It seems Jindal and the LA legislature played around with LACHIP, a program that has worked for years. "Income limit for LaChips Affordable plan passed with 300% income limit by the legislature was changed to 250% by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)". Who is CMS? LA goes from 1 single payer plan to a PPO managed by a third party administrator and something called Family Opportunity Act (FOA) for the disabled. I am well informed and have not read anything about these changes. In fact, I cannot even understand the FAQ’s, I just have more questions. So I wrote Senator Landrieu.
My 13 year old disabled son has been on CHIPS for several years. Due to his disability, I lost my job, went through bankruptcy due to paying for COBRA and my husband and I separated. It has been a rough patch for the past 8 years, if you know what I mean. I am 57 years old, who will hire me? So, I started my own company prior to Katrina and was able to do a Chapter 13 pay back with funds earned from the small LLP. Katrina destroyed the business and my father died of "Katrina related natural causes". My son was devastated and expelled from 2 schools. I restarted the business, a bit differently and it is starting to make a little money, but still under $10,000. I intend to reorganize as soon as time allows.
I received the Medicaid Program Review Letter notifying me to contact them by 2/23/09. I called on 2/17/09 at 9AM and was interrogated by the caseworker with the following questions:
• How much do I make?
• What is my rent?
• Who do I live with?
• Do I receive food stamps?
• What about gross & net, social security etc?
I have never been asked these questions before. I verbally verified the information on the original form and sent in a copy of my monthly check, which can vary. My case worker (redacted) seems to be advocating against my son rather than for him. Ms. caseworker redacted then wanted to verify my partnership so I had my partner’s secretary call her as she was out of town. Then she did not want that verification. What exactly is going on? I repeated the same process for renewal as in prior years – never any problems.
It has taken the past 3 years to get to the bottom of my son’s problems. He has ADHD, Aspergers, asthma, dysgraphia, ODD and is gifted/talented. According to his psychiatrist, a "toxic gumbo". During the evaluation/testing/counseling, my husband and I are working through our difficulties as we come to understand what happened to our family. The work at his office is slowing and he anticipates a lay off. If this transpires, he will file for Social Security as he is age 62. What else can we do? We will also file SS disability for our son based on the evaluation and IEP. I tried to explain this to Ms. caseworker redacted and she said the "disability does not matter". Of course, there is no way we can afford health insurance for ourselves. We are still living apart until the issues are settled. He paid no child support because he would have lost his house. Why not rubberstamp this child’s health care until the Obama plan comes into play? The "other" plans will not provide "services until 6/1/09. What do we do in the mean time? Income and living arrangement are in a state of flux.
Can you help? I truly believe Ms. caseworker redacted is being intimidated or financially coerced by Jindal family unfriendly policies. The LACHIP single payer works seamlessly without gatekeepers. Jindal’s Affordable Plan may work if it covers mental health counseling which was paid by Red Cross after Katrina. But, that is a big if and I cannot imagine the PPO gatekeepers allowing this expense. The LaChips Affordable does not cover dental or vision and the FOA program is not clear. Most of these kids are medicated via their pediatrician when it truly is the counseling that works.
http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/...
http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov/...