Entry for September 13, 2008
Hurricanes and HMOs
I have family and friends who live in a hurricane strike-zone. I imagine we are watching TV and listening to the radio together like old times.
I am just in the helpless and worried position I like so much to be in. My thoughts are with the survivors surviving and with their families who may be seperated from them.
I can remember the most intense period of worry in my life was during the last major earthquake in California. The phone lines were down. It was days before I could contact the woman I was dating at the time. The present hung like the fruit on a mango tree, heavy and present.
When communications were restored the release was psychic and physical at the same time, one big out breath. She survived, shaken up but OK.
**********
I have a broken foot and a few other things going on at the moment. The increase in buying basic medication has once again reminded me of Medicare cuts at the State level. I am grateful for the medication breaks the state picked up in the past and am worried about the future. I take a lot of heart and cognition medication. I have several prescriptions over $200 a piece because there are no generic substitutes.
I am currently with Wellcare HMO, who has been the subject of a major Federal and State investigation for fraud. They have reduced staff and are pulling out of the State of Florida as a result.
I have had trouble with someone using my medical identity card for health care and have had to report this to the FBI, IRS, and Social Security. The case is evidently still under investigation. Evidently someone has also worked under my Social Security card transition
I lost my wallet several years ago when I was in transition and had most of my identification in the wallet.
I recommend bolting your wallet to your hip-bone or carrying less ID in your wallet. I bet you are way ahead of me HMO on that one.
******
Speaking psychologist never really liked them when I was working in the field. As a counseling psychologist and manager in the Social Services field they limited choice of doctor and treatment.
I was granted the highest category for a psychologist at my level (M.A.) for insurance reimbursements, but was limited by who I could help.
I like WellCare people.
But working with referrals and follow ups can be a problem.
Post procedure I was referred to two Doctors for follow-up. Doctors have to authorized by a HMO main provider so they can get paid. It costs me approximately double the money to use a Non-HMO doctor, the doctors the hospital used and recommended. In this case they were not part of the HMO.
It took approximately one week to get authorization for follow-up. I have what might be a serious internal infection and broken bone(s.) I could have booked my own doctors but at double the cost.I feel a lot of compassion for people with AIDS and other life threatening diseases.
My situation is probably everyone situation when using HMOs. I know now that when going into the hospital there are several factors that impact your treatment.
I am slow with these.
Not only do you have to suspend your life to go into the hospital you have to be aware of process. That means you have to be aware of the finances, treatment plan, and follow up at a time when you are basically sick. Most of my hospital stays have always ended in the same way. I am sick of being sick and can't wait to get back to what I was doing. I am well most of the time as result because I practice (to what ever degree I am able) wellness.
I am pretty good at detail because I have made a lot of mistakes.
I told my doctors when I was going into the hospital. I alerted them when I got out. I made sure they had records of the stay.
I am slow in the areas of detail. To work constructively with my autism in this context moves me forward. I have time to contract things within structure.
As I said I multi-task well in a structured environment. When chaos hits the fan and scatters thing I get lost in detail. Picking up afterward can be an enlightening experience. You have to micro-mange your life to see what you've missed and that slows you down even more.
It's not double checking. Every time I check things it's a new experience. That's short term memory--tacking.
********
Tags:
autism,
healthcare,
identitytheft,
losingyourwallet,
fraud,
hmos,
catostrphicsituationswhenyouarenotthere,
Edit TagsSaturday September 13, 2008 - 11:31am (EDT)
Edit Delete Permanent Link 0 CommentsEntry for September 10, 2008 The Social Security Debit Card
Eye-Balled News
10:00 AM EDT Monday
Social Security debit card introducedSeptember 9, 2008 -
The Terrorist Screening Database and Watchlisting Process Rick Kopel, Principal Deputy Director, Terrorist Screening Center, FBI, Before the House Committee on Homeland Security
James Finch Named Special Agent in Charge of Oklahoma CityMon, 08 Sep 2008 16:22:58 -0500
FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III has named James Finch Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau's Oklahoma City Field Office.
2:54 PM EDT Tuesday
Florida attorney general warns of security breachCurrent Survey
Should Hawaii have a Constitutional Convention? VoteShawn Henry Named Assistant Director of FBI Cyber DivisionMon, 08 Sep 2008
Posts
.jpg){kind=small}
