The last day (ish) has been quite... interesting.
Wash on Tues had a bad health day, he was having some reactions to his med change. I spent quite a few hours with him trying to distract his pain and discomfort. The upside is these are all very short term side effects so he today feels almost back to his 'normal'.
On Tuesday I was informed that AHCCCS Oversight Dept had been made aware of our issue/situation and would be looking into it. I did not get any real human contact information from the communication. I'm hoping this means someone with power is looking into how William "Bob" Jaegers dropped the ball on our case, and lied. I have no problem using this man's real name. If he wanted to work in a job where he did not actually have to work, there are options. But, not doing his job when people's health and lives are directly impacted is unexcuseable.
In slightly better news, Tues I also heard from someone at the Constituent Services dept of the AZ Legislature. She asked for more information to actually look into our case and I'm having my Social Worker from Hospice help me out there. I think he might also appreciate the chance to ask why (as a Hospice SW) he was blown off by our casemanager Bob Jaegers for two weeks.
ALTCS sent a nurse over to ask Wash and myself some questions and spend about 30 minutes evaluating him. (Which, if you read here at all Wash is very good at covering up his issues for even 2 hours at a time. 30 mins gives no real view as to our lives or issues at all.) She said that he does not outright qualify for ALTCS care but every case that does not immediately qualify gets a medical review. Only one doctor on the review needs to say he does need the care and he's approved. For now, I am hopeful.
It will be a few more days before I know anything about Wash's case. Again though, I'm hopeful.
However, I will not be dropping this issue, or trying to pull it from public eye. No one has yet apologized for the wait, or for lying, or the potential cost in Quality of Life to my husband. I know we are not the only family in Arizona to go through this with ALTCS. I'm beginning to believe as well that if they are careless enough to leave evidence of their lies and harmful policies of us around, there is a lot of evidence that they have harmed others too.
This is a Government run insurance company. They are funded, even partly, from tax dollars. They are require to have Oversight, and they are publicly to be held accountable.
To all who have called, emailed, and faxed on our behalf - I truly thank you. I'm truly saddened that I live in a place where it requires this type of effort and luck to get the care my husband qualifies and is entitled to- not just as a taxpayer and former earner, but as a human being. I believe every human is entitled to healthcare and services as a basic human right. Not even those who would deny that care to others, like my husband or myself, can change my mind. Every human.
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Best of luck again to you both. I've emailed those on your list and I've got my fingers crossed they get their acts together and make life a little easier for you and yours :)
ReplyDelete*W.*A.*Y.* to GO, Tashi!! Your concerted, fervent efforts; and those of everyone who has helped you............ (all because of *the way* in which ALTCS currently "operates")............ may indeed help some other suffering Arizonans who might've ALSO BEEN harmed; and/or your efforts may PREVENT FUTURE harm to other Arizonans in dire need, too. I sure hope that Wash is approved for ALTCS care.
ReplyDelete(((*Hugs*))), and prayers, to you and Wash both ~
As someone who works for a state human services agency, (not Arizona) I just want people to know that sometimes it's not the worker's fault. I'm not making excuses for the people you have to deal with, I don't know their exact circumstances, but I can tell you what it's like for us.
ReplyDeleteOur budget is cut to the bone. We can no longer offer emergency services, no matter how badly you need them. Each of us is doing the work of at least three people, more if someone is out. And when we can't keep up, the politicians yell about how we are not doing our jobs, and cut us further. When we were fully staffed and had more money, we could barely keep up with the demand. Now it is impossible. I feel awful if I can't get back to everyone right away and give them what they need, but there is only so much you can do. There is no such thing as a lunch break (and we don't get paid for that time). We stay as late as we can, (no overtime), but we have families and obligations, too. The equipment we are using is so antiquated it would be laughable if it wasn't so badly needed. And every time I turn on the radio, it seems like I hear about the state 'hacks' and their cushy jobs. I can honestly tell you that after 35 years in the work force, public and private sector, I have never worked so hard for so little. And they routinely head for our benefits, medical insurance and pensions when they need to make up a short fall.
Sorry for the rant...I guess I had to get that off my chest.
Just a quick input about ALTCS, my daughter did not qualify from the ALTCS reviewer questionnaire either and she said the same thing, pretty much. She told me "I am sending this to the review board because she should qualify. This isn't the end all, be all". When it went to Medical Review, the review board said "No doubt about it, based on her DIAGNOSIS, she is eligible" and has been since her brain injury in 2004.
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