Last update on Mom--she's home.

[Lyric]

What it comes down to is this: she doesn't have insurance and she's no longer "critical," so they sent her home.

The bypass surgery? They dropped the idea when they managed to stabilize her without it. Whether or not she has a heart attack next week doesn't seem to matter--they were only required to stabilize her by law. In fact, I doubt if they'd have even mentioned the surgery if the cardio docs had known ahead of time that she was uninsured.

So now there's nothing else we can do. She's at home, on blood thinners and oxygen. We have no idea what's next. She was told to "follow up" with her "regular doctor" in a week, but she doesn't HAVE a regular doctor, so that's out of the question.

She's been trying to get Medicaid for years, but they want her to register with job services, and she cannot work. She can barely stand without losing her breath, she lives in the middle of rural nowhere, she has no transportation, she certainly can't walk to work, and she's on constant oxygen--what job do they think she'll be able to do?? Also, registering with job services would undermine her fight to get SS Disability; they've denied her twice already, and she's working on her third appeal. Social Services want a statement from a regular doctor that she's no longer capable of working--well DUH, if she could AFFORD to see a regular doctor, she wouldn't need Medicaid!

I'm so upset I could scream. She has severe emphysema, severe coronary artery disease, and can barely get between the living room chair and the bathroom, but the government keeps screwing her around on Social Security and Medicaid. They won't even give her Food Stamps.

Well this is the last straw for me. She and I are going to get to the welfare office somehow this week, and we ARE going to get her on Medicaid. The cardio docs were kind enough to give her a note about what she can and cannot do for a while, and that should be good fucking enough for Social Services to prove that she cannot work. As soon as she has that Medical Card, she can get her current new crop of prescriptions filled--at the moment, she has only what they gave her to take home, about two days' worth, because she was "lucky" enough to be released on a Sunday. Grrr.

Dammit, situations like this are what our public assistance programs are SUPPOSED to be FOR. It infuriates me to no end that she's having such a hard time getting help.

Anyway--she's alive. I'm grateful for that much, at least. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers, and please excuse my rant. I'm still in shock that they sent her home so soon when she's in such bad condition.

:(

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Oh my god, my dear Lyric...

I cannot believe that they would treat your mom this way! ALL those people need to be lined up and shot!

I am aghast. Sounds to me as though they wouldn't even care if she rolled over and died. Really.

My heart goes out to both of you...

Rant all you want, sweetie...

:hug:

[Lyric]

6. I feel torn, Peggy.

On one hand, the docs DID save her life, and they ARE operating within the law.

It just doesn't seem right that THIS is what "the law" allows.

:(

[Gormy Cuss]

2. I hope that you can get her some help this week, Lyric.

You're right -- it shouldn't be that hard to get services when you're so sick that you can barely walk from room to room.

[auntAgonist]

3. This makes me shake with anger...

I'm SO sorry your Mother is going through this. Please DO rant all you want if it helps. I would be beside myself if it were my Mother.

many prayers and good thoughts for a good outcome. I hope she can get the help she needs. You are a wonderful daughter and I'm sure she's thankful every moment for you.

:hug:

aA
kesha

[applegrove]

4. I'm really sorry. Isn't there a way to get your medicine real cheap if you

contact a certain federal program.

[Lyric]

5. Yes there is--however

it's a drawn-out process that involves a lot of paperwork, coming up with W-2s and tax forms to prove income, etc. It's a long-term option that we're going to pursue, but it doesn't get her the medicine she needs to survive right *now*. Only Medicaid will do that. This is why we're going down there this week--she just got out of the hospital after having a freaking heart attack and isn't even supposed to be doing more than walking a little to keep blood clots at bay--there is NO WAY they'll be able to claim that she needs to register with job services. At this moment, my Mom is a picture-perfect example of someone who is physically incapable of working.

I just hope it works. First things first--we have to figure out how to get her there. She can't do it for a few days, because she's still recovering. It'll have to be Thursday or Friday. I'll be calling friends and begging for rides, because she lives too far away from town to use public transit, and a taxi ride would cost us $100 round-trip.

Wish us luck. *hugs*

[applegrove]

8. I'm really sorry. ((((HUGS))))

[Dystopian]

7. Bless your heart, Lyric....

It was bad enough for me taking care of my own mother....a most sorrowful experience. Yet she had insurance and MDs....and nurses to come into the house to care for her. Your situation brought tears to my eyes...We know that so many are living like this, and yet, to hear it firsthand breaks my heart. Please try to stay strong. It sounds like you are...fighting the system and bringing your mother to the welfare office...yet the anguish and anger with the system can take a toll. Please take care of yourself while you are caring for your beloved mother.....I will keep you and your mother in my thoughts and prayers....She's blessed to have a beautiful child...:hug:

peace~

[grasswire]

9. so she's not old enough for Medicare, right?

Why don't you contact her U.S. representative and her senator, via their local offices? They can apply a lot of pressure to cut through the bureaucracy. They can help push for Medicaid and SS-D. And perhaps there could be a case worker assigned to help you find other resources for her.

Also, perhaps some assistance could be found through church charities or community funds.

Last resort, if it were my mom, would be to move her to a state where health services were more easily available. Massachusetts or Oregon come to mind.

[Rhythm]

17. Moving's almost impossible when you have minimal resources

If money were no object, then yeah, moving to a state with a more equitable system would be a great solution. In our case, we are scraping by as it is, and both Lyric and i are in college here (both non-trad students trying to change our lives and our son's future). Just picking up and going simply isn't an option.

:hug:

Thanks for the reminder about 'casework' though; it might come to that, but fortunately we have a few WV pols who have made their names on constituent assistance.

[leftyclimber]

18. Senator Byrd's the man.

Just sayin'.

[RetroLounge]

10. Speechless

:hug:

RL

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. WTH? I have MaineCare (medicaid) and I never had to register with job services. Is this a state

rule or something?? I hope she can get it now with that note, like you said.

What a stupid friggin system the insurance companies have wrought. Best healthcare system in the world, my fanny! x(

[ThomCat]

20. New York City keeps trying to put me through job services too

and has cut off my benefits several times because of it.

I have three doctors documenting that I absolutely cannot work, and the city's doctor examined me and certified that I'm unable to work. But despite that, ever month I have to go back and prove to them again that I can't work and get my benefits reinstated. It has been a nightmare.

Social Services absolutely does not know how to deal with people with disabilities, and seems to require impossible amounts of incredibly redundant paperwork on a monthly basis.

[GreenPartyVoter]

22. That is just terrible. The concept of the system is good, but man does it need an overhaul. When

I was first married I did some subbing in the local schools, most of it in May and June of each year. And every summer, when I wasn't working and we were just scraping by we would get this notice in the mail, "Your most recent financial review shows that you earned too much money in the last 3 months and were sent food stamps to which you were not entitled. Please repay $X forthwith."

Or something like that. x(

We desperately need all kinds of social services in this country, but we need to do a better job of delivering them to the people that need them.

[hatredisnotavalue]

12. call your local state representative

and tell them your story, and then call your state senator, and then call your us representative and your us senator if you don't feel you are getting the local help you need. Someone is out there to help you. If you don't get any attention, go to the newspapers and tv stations. If you pm me the state you are in, I can get the contact numbers for you..My prayers are with you and your mom.

[no name no slogan]

13. Glad she's out of the hospital

Does your mom have a case worker with the county? If so, go into the case worker's office and refuse to leave until they get her signed up for whatever benefits she is due. And if they won't do that, then get a lawyer who specialized in SS/disability cases. She's clearly disabled and can't work.

Good luck :hug:

[leftyclimber]

14. Goddam this state makes me mad sometimes.

Lemme know what I can do. I'm ready to fire off letters to everyone from Obama on down on the elected official side, and Michael Moore and whoever else I can think of on the unelected side.

:banghead:

[Lyric]

15. If you had a 4-wheel drive, I'd beg you to give us a ride to the welfare office

later this week, but you don't, and that little car of yours is really not suited to dealing with Mom's hobbit-hole of a driveway. Sadly, this is one time when it's just not possible for Mom to walk up and meet a car at the top.

We'll figure it out. Another friend has a Jeep--maybe he'll have the time to do it.

:hug:

[leftyclimber]

16. We've gotten that car up that driveway before.

Just let me know what I can do, whether it's on the phone or in the car, and I'll do it. (eta: Mr_leftyclimber thinks we may have access to a neighbor's 4WD if your other friend can't make it.)

:hug:

PS Check your PM.

[Critters2]

19. I'm so sorry, Lyric. God, it pisses me off!

We need single-payer universal NOW!

I'll keep her in my prayers. Wish there were more I could do. :hug:

[ThomCat]

21. The consequence of our health care system

being for profit is only people with money have all the documentation readily available to "prove" their medical situation. So poor people are assumed to be perfectly fit, and therefore subject to all the draconian shit Republicans have dreamed up to punish poor people.

In order to get the benefits you're supposed to be entitled to as a person with health problems you need to have the money to already be managing and documenting that health problem, but if the reason you help is to manage and document your health problem to begin with then you're screwed.