OT: Update on Aaron and a need to vent

Deb,

When I changed jobs 6 years ago, I was given the option of COBRAing my insurance. They told me that I didn't need to to it right away, but that I could do it retroactively within some number of days (forget if it was 60 or 90) if something happened that caused me to need it before my new job kicked in. Is Aaron close enough timewise to his previous job that it might be worth looking into that? Did he have coverage before?

I'm glad for you that he's making such progress and sorry about the insurance mess. Sorry indeed, that this whole thing happened.

Elizabeth

CONGRATULATIONS , may you all have many Healthy years together And that with timre he will get rid of all the bad memories as well . Let him talk about it , draw pictures , maybe read books about other kids who had a traumatic accident. And give him a great hug. Could you email me privately ? mirjam

It`s early days - I`m sure that he`ll improve steadily - and he has youth on his side. How awful that you have to worry about medical expenses on top of everything else.

Pat P

So glad to hear Aaron is doing so well, so sorry to hear all these frustrations just when you don't need them. Here's hoping a quick solution arrives and still thinking of you both and sending good thoughts.

Sheena

What good news about Aaron's recovery. I'm sorry you're having such problems with the insurance company and I sincerely hope that will get straightened out quickly. You certainly don't need this aggravation on top of everything else. Lucille

Deb wrote: > Thanks again for all your thoughts and prayers, and patience with my

Deb -

That's what we're here for. The thoughts and prayers continue, and please do keep us posted and feel that we're a safe place for you to vent. You need a safe haven when the world is going upside-down!

May the miracles continue!

Sue

OK, gang, I think this is the point where RCTN kicks into action. Everyone send Deb five or ten bucks -- you won't miss it, but it'll make a big difference in getting Aaron's surgery done ASAP.

Unfortunately, no that is not an option. He was an independent contractor and (like an idiot) did not pickup his own coverage.

Thanks

-- Deb (to reply remove what is obvious in the address)

WIP: I have no idea right now

Thanks, but please, no. I just can't go there now. We are trying to see if they can get the Medicaid claim expedited now, and why it is taking so long.

I'll be calling our Congressman tomorrow, some of our friends at church know him very well, and think he might be able to help.

If that doesn't work, I'll go to plan B.

I unloaded on the poor secretary at the hospital today, I felt bad, but just couldn't help it. She said "I understand, this really is unfortunate". That lit the fuse.

I believe the words I used included, but were not limited to:

NOT UNFORTUNATE and you CANNOT UNDERSTAND unless you have someone dear to you in this situation......the words extortion, ridiculous, ludicrous and a few others were included in my vent to her. I think, but can't be sure at this point, but I think I actually said "didn't his mother ever teach him to put things back where they belong?"

He wants to make arrangements to pay the bill, he wants to go back to work. He can't go back to work to make money until the skull is replaced. He can't get the skull replaced until he has the money. Catch-22.

sigh.

-- Deb (to reply remove what is obvious in the address)

WIP: I have no idea right now

As a fellow Floridian; is there is anything I can do with my representative? Ginny Brown Waite is my US congresswoman and John Stargel is my local FL house guy.I would be happy to help in any way. If they could get the Governor involved with that poor dying woman, they surely can help with a live viable young man.

I kmow you have my phone etc, but you can always get me on my home email. gillmurray1 at verizon.net. maybe the more Floridians who call for help will produce positive results.

hugs

gill

May call on that, but did get a response from State Rep Aaron Bean's office tonight via email that they have contacted DCF to see if the process could be speeded up. I did get a call from them today regarding more info, so maybe......

I'll keep you posted.

HOWEVER....I would urge ALL of us to contact our national reps, both Congressional and Senate. Aaron is not the first person who has had this type of difficulty getting a skull flap replaced in both this area and in the country.

In FL, it used to be standard for hospitals to discharge women same day for things ranging from childbirth to hysterectomies, because insurance companies didn't see the need for them to stay overnight.

A law was passed that requires the insurance companies to approve, at a minimum, at least one night, and I think three days.

To remove a piece of someone's skull, then consider the replacement "not medically necessary", and elective, is outrageous. In addition to the sheer trauma of it all for the individual with a large hole in his/her skull, it poses risk of further injury or more damage with even the slightest fall, or minor accident. It is another trauma waiting to happen. In addition to the trauma, people with TBI (traumatic brain injury) are at risk for seizure activity as well. What happens if he has a seizure and falls or hits that "soft spot" on a hard or pointed object?

I believe that there should be some type of requirement to make this a medically necessary procedure, one to "complete" the original actions. We should not have to fight insurance companies or hospitals to get this kind of procedure approved, it should be automatic.

I read of one case of a woman in California who fought her insurance company for almost a year, and then had to go "public" and make a national story before her insurance company would approve the procedure. Her craniectomy was in the top of her skull, IIRC.

It just isn't right. DH has said his mission when we get past this crisis is to try to get the cranioplasty to replace the skull flaps of the nation to be not an elective procedure, but a mandatory one.

Thanks. I'll keep you posted.

-- Deb (to reply remove what is obvious in the address)

WIP: I have no idea right now

I agree with you that complete closure of the skull following a procedure or trauma should be considered medically necessary. If the person is unable to function as a normal person in society (return to work, not need special and extreme precautions) solely because of that, doesn't that make the completion necessary? (I'm asking this rhetorically.)

Keep it up, Deb! First I must write to Chuck Grassley > A law was passed that requires the insurance companies to approve, at

Brenda

Yipes - 12 hours after for DS, 24 for DD only because I hemorrhaged.

Long time ago, I had (emergency) abdominal surgery and was allowed 4 nights after returning to "full" coconscious before discharge.

Cheryl