEROUS!
Brian Davis, Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, feels that "The Obama Administration championed the extra $250 that everyone on disability will be receiving in the next month. Some might think that this is a positive, but I view it more as an insult and results in a lowering of their grade. I mean, these individuals have to figure out how to live on a small amount of money, and now the government is sending them a few coins to go out and spend. How about an increase in the disability check every month so that these Americans are not doomed to poverty for the rest of their lives?"
I am in total agreement with Mr. Davis!
Sure Gary and I are both eligible for that extra $250.00 and are looking forward to that measly one time payment. But we both have a major fight on our hands and that is to see to it that we have more than adequate health care coverage, to be able to get medical treatment and our prescriptions with out having doctors offices calling us and canceling our appointments because we are not in the system.
I have some phone calls to make and will be on the phone for hours trying to get this Medicare issue resolved. My prescription coverage was dropped because I signed up for a PPO rather than an HMO so the state won't pay for my prescription coverage.
When that extra $250.00 comes I might have to give my neighbor a few bucks of it so she can pick up a case of industrial strength butt lube with aloe for me at Cosco.
The fight continues for Gary and me as our health is dramatically failing!
And yes - I'm rather punchy at the moment!
I'm being clothes-lined by bureaucratic red tape. It's strangling me!
Am I PISSED OFF? Sure I am and I think rightfully so! Read on...
I'm dealing with Medicare and am not sure if I have coverage; but I have been paying into it for a year to the tune of approximately $96.00 a month automatically deducted from my monthly Social Security Disability payment. That's $1152.00 and I might not be covered. Or am I? Gary found out that the State of Ohio is also paying my monthly payment of $96.00 - a surprise to him and me and to Rita, our caseworker at Job and Family Services in Steubenville.
So let's do the math - a TOTAL OF $2304.00 is being paid into Medicare FOR ME and BY ME!
So there is some sort of double-dipping here and I can't go to a doctor and get the medical care I require due to all the uncertainty. I haven't been to a regular medical doctor, a rheumatologist, or pulmonary doctor for one year.
Before my Social Security Disability was approved I was receiving Medicaid which paid for everything medical that I needed - doctors, physical therapy, procedures (MRI, mammograms, colonoscopy, ER, hospitalizations, pulmonary care, sleep studies, etc. and prescriptions). You name it, it was paid for and there were no co-pays, no spend-downs, no deductibles - no worries!
MEDICAID IS UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE reserved for the poor and primarily for those who have no or very little monthly income and, in my case, waiting for Social Security Disability. Medicaid wasn't easy for me to get. Caseworkers are unwilling to divulge that it and many other benefits are available - that's just too much paperwork.
Many of the homeless who are waiting for their disability benefits are not aware they are eligible for disability cash assistance ($115.00 per month in Ohio), food stamps ($162.00 maximum benefit per person per month in Ohio) and Medicaid insurance. Many homeless do not have proper identification to get the benefits they deserve.
Many are misinformed by their caseworkers, as I was, but I fought - it was the third caseworker (in Cleveland) who put forth the effort in getting me my benefits. She got me back benefits too! By listening to me and putting forth an effort she found my original appointment information in the system. That appointment was from before I became homeless. I was unable to get back because the location where I applied was in a different part of town - I was without money for bus fare. End result was back payments totaling close to $700.00.
One thing this caseworker told me was that there are plenty of benefits available for the poor and homeless but, unless the applicant requests help from a specific program, caseworkers are not permitted to divulge information to the client.
The smokescreen in trying to get benefits is thick. Many of the poor and homeless accept "no you are not eligible" and give up; don't put up a fight. Many are sick and getting sicker; no energy to fight the system while health is failing.
Homelessness affects one's health - it ages a person cutting years off a person's life. I see how badly I look every time I look in the mirror - I look awful and I feel worse every day. The stress is killing me!
NEWSFLASH: 11:30 a. m. Monday - Rita from the Steubenville office of Jefferson County Department of Job and Family Services just called. She took the time to delve further into my file and found out that the State of Ohio is not paying my Medicare premium as previously reported. Oh, what should I believe anymore?
I do appreciate Rita though; she is kind and wishes she could do more to help but her hands are tied too. Benefits are determined by income and she has to go by the guidelines imposed by government.
I just opened my mail from Job and Family Services. Now it's in writing that I was denied for State of Ohio paid "QUALIFIED MEDICARE BENEFICIARY (QMB)" Reason: INCOME REPORTED EXCEEDS THE PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY STANDARDS. We based this action on OHIO ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, Rule 07431."
Okay, it's in writing and HELL I KNEW THIS SO WHY ALL THE CONFUSION?
Poverty is by design; it's control over the masses, the gigantic thumb pushing forcefully down on the poor holding them there, making people sick-keeping them sick. It's a vicious cycle; the dog chases its tail and will never get hold of it.
In May, Social Security Disability and SSI recipients will get a one time payment of $250.00 in addition to the monthly benefit check. Food stamp recipients will receive an additional 13% in allotment per month (which boils down to an additional box of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese in the shopping cart). WOW, HOW GENEROUS!
Brian Davis, Executive Director of the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, feels that "The Obama Administration championed the extra $250 that everyone on disability will be receiving in the next month. Some might think that this is a positive, but I view it more as an insult and results in a lowering of their grade. I mean, these individuals have to figure out how to live on a small amount of money, and now the government is sending them a few coins to go out and spend. How about an increase in the disability check every month so that these Americans are not doomed to poverty for the rest of their lives?"
I am in total agreement with Mr. Davis!
Sure Gary and I are both eligible for that extra $250.00 and are looking forward to that measly one time payment. But we both have a major fight on our hands and that is to see to it that we have more than adequate health care coverage, to be able to get medical treatment and our prescriptions with out having doctors offices calling us and canceling our appointments because we are not in the system.
I have some phone calls to make and will be on the phone for hours trying to get this Medicare issue resolved. My prescription coverage was dropped because I signed up for a PPO rather than an HMO so the state won't pay for my prescription coverage.
When that extra $250.00 comes I might have to give my neighbor a few bucks of it so she can pick up a case of industrial strength butt lube with aloe for me at Cosco.
The fight continues for Gary and me as our health is dramatically failing!
And yes - I'm rather punchy at the moment!
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