Monday, July 28, 2008

Meeting the DDD

Mommy is on a mission. Yep. She is determined to get some assistance for what she calls an insurance, middle-income nightmare. We pay co-pays for EVERYTHING. Remember my $1000 shoes? We paid 20%. Every therapy (which we go to on average 2 times a week) is $20 per visit. Perscriptions...co-pay. Doctor's visits...co-pay. Don't even get us started on my glasses! Now consider how all these medical services are a pretty penny and maybe SLIGHTLY overpriced. It sums up to a slowly disappearing savings account and Mommy's sanity is starting to disappear as well. How bad can it be? Last month, was the last straw when medical bills were over $1000. Also consider groceries, mortgage, other cost of living expenses and the ever-rising cost of gas...Yep. A very painful month for a middle income family.

So Mommy is now on the offensive. Seriously. She started by reapplying with DSHS to get me state-sponsored medical insurance. We got denied before but now she knows that she can actually request a hearing to appeal. She is also looking into a grant program that will also help subsidize our therapy co-pays. Then today, she had a meeting with a Department of Developmental Disabilities Resource Manager who gave Mommy lots more info and resources to investigate. It starts with a state-funded perscription program that is FREE to anyone in Washington. Then it was followed up by making sure that she gets DSHS to consider a Pay-Down of expenses to qualify me for the insurance, she also let us in on an Elks program that helps fund more therapy programs, and More, More, More! Mommy was so excited and frankly, RELIEVED, to get some of this information. This DDD Manager also made Mommy feel valued rather than like she was asking for a hand-out.

Mommy has dreaded and hated the idea of applying for state assistance. After all, we are not poor. We are a middle income family who just happens to have a child with special needs. But the expenses related to having a child with special needs are extreme and because we are middle income, we pay A LOT out of pocket. There have been days that Mommy has wished that we were in a lower income bracket because then the opportunities for support with regards to my special needs are fantastic! But because Daddy works hard and is successful, it means the thought of retirement...let alone a 401K...is becoming harder to imagine. And we are not alone. Mommy has met so many individuals that are in this same set of circumstances. It's very frustrating.

So Mommy is going to solve our problems. And each rejection letter we get will get filed and saved for the day she goes to make a case in Olympia. But with 10 rejection letters, hopefully there will be some acceptance letters to help support Mommy and Daddy in the immediate. This will help them be more successful in their mission to provide the best for me and Jonah while maybe having a future for themselves.

Thanks Michelle, DDD Resource Manager. You gave Mommy a bit of hope today.

5 comments:

datri said...

Good luck with everything! It can be so frustrating. The paperwork is unbelieveable! I hesitated with applying for state programs as well. But I'm glad we did. Now, off to submit the Social Security Child Disability form. At least you can do that online!

Sandi said...

Kristy,

Thanks for all of your work on investigating other forms of help besides insurance. The information that you pass along to our family has been so beneficial. I never would have thought we could qualify for medicaid. Thank you!!!

thanks for all your hard work!

Anonymous said...

(((((Kristy)))))

skeybunny said...

Kristy,

Best of luck in your crusade.

I did notice that DSHS recently upped the maximum income level to 300% of the poverty level to pay into the system for a child (for our family, we still need to come up with 3 more kids to get there).

I hear what you are saying about the expense of medical and therapy visits. Speaking from the "other" side, it's frustrating as a provider to see at the end of the day just what managed care will pay you and how much has to be written off. It's a viscious cycle because insurance plans take a percentage off what is essentially the average going rate. If doctors reduce their fees, the going rate goes down and the insurance companies will pay even less. There isn't any incentive to charge less (and that's not takeing into account rising overhead costs, including malpractice insurance).

Thanks for all your work.

Sarah

sunshine glynn said...

Can't thank you enough for sharing your insight with me! You are such a support in my life!