I am not in a good mood. I am going to get that right out front and when I am not in a good mood, a problem in Florida can get a lot of attention from me and anyone I contact.
I am not in a good mood. There is something really afoot in Florida and has been for a long time but I think I may have a clue..or like I said, maybe just really ticked off or maybe something The Tampa Times, or New York Times or the DOJ needs to check into. Here I stand....front and center with a whistle and blowing it regarding The CHIP program and Medicaid program demanding to know just how either corrupt or incompetent this system is in Florida !
Here is the story as I know it. We have a CHIP program here known as Kids Ease Kid Care..
We also have a Medicaid program that people have gotten kicked off of and no expansion. We have a head of state and maybe you have heard of a 75 time pleader of the 5th on Medicare fraud called Rick Scott. Ring a bell? My bells are ringing big time.
My child has been on Kid Care or Kids Ease....since 2011. There may be and I repeat may as I wouldn't doubt it one little bit that there is a scheme going down with medicaid or CHIP similiar to the Medicare deal.
The time came for re enrollment of the CJIP program. It happens every year. You have to update the info regarding proof of income, family members and all manner of questions to stay in the CHIP program. No problem. You sign on the internet, and you fill out the questionnaire, fax and or send proof of income and you are notified that you child or children are still qualified for Childrens Health Care for a nominal fee. You have met the eligibility status if this information is submitted to the State. You can also send it via mail. This year something different happened. This year I was told to fax proof of income... I did. I also sent it in the mail first when Kid Care said they had not received it. Strangely the stupid recorded info said that your kid IS covered and all eleigibility has been met AND approved for Kid Care. The one thing that keeps you off of Kid Care is if your child is on Medicaid. Mine is not. I took no chances and fax all that info again with all income and we are still qualified for Kid Care for our minor child.
I get a letter in the mail saying Welcome to Kid Care and here is a Thank you for completing your renewal and enrollment process...( it is a pass to state parks for the child)....Then not 10 days later you get a letter from Medicaid... Saying your child is not eligible for Medicaid ! Well you know that....but the letter goes on to say that you as the parent are eligible. WHAT????????? But I have Champ VA... I am going to be qualified for Medicare in several momths... I already have the Medicare to be activated at 65 card...WHAT ???? I know this is a mistake.. So several weeks ago I made a call to Kids ease because you can't ever but ever get through to local DCF office or Medicaid........and you figure it is a glitch....The lady on the phone says....Oh... I see where this info was sent back for your review and your child definately qualifies for Kid Care and not Medicaid and no of course you are not qualified. They just must have made a mistake.. I say again, " Why is Medicaid contacting me with conflicting statements ..I have NEVER applied nor has this child. The answer....Don't worry...just a mistake.... make my 15.00 payment to the State Kid Care Program and assured we are covered but I check out who her Dental health is through as I have received no cards...so I am given a list......Now keep in mind I have an account number and my status shows enrollment. Three days later a nice Shiny Medicaid card arrives with my child's name on it..telling me to pick a Managed care program... Hell No !!!!! I will not.
We are not supposed to be enrolled in Medicaid. I call Kid Care again and what do I find out... " Oh .......I don't understand.....you are enrolled in Kid Care ..not medicaid.
I am still not off the chain just yet. I ask about my payment and why it was reduced from 20 to 15 and told it was because of Obamacare which I know is Bullshit. I am then told it was illegal to count VA income... Well it has not been for 4 years and last time I checked Social security income was also federal funds.......It was income... Non taxable but there is a little box for VA/Social Security right there on the questionnaire.
She said, " Don't worry......I am sending this back with a copy of the VA income as I am sure it was just overlooked.....AHHHH the bells are started to ring in the distance because I tell her what the Medicaid Letter said...." This card does not guarantee the holder to Medicaid benefits but present it to the provider as proof of insurance...or words to that effect. I tell this lady...I tell this representative...." Now I want to know these payments I am making is going towards my child's insurance is guarantee of coverage under Kid Care.... Her reply, " Oh yes......she is covered through April and the VA award letter will be resubmitted to eleigibility and if you don't hear from us by Friday.. this was week before last ..Call us back on Monday. Well I call all week and get this....You are covered crap. I go to the mailbox just before making my March payment and lo and behold I have a letter of cancellation of Kid Care telling me my child is on Medicaid.....I also have another letter saying I too have been enrolled.
Today bright and early I get up and call these folks again to be told they are showing a substantial amount of income not on the form ,,no... totally eliminated and Mother and child enrolled in Medicaid. The answer then.... the answer is "You will have to call Medicaid and straighten this out". I am becoming very angry and said, " Why should I fix your screw up and why did you screw up after being warned?" She said, " It is out of our hands". I called the number that was given to be told... "I don't show you in the sytem...or the child. I then hear but this is not unsual... We have had over 1000 calls regarding this kind of problem. Now I am off the chain. I explain to the woman not to take what I am about to say personally but I want to educate her a little on how screwed up this is and can become. I proceed. Now you listen to me....I want my child and me off the Medicaid rolls because we do not qualify and that is real taxpayer money and other people qualify not to mention we probably are shown qualified on paper only not to mention you have mentioned Obamacare at least five times blaming the president for confusion AND I am on Social Security and we not only want to do the right thing but your telling me over 1000 have called with this kind of nosensene which opens them for fraud charges is not going to happen... and the response is, " That determination was made at Kid Care/Kid Ease...and you need to call DCF,,your local DCF as we have no control over this kind of thing. Here goes the Buck passing.
I take a sip of coffee and pull up the Health and Human Services number in Tallahassee
on one phone and the DCF office on the other where I was told there was a 25 minute wait.
I finally get someone in the Special Council office in Tallahassee and have had time to fume to a full blown outrage.......I calmly but firmly say, " You are who and I sure hope this phone call is being recorded for quality assurance because you will not snatch insurance from a child ...enroll me in a progam I am not qualified for and her as well plus I understand this is the office for license and accountability of health care in Florida.
The lady says yes.... I say..." Allow me to introduce myself. This problem will be solved today or I swear I will be contacting the Tampa Times, The New York Times, the Office of Inspector General and the DOJ if necessary.. I tell the story and the woman said, :Oh my ...let me get someone to immediately get in touch with you". Keep in mind I am still on hold on the other phone with DCF. I tell her.... You may or may not even get this resolved before I publish this to the public as I am VERY concerned about your boss and this administration whereas any federal and state medical funds are involved. She tells me she will take care of it with the proper people. I hang up. Now the other line becomes available as some rep from DCF tells me this is all Obamacare fault. I know now I am in a talking point. I said, " Lady..you picked the wrong person on the wrong day to be doing this not only to me but according to Medicaid...over 1000 people in Florida. She asks for my social security number but no account number of the Kid Care...and said," So you want to be removed from the Medicaid system" WELL DUH....I am now completely off the chain. I say, " I should never have been in that part of the system.. Not me... My daughter should have and should be in the Program for CHIP whereas we pay our premium, The lady says, " We will remove you and you can reapply for Kid Care". I said, " How did you remove me from something Medicaid said there was no record of ...What the hell is going on?????? I want that in writing. She said " We will be sending you a letter". I asked, " From who? Kid Care or Medicaid? Where Medicaid records show we do not exist? Akthough our daughter has a card I will not use and a letter cancelling her from Kid Care and a rep reporting under income reports which they clearly have the document as they read it back to me......with the exact figure... The woman says, " I think from Medicaid". Since Obamacare this has been very confusing. I say, " What is confusing"? She didn't marry, turn 18, the income is the same with just a cola increase and WE DO NOT QUALIFY and I am on Champ VA and Medicare come June.
I will not be held accountable on a fixed income for defrauding the State for a State screwup not just on me but what I was told thousands of poeple. I want an explanation and letter of retraction from the medicaid program.
I am then informed that all I have to do is re enroll in Kid Care but guess what Kid Care after cancellation can charge full price of regular premium which would not be at that 20 dollar rate...... But can disqualify us period because we refused the Medicaid. Now I am really pissed. I call Special Council and told them to relay to Scott that I was going public and I was bringing the press and the law with me. With this diary I will send a copy to the DOJ, the Tampa Times and the OIG . I finally got a call from some insurance company after the call to Medicaid and asked did we want to enroll in a healh care program? I hung up. My question to Kid's Ease was Where is my 15.00 dollars? Where is the coverage I paid for in advance that was cancelled.. I was told it was creditied to my account . I said, " An account that I do not have?"
WHERE IS MY MONEY......????
No answer except a credit...I felt as though I was talking alien to these people. I added up 20 to 30 which is average for CHIP X 1000 or more is staggering and then these children have fallen through the cracks and have no healthcare or do and the parents or guardians are investigated and have their federal compensations frozen to pay back.
There it is...... If I am right this is how the State is making money off the poor because one is a mistake..1000 is a plan. A plan to keep kids from any healthcare or a plan to screw folks on fixed incomes. The state would win in a huge amount of money.... The letter that accompanied that medicaid card keep in mind did not guarantee coverage.
What are the 1000's this is happening to? Playing chase the tiger's tail in a circle? Not this lady.. I am calling the State and Scott out !!!!!
http://youtu.be/...