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In Reply to: UNITED HEALTH CARE/HEALTHY START/BCMH SUCK! posted by Christy Ford on May 26, 2001 at 12:10:30:
: : christy,
: ----- Original Message -----
: From: Christy Ford
: To: Cerebral Palsy Central Ohio
:
: Voinovich
:
: Taft
:
: Oxley
:
: Legal Aid
: Jennings <:Robert.Jennings@dmr.state.oh.us>; Early Intervention (Ohio)
:
: Central Ohio Easter Seals
:
:
: Louise Esque
: A. Selegue (home)
:
: Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2001 12:49 AM
: Subject: Abbee's dilemna
: > To Whom It May Concern:
: >
: > My name is Christy Ford. My daughter's name is Abigail (Abbee) Ford and
: she
: > was born 3/29/00 at OSU Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio at 23 weeks
: > gestation weighing only 1 lb and 6 oz and being 12 inches long. She is
: the
: > light of my life! She spent 100 days in the NICU there. She developed
: alot
: > of the "normal preemie problems" such as Respiratory Distress Syndrome,
: > BronchioPulmonary Dysplasia, Retinopathy of Prematurity, Reflux, etc...
: > She was diagnosed about one month ago with Cerebral Palsy as well. I am
: > sure most of you have children, but cannot imagine the heartache that
: going
: > through an ordeal such as we have had with Abbee, only to have her
: diagnosed
: > with cerebral palsy, has brought into our lives.
: >
: > Worse than that heartache, however, is the complete ignorance we are
: having
: > to deal with in regards to getting this child the therapy she so
: desperately
: > needs. We have United Health Care as a first insurance, Medicaid (Healthy
: > Start) as a second and BCMH as a third. The problem lies in the fact that
: > first of all, I think United Health Care, as her primary insurance company
: > should pay for the "prescribed" therapy, as her doctor see's fit, just as
: if
: > it were an antibiotic. They say they will only pay for 20 visits, or at
: > least some representatives say that. Some say you can extend her
: services.
: > Some are rude and hang up on you, etc... We have an occupational
: therapist,
: > Brenda Brodbeck, who has been one of the few people Abbee will let handle
: > her. Brenda has many years of experience and is trained/qualified to deal
: > with 23 week preemie babies. Others in our county only deal with older
: > children/adults. Half of the battle with Abbee is getting someone that
: SHE
: > will allow to touch them. This child has been through enough and I WILL
: NOT
: > subject her to any more than she absolutely needs to be subjected to.
: The
: > problem lies in the fact that Brenda is a BCMH provider but CANNOT become
: > Medicaid certified. My daughter has three routes of payment and now that
: > her 20 visits are up with United Health Care, my husband is looking at
: > getting a second job to pay for therapy that she needs. THIS DOES NOT
: > INCLUDE PHYSICAL OR FEEDING THERAPY.
: >
: > I wonder, if your child was in the same position, would this outrage you!
: > Although I am sure you make quite alot more than my husband does for
: sitting
: > in those offices and "laying down the law"; maybe it wouldn't be so
: > traumatic in your case.
: >
: > I want most of you to remember one thing--you are elected officials or
: > appointed to your posts. You are put there for a reason and that is to
: work
: > for consumers. I am a consumer and I DEMAND better treatment and options
: > than what I presently have. The following is a quote on the home page for
: > United Health Care which I find a HUGE JOKE.
: >
: > "The serenity of open fields, The energy of big city lights, some people
: > like predictability, Others thrive on change. Each person is unique, Each
: > has different needs and desires. For too many years, the health care
: > industry has told you what works for them. We think it's time a health
: care
: > organization turned that around and asked, "What works for you?" Granted,
: > this is a dramatically different approach. But we are committed to
: > improving the health care experience for everyone involved-for the
: employers
: > who purchase health benefits, the doctors who deliver the care and most of
: > all the INDIVIDUALS WHO USE THE HEALTH SERVICES". AND "At United Health
: > Care, we believe that the people best qualified to make decisions about
: > health care are patients and their doctors. We believe that Care
: > Coordination will promote positive health experiences for members and
: > restore the joy of practicing medicine for physicians."
: >
: > As you can imagine, after reading this on their site, I pretty much wanted
: > to throw up. This is such a lie for those of us who actually have to have
: > United Health Care as a provider. The joy hasn't left Abbee's providers,
: at
: > least not until they have to deal with the insurance company. I know that
: > her therapist AND her pediatrician love her almost as much as I do.
: > However, people like Davina (Care Coordinating Supervisor for United
: Health
: > Care), do not think as much of my daughter. I think a requirement of
: being
: > a supervisor for United Health Care is to take a class called "No
: Feelings",
: > because almost every person I have dealt with or anyone else involved here
: > has dealt with seem to be made of steel. They are rude and very
: > unprofessional. I've made up my mind that the few decent people I have
: > spoken to were the "flunkies" of that class.
: >
: > The following is quoted from the Early Intervention web page as one of
: their
: > so-called objectives: "enhance the capacity of state and local agencies
: and
: > service providers to meet the needs of historically under served
: > populations, such as minorities, low-income, etc.. and facilitate the
: > coordination of payment for early intervention services from federal,
: state,
: > local and private sources (including public and private insurance
: coverage)"
: >
: > Again, I am physically ill reading this.
: >
: > And last, but not least, I found the following quote on the BCMH page:
: "The
: > Bureau promotes early identification of children with handicapping
: > conditions and treatment of those children by appropriate health care
: > providers. ....funding services for the diagnosis/treatment of medically
: > eligible conditions...collaborating with public health nurses/departments
: to
: > assist in increasing access to care...... and assisting families to access
: > and utilize appropriate sources of payment for services for their child."
: >
: > Well as you might have guessed, none of the items quoted in any of these
: > paragraphs are actually happening. I think the comments are there
: strictly
: > for the auditor's benefit or just for show, because they certainly do NOT
: do
: > what they say they are doing. I am living proof of that and there are
: about
: > 300 other families in my county alone that are in the very same situation.
: > I however, WILL NOT cave in to the biases/discrimination being inflicted
: on
: > me because my daughter happens to qualify for Medicaid. I am not
: > jeopardizing her well-being because some idiot sitting in an office
: decided
: > that only people who are Medicaid AND BCMH certified can see her. Brenda
: > knows what she is doing and more importantly has the repoire with Abbee to
: > get her to cooperate and get her to do it. With Abbee--that is 1/2 the
: > battle!
: >
: > I think that one of you needs to do something about this. Does anyone of
: > you, besides me, feel that it is ludicrous that I have three routes of
: > payment and need to get out a checkbook?????? I would suggest you that
: are
: > lawmakers look at this letter carefully. I can assure you that I am a
: very,
: > very vocal advocate when it comes to my children. I can also assure you
: > that if I don't get satisfactory results, I WILL do everything in my power
: > to see that you are not re-elected or appointed. I know everyone in this
: > town and many in many others as well as being very experienced updating my
: > web page. I'll put so many signs on my house, in my yard and on my web
: page
: > that I'll have the news team here within a day. I do know how to get my
: > point across. How dare you people be allowed to tell me how much therapy
: is
: > enough for my daughter? Only her doctor has the right to say that and you
: > or anyone should never have the right to override that decision. What if
: > one of your family members had cancer and I was able to come in and say
: "OK,
: > we're only going to pay for 4 chemo treatments--you pay for the rest!"
: What
: > would you do? You'd be doing the same thing I am doing right now. I
: > guarantee it!
: >
: > I would also like to say at this time that the Governor's office and Rep.
: > Hottinger's office has already been made aware of this problem by Abbee's
: > therapist, Brenda George Brodbeck. So as far as I am concerned, you have
: > already had your chance and blew it!!!! Brenda is very professional about
: > everything she does, whether it is therapy, talking on the phone, etc. I
: > however am Abbee's mom and I WILL NOT REST UNTIL I SEE RESULTS. Please do
: > not think for a minute that I will let this lie. I will keep emailing and
: > pushing and shoving and calling and getting home phone numbers until I get
: > what so many of us in this county and I am sure in other counties, need.
: > That is to be treated equally as consumers--not penalized because we
: happen
: > to qualify for some kind of assistance.
: >
: > It seems funny that they have laws to protect African-Americans, Veterans
: > and a few laws to protect disabled individuals (however, they are not
: > working in this case), but for the average American who loves their child
: > and pays for and/or qualifies for three forms of payment, there is no
: > protection. I am supposed to "roll over" and go to the therapist/agency
: > that the state determines so they can get their kickback! First of all, I
: > will not take my Abbee to a "facility" for her therapy as it endangers her
: > immune systems which is already compromised, not to mention that I don't
: > have to, since Brenda makes home visits. Second of all, no matter the
: cost,
: > I do not jeopardize my daughter's well being for anyone and lastly, NOBODY
: > tells me who/where to take my daughter for her medical treatment. I
: DECIDE
: > THAT AND ALWAYS WILL. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT. If that means more money
: > out of our pockets, so be it!
: >
: > I will be anxious to see also, just how many "real" responses I do receive
: > to this plea for help.
: >
: > I hope that all of you take a good look at your "healthy" children and
: thank
: > God that you are not having to deal with the "mess" that I am that was
: > created by those of you who sit behind a desk and dictate other people's
: > lives without talking to them first and getting their input and/or ideas
: or
: > ever having a real "clue" as to what life with a "disadvantaged" child is
: > like.
: >
: > I guess there is not any more I can say at this point except that I will
: > keep pushing this issue from all aspects until there is a change made.
: >
: > Respectfully,
: >
: >
: > Christy Ford
: > 114 Holder Road
: > Baltimore, OH 43105
: > 740-862-5352
: >
: >
: >
: >
: >
I work for UHC. this is not the attitude of every employee at UHC. i for one am compassionate & caring. your employer is the one who sits down with a UHC rep to choose your plan benefits. it is your employer who stated only 20 visits allowed. for you information i only make $24,000 a year. So i am not paid a major amount of money here at UHC.
heather