I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: mikey07840 on April 15, 2009, 10:06:06 PM

Title: I am ready to explode
Post by: mikey07840 on April 15, 2009, 10:06:06 PM
I have been trying to get my Medicare part A and B since December. According to my calendar, it is the middle of April. I still do not have my enrollment completed, I am still waiting for my card. I still do not have a bill or any documentation from the Social Security Administration. Bills from doctors and hospitals are stacking up, they have been rejected so far by Medicare. I haven't been able to get part D or a supplement yet.

I spent a couple of hours on the phone, mostly on hold today with the help of my social worker. Supposedly SSA will get this corrected and will call me tomorrow with an update. Does anyone know what my next step should be if it doesn't get corrected tomorrow?
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: Rerun on April 15, 2009, 11:23:29 PM
Keep hounding and keep your Social Worker... Working!

Good Luck!               :thumbup;
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: Sluff on April 16, 2009, 09:45:04 AM
Climb the ladder till you talk to the right person and get your answers.
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: monrein on April 16, 2009, 10:01:42 AM
Mikey, I have no advice but am sending you hugs of  perseverance and the huge wish that this all be resolved soon.  Keep on your social worker and tell her that the additional stress is taking its toll on your already fragile health.   :grouphug; :cuddle; :cuddle; :grouphug;
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: paul.karen on April 16, 2009, 10:08:44 AM
That sucks.
I may be wrong but i think Okarol posted a web link for medicare which works fast or i thought a member used it and it worked fast for them.  May have been something else might wanna do a search.

Sorry your going thorugh this.  Hope they sort you out fast.
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: willieandwinnie on April 16, 2009, 10:17:21 AM
 :banghead; mikey, Social Security are the ones that need to straighten this out. Keep on that Social Worker and make them earn their money. You shouldn't have to be sitting here worrying about this stuff. I hope you get that call tomorrow. Keep us posted.  :cuddle;
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: MandaMe1986 on April 16, 2009, 10:33:24 AM
Keep on your Social Worker that is what they are there for. I am sure he/she will get it all taken care of. Sorry this is happing I know how scary medical bills can be. Let us know how it goes.  :cuddle;
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: karen547 on April 16, 2009, 02:28:49 PM
 :grouphug; Mikey I am sorry you are having a tough time with social security! I hope things get worked out ASAP!
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: Wallyz on April 16, 2009, 03:45:35 PM
Prayers, Mikey.  Keep on them.
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: mikey07840 on April 16, 2009, 03:55:05 PM
Good news I think. I was called by Social Security, my medicare enrollment is complete. My Social Worker called and got a letter confirming this by fax today. It should only be a few days more for my card.

Thank you, everyone, for the support. King Leon also sends his best.
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: MandaMe1986 on April 16, 2009, 04:15:41 PM
Yey  :bandance; :bandance;
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: TeenHatesDialysis on April 16, 2009, 08:34:09 PM
 :clap; Sorry that you had to go through that crap. Glad it has been resolved.  :2thumbsup;
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: paddbear0000 on April 16, 2009, 08:42:08 PM
That's great to hear mikey. Now if only I could get through to my local SS office. Every time I try calling, i get a busy signal. I applied for disability a few weeks ago and someone from the office called me, but the number she left was for United Way (and someone else's office)!!
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: monrein on April 17, 2009, 04:27:26 AM
Thank goodness Mikey, I was getting ready to call KItkatz to bring her bat and get us down there.
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: paris on April 17, 2009, 01:03:14 PM
So glad you got that taken care of.  Once less thing to worry about.   :2thumbsup;
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: jbeany on April 17, 2009, 02:06:51 PM
That's great to hear mikey. Now if only I could get through to my local SS office. Every time I try calling, i get a busy signal. I applied for disability a few weeks ago and someone from the office called me, but the number she left was for United Way (and someone else's office)!!

Padd, check with your clinic social worker.  Mine gave me the magic number - the phone # to the local office, so you don't have to call the 1-800 one and get an hour of phone tree run around.  See if your social worker has one for your local office!
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: kitkatz on April 17, 2009, 02:54:53 PM
I am ready to go anytime.  :Kit n Stik; :Kit n Stik;  I have upgraded the stick to a light saber!
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: mikey07840 on April 17, 2009, 04:34:26 PM
That's great to hear mikey. Now if only I could get through to my local SS office. Every time I try calling, i get a busy signal. I applied for disability a few weeks ago and someone from the office called me, but the number she left was for United Way (and someone else's office)!!

Padd, check with your clinic social worker.  Mine gave me the magic number - the phone # to the local office, so you don't have to call the 1-800 one and get an hour of phone tree run around.  See if your social worker has one for your local office!

I have to agree. I ran into roadblocks until I got my social worker involved. She helped me by making conference calls with Social Security and me on the line. She stayed with me all morning on the phone. It was several hours. She was wonderful.
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: paddbear0000 on April 17, 2009, 05:15:30 PM
That's great to hear mikey. Now if only I could get through to my local SS office. Every time I try calling, i get a busy signal. I applied for disability a few weeks ago and someone from the office called me, but the number she left was for United Way (and someone else's office)!!

Padd, check with your clinic social worker.  Mine gave me the magic number - the phone # to the local office, so you don't have to call the 1-800 one and get an hour of phone tree run around.  See if your social worker has one for your local office!

I have the magic local office number! Who knew there were so many Daytonians on social security!!  ::)  In the application, they even ask for the number of someone else they can call in case they can't get a hold of you. I gave them my husband's cell phone number, but no one's ever called him. I hate the freakin' government!!! If it wasn't for the fact that they will be paying me money instead of the other way around, I would have just let it go by now.
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: Stacy Without An E on April 18, 2009, 04:14:07 PM
My social worker took care of this when I was at 20% kidney function so I would have it and was prepared for treatment.

Your social worker is obviously not doing their job and taking care of you as a patient of their clinic.  Tell her to stop playing Minesweeper and help you with this.  If that garners no results, go to their supervisor.
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: G-Ma on April 18, 2009, 06:20:06 PM
My so called SW...no matter what I ask the answer will be a version of " I don't think that's my job", I don't believe I should do that", that's your confidential information so I shouldn't know it" and on and on.............useless as a ___ on a _______.

 :Kit n Stik;
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: mikey07840 on April 24, 2009, 01:55:03 AM
More good news.... my social worker got a copy of my letter of award faxed to her yesterday and I was able to pick it up. Now I can see the eye doctor and pick a part D drug plan.
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: jbeany on April 26, 2009, 02:00:02 PM
It's a paperwork jungle out there!  Glad something is finally coming thru for you!
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: hurlock1 on April 27, 2009, 07:07:22 AM
They  told me that when i started dialysis that getting medecare and disability would be a snap. Then, I started the process and asked the social workerqnd she acted like she didn't know anything about it. I was desperate. I didn't have ant money of my own. Every month th social worker would ask me if I had my card and ffor a coupla' mo. I didn't. But finally it came. It seemed like forever. The disability compensation seemed like it would take forever. I started in apr. and didn't start getting the disbilty till Aug.  There's all these commercials for lawyers that deal with the government about social security disability. I  kept seeing these commercials, not having any money, and I just thought maybe it was hopeless, that the government was just not going to come through, that it was just a fake! But, it was just that they are overwhelmed.  They have alot to do. Don't worry! The card and the compensation will come.
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: okarol on April 27, 2009, 09:36:59 AM
More good news.... my social worker got a copy of my letter of award faxed to her yesterday and I was able to pick it up. Now I can see the eye doctor and pick a part D drug plan.
:yahoo; Yay! I am glad to hear you've made some progress!
Title: Re: I am ready to explode
Post by: Brightsky69 on May 04, 2009, 12:24:01 PM
Medicare is a jungle. I was told that since I had been on Medicare before getting it again would be no problem. That statement was sooo wrong.
Three times I told Medicare that my address had changed and three times they said "OH no problem, we'll update it."
My address never got updated. So my card went to my old address. Took them MONTHS to get it to me at the right address. Then I get a bill for my Medicare premiums of $895.00. For like months they sent my premiums bill to the wrong address. So they sent me a lump sum bill for all those months I missed because they sent the bill to the wrong address.  :urcrazy;