October 14, 2008
What's The Word I'm Looking For?
How about shocked?
Overwhelmed?
Stunned?
Incredulous?
Better yet, is there a word that encompasses all of the above?
Because THAT would be the word I'm seeking right now.
Remember Parker's vent? The one I had to don Army boots and do battle with my Home Health Care Company to get? I may have won that battle just to lose the war to my insurance company.
My insurance company who, for the second time, has denied our request to pay for this life saving piece of machinery.
This piece of durable medical equipment wasn't requested for trivial reasons. It was requested because the old vent can't handle Parker's new settings. The new settings he needs to inflate his lungs wide enough to receive enough oxygen while he sleeps. The new vent works in a way that allows Parker to keep it on the entire night and during naps. That didn't happen with the old vent.
I marvel when I hear parents talk about the millions of dollars their insurance companies have paid out for their children.
Parker's policy taps out at one million dollars. Then he has no insurance. Even with Medicaid I worry about Parker's future care. Medicaid doesn't cover everything.
Like Parker's new vent for example.
Many doctors in the state of Utah no longer accept Medicare. How long before they start to refuse Medicaid as well?
Hey, President Bush? Where's our bailout? You are bailing out companies like AIG, who the very next day spend over FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS on a spa retreat to celebrate their coup.
How about sending some of that aid to families like ours? You know, families who have lived their entire lives being fiscally responsible.
$400,000 dollars of tax payer money went to a spa retreat. Think how many lives that money may well indeed have saved.
Pisses me off.
Hey! Maybe THAT'S the word I'm looking for.
Tammy and Parker can also be found at their other blog, Praying For Parker.
Filed under Day In And Day Out, Raising Awareness, Tammy by Tammy and Parker
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7 Comments on What's The Word I'm Looking For? »
#1 - Amazing_Grace @ 7:23 pm
Lots of people do not realize that one million doesn't go very far for a special needs child. Have you contacted a local charity group about obtaining what you need? We did that with one special needs child at our school and they bought him a special computer.
#2 - Tammy and Parker @ 9:16 pm
Amazing Grace,
Right now we are working on putting together a meeting with our insurances board. We put together a list of letters of necessity, write up our presentation and then lay it all front of the board.
We did it once already when we were trying to get Parker to CCHMC for his pull through surgery, but due to unknown health issues, we needed to have that surgery performed here after all.
The thing is that Parker's new vent settings can't be set on his old vent. It is impossible.
#3 - Spring @ 9:52 pm
I am so sorry that you have to go through this…
#4 - Maddy @ 11:55 pm
Don't even get me started on the subject of insurance. We're just collating our latest 'bunch of bills' for them to claim they didn't receive, are wrongly dated or coded or something other bullsh……each letter telling us what's wrong will be separate for each item, usually 25 letters, our greatest number was 64 [ish?] for one bulk claim……we may need to move to Canada.
Best wishes
#5 - Debbie Yost @ 12:14 am
I'm sorry you are going through all this. Raising Parker is hard enough without the support you need. I hate insurance companies. I hate how they act like they care with their stupid commercials, but they really don't. They are a company in business to make money, plain and simple. Not to pay it out. I worked for the MO Dept. of Insurance for 5 years. Oh the stories I could tell. But then, unfortunately, you are living them. I hope you can get through to them.
#6 - PeytonsMom @ 9:53 am
Tammy,
I just got this in the mail:
United Heathcare Children's Foundation has announced that new grants are available to help children who need critical health care treatments, services or equipment not covered or fully covered by their parent's health benefits.
UHCCF provides grants to families to help pay for health care services such as OT, PT, prescriptions, and medical equipment.
http://uhccf.org
Maybe this could help?
#7 - Goldie @ 4:10 pm
*banging head on keyboard* this makes me so angry! I hope you get what you need soon!
As far as AIG goes, they have started posting their "new policy" all over the internet. I saw this on another bog ranting about the retreat:
"A short time ago, our Chairman and CEO Ed Liddy said that he has ordered the immediate cancellation of all outside meetings, conferences, and recognition events across AIG, except those that are required by law or that are deemed absolutely critical to sustain our ongoing business needs."
too little, too late!!!