i know this is supposed to be a blog about my gardening adventures, but indulge me in a small tangent-rant....
back in September, i was temporarily laid off from my job, but my health insurance was paid through the end of October, so they kept me on, which was wonderful since i was due at the end of October (the 18th was my due date). In the meantime, i had applied to CHIP (state health insurance for all kids in PA) because I couldn't afford to get my little one (LO) under mine at work - it would have been half my biweekly paycheck. at the end of October, i was permanently laid off and abruptly cut off from my insurance.
a month later my husband and I received a letter saying he and I were accepted to receive Medical Assistance (medicaid). but nothing about my LO. so after calling and calling and even getting a hearing, i finally got him on in december.
a month ago, i received another letter saying we were being booted off medical assistance because we make too much money on unemployment. let me say that again, so you can absorb that absurdity - WE MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY ON UNEMPLOYMENT TO GET MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. then we're told my husband and i are on a waiting list for Adult Basic - "adultBasic is a limited benefit health insurance program funded through Pennsylvania’s settlement with the tobacco companies and contributions from the Pennsylvania Blue Plans as dictated by the Community Health Reinvestment Agreement. The program provides health insurance coverage to uninsured adults between 19 and 65 years of age who meet eligibility guidelines, fall within adultBasic family size and income guidelines, and reside in Pennsylvania. The cost for this coverage is $36.00 per month, per person." But we can purchase it for $600 per month per person while we wait. Um yeah. So when I call them about my LO, who was not mentioned in the letter, they tell me he's not listed and they'll send me an application for CHIP. so i fill out the CHIP application (AGAIN) and wait to hear from them.
yesterday, i get a letter saying he's ineligible for CHIP because.....wait for it..... "based on your family size and income, (LO) appears to be eligible for Medicaid." so, he's ELIGIBLE FOR THE EXACT INSURANCE WE WERE JUST BOOTED OFF FOR MAKING TOO MUCH ON UNEMPLOYMENT.
does this make sense to anyone else?
people in this country were fighting AGAINST health care reform?
and where exactly is this reform that was passed? i haven't seen any benefit from it yet.
back in September, i was temporarily laid off from my job, but my health insurance was paid through the end of October, so they kept me on, which was wonderful since i was due at the end of October (the 18th was my due date). In the meantime, i had applied to CHIP (state health insurance for all kids in PA) because I couldn't afford to get my little one (LO) under mine at work - it would have been half my biweekly paycheck. at the end of October, i was permanently laid off and abruptly cut off from my insurance.
a month later my husband and I received a letter saying he and I were accepted to receive Medical Assistance (medicaid). but nothing about my LO. so after calling and calling and even getting a hearing, i finally got him on in december.
a month ago, i received another letter saying we were being booted off medical assistance because we make too much money on unemployment. let me say that again, so you can absorb that absurdity - WE MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY ON UNEMPLOYMENT TO GET MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. then we're told my husband and i are on a waiting list for Adult Basic - "adultBasic is a limited benefit health insurance program funded through Pennsylvania’s settlement with the tobacco companies and contributions from the Pennsylvania Blue Plans as dictated by the Community Health Reinvestment Agreement. The program provides health insurance coverage to uninsured adults between 19 and 65 years of age who meet eligibility guidelines, fall within adultBasic family size and income guidelines, and reside in Pennsylvania. The cost for this coverage is $36.00 per month, per person." But we can purchase it for $600 per month per person while we wait. Um yeah. So when I call them about my LO, who was not mentioned in the letter, they tell me he's not listed and they'll send me an application for CHIP. so i fill out the CHIP application (AGAIN) and wait to hear from them.
yesterday, i get a letter saying he's ineligible for CHIP because.....wait for it..... "based on your family size and income, (LO) appears to be eligible for Medicaid." so, he's ELIGIBLE FOR THE EXACT INSURANCE WE WERE JUST BOOTED OFF FOR MAKING TOO MUCH ON UNEMPLOYMENT.
does this make sense to anyone else?
people in this country were fighting AGAINST health care reform?
and where exactly is this reform that was passed? i haven't seen any benefit from it yet.
according to all the signs on the buses and such "every child in pa is covered, regardless of family income". so what the fuck is that about?
the benefits (which lo will get because he's a kid, and the benefits are mostly for kids, at least at first) will take a while to pan out. maybe sometime in 2011. i haven't bothered to look anything up about it because none of it applies to me. i'm self-employed you know, and it's still all going to be filtered through the workplace, unless you're on medicare/caid, which i don't qualify for, because i make too much (50% of which goes to taxes!).
so, yeah. i hear ya.
according to all the signs on the buses and such "every child in pa is covered, regardless of family income". so what the fuck is that about?
the benefits (which lo will get because he's a kid, and the benefits are mostly for kids, at least at first) will take a while to pan out. maybe sometime in 2011. i haven't bothered to look anything up about it because none of it applies to me. i'm self-employed you know, and it's still all going to be filtered through the workplace, unless you're on medicare/caid, which i don't qualify for, because i make too much (50% of which goes to taxes!).
so, yeah. i hear ya.
i just saw one of those buses today!
when i called CHIP, they told me they sent LO's application to M.A. and if they deny it, it gets sent back to CHIP and they'll review it again - maybe they hope all this run-around will force most people to just buy insurance somewhere. but we can't afford his, let alone something for us two adults.