Last Friday my Mom called me, practically in tears.
“Roberta was so mean to me,” she said.
I’m thinking, “who the hell is Roberta?”.
“She’s from my medical insurance carrier. I called to ask her why a bill wasn’t paid and she said I should never have been given this insurance and I’m going to have to pay back every penny from the last 15 years.”
“And,” she went on with a worried tone, “you told me to NEVER pay a medical bill. So I don’t know what to do.”
“Calm down, Mom. We will get this worked out. It will be okay.”
My first reaction was this:
I did tell my Mom never t pay a medical bill because her insurance covers everything.
My mom has Tricare For Life Medical Insurance. This insurance is for Veterans and their families, spouses, widows, children. My Dad died in a helicopter crash as an Army pilot on October 10, 1961. My mother had five children all under the age of 10 and was pregnant with her sixth child. So I kind of think my Mom is entitled to this insurance.
The thing is, Mom never claimed this insurance until my step-father passed away in 1998. She didn’t even ask for it. She already had Medicare and AARP. But when she applied for her widows benefits after my step-father passed away, the Veteran’s Administration made her jump through all kinds of hoops with documentation and then gave her this insurance.
My mom is a Virgo.
Why does that matter? She has kept every single piece of paper that has ever come into her life. So she has every piece of documentation that transpired fifteen years ago with the Veteran’s Administration. She sent them her marriage certificate to my step-father and his death certificate.
Then, they put her on the wrong insurance.
And now they are threatening an 87 year-old widow, who raised her family of six children without a father, who never even made it to 30 years old.
After talking to seven different people at seven different government administrative places which most people never even heard of, we refiled all the documentation from 15 years ago.
Now we wait.
I know from the last 25 years of caregiving and jumping through administrative hoops that this story will not have an easy ending. There’s going to be reams of paperwork. There will likely be boatloads of nastiness. There may be a lawsuit. But in my best, Scarlett O’Hara voice: “As God is my witness….my mother will never pay one dime to fix this problem.”
It helps that I’m a lawyer.
I know you don’t think there could possibly be a laugh in here in any way. But as I was looking at some of the documents from her insurance company, I saw this:
Really?
Hmmmm…..
“You Just have to Laugh…..”
©2016 Cathy Sikorski
My couldn’t have asked for a better advocate, you! Look out TriCare!!! 🙂
I must say this is the first time I had a hard time laughing at this. sad. just sad. do things right all your life and this. but I must say I did smile when I saw them on face book. go figured. I did check out there web site. lots of pro videos about there care and service. pray all gores well with your mom. with you helping. things will work out. (smiles!!!!!)
I know, I know Jerome. But I felt this was an important story to tell. And as it unfolds, I will keep my dear readers informed, probably because I want the VA to know that I’m mad as hell and won’t take it anymore. But that ‘Like us on Facebook’ really did crack me up!
Robert (Bob) Mc Donald is the head of the V.A., he is also the former CEO of Procter & Gamble, with a ton of pending stock options. Perhaps a nice letter to him stating that its time to roll back the “Tide” of veteran’s and their loved ones care. A new “Dawn” should exist when it comes to our veterans. He is the one who could “Crest” the mountain of paperwork needed to get the help our hero’s deserve. Also, if you signed the letter, he would know what kind of “Comet” he’s dealing with. Good Luc
This is brilliant! But of course, I knew that about you. Thanks for the tip. I think I may have some insiders who can get me a meet and greet with Bob McDonald!
Knowing you, this WILL get resolved!.
I’m working on it Claire. It is my MOM, after all!
That VA insurance should be greatful to your mother for SO many reasons, including the fact that she didn’t claim it years earlier.
Those people have no idea who they messed with, how dare they be mean to your sweet mom, go after them big time!
I know, Doreen. It’s unbelievable that they would pick on a sweet, little old lady like my Mom! Thanks for commenting!
Fantastic, Cathy.
Sent from my iPad
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Thanks Karen…..and the beat goes on!!!
Screw those insurance companies, I say in the not nicest way possible. They make you jump through hoops. They have no soul. They are big business. My father is a veteran and never used it. As a lawyer and after a catastrophic stroke at 70 he refused to try to get in touch with the VA because he knew the paperwork would be enormous. Oh, Dad. My point is our vets and their families should be taken care of in this country without the hoops. I guess I’m living in la-la land. Good luck, Cathy. I have no punchline. xoxoxo
Your anger is more than justified. And, believe me, I was doing a boatload of swearing throughout this ordeal. But if I don’t find a place to laugh, well, I dare not think it. Thanks for your wonderful comments. And so miffed about your Dad…this is so wrong on so many levels.
You are my kind of gal. Give.Them.Hell.
I will indeed, Judy and I will tell them, Judy sent me!! hahahahha
Ha! Do it. I can channel my father in the blink of an eye. He had a reputation for writing complaint letters that could wither the strongest CEO.