BENEFITS FOR THE UNEMPLOYED AND UNINSURED...LET ME TELL YOU A STORY?

[arizonakal]

TODAY MY GIRLFRIEND GOT A LETTER IN THE MAIL FROM THE DEPT OF ECONOMIC SECURITY.(WHY IS IT CALLED THAT? NO ONE THEY HELP IS ECONOMICALLY SECURE!?) YOU SEE, HER POSITION WAS ELIMINATED LAST SEPTEMBER AND SHE WAS LET GO ON A THURSDAY. SHE FILED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. SHE ALSO APPLIED FOR STATE HEALTH CARE BECAUSE SHE IS A HEART PATIENT AND MUST BE ON MEDICATION. AFTER 8 WEEKS OF PHONE CALLS AND LETTERS ASKING HER FOR THE SAME IDENTIFICATION SHE'D ALREADY GIVEN THEM MULTIPLE TIMES, SHE WAS FINALLY APPROVED FOR HER UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND RECEIVED 7 WEEKS OF CHECKS AT $237 A WEEK. BUT STILL NO HEALTH CARE COVERAGE. HER DR. WAS NICE ENOUGH TO GIVE HER SAMPLES OF HER MEDICATIONS FOR 4 WEEKS BUT THAT WAS BEGINNING TO BE A PROBLEM. MORE AND MORE PHONE CALLS AND LETTERS AND SHE WAS BEING TOLD SHE WAS COVERED BUT HAD NOTHING IN WRITING OR AN ID CARD TO PROVE IT. AT THE END OF DECEMBER SHE RECEIVED A CARD WITH HER NAME ON IT AND A LIST OF DR'S SHE COULD SEE. SHE MADE APPOINTMENTS. WITH ALL THE NECESSARY DRS. ALL OF WHICH WERE 4 TO 6 WEEKS OUT. SHE WAS ABLE TO CHOOSE A PRIMARY PHYSICIAN THAT GOT HER ALL HER MEDICATIONS GOING AGAIN. DURING THIS TIME SHE DISCOVERED THAT SHE HAD BEEN COVERED SINCE THE 1ST OF NOV BUT WAS NOT TOLD AND THE MEDICATION SHE DID HAVE TO PAY FOR WAS COVERED AND ALL SHE HAD TO DO WAS ASK THE PHARMACY TO SEND ALL THOSE TO THE STATE INSURANCE AND SHE'D GET ALL THAT MONEY REFUNDED! GREAT! THEN THE BAD NEWS. THEY WOULD ONLY REFUND PRESCRIPTIONS FROM THE PAST 14 DAYS (OF WHICH THERE WERE NONE) ALL THIS TIME SHE HAS BEEN OUT EVERY DAY SEARCHING FOR WORK. THERE WERE A FEW JOBS SHE COULD HAVE TAKEN BUT THEY PAID EVEN LESS THAN SHE WAS GETTING FROM UNEMPLOYMENT! WHAT SENSE WOULD THAT MAKE? SHE HAD INTERVIEWS AND CALL BACKS BUT NO JOB. SHE WAS ALSO SENDING OUT DOZENS OF APPLICATIONS AND RESUMES' EACH WEEK AND NOTHING. NOW, IN MID APRIL, SHE RECEIVES A LETTER STATING HER HEALTH INSURANCE HAS BEEN CANCELED BECAUSE SHE MAKES $129 A MONTH TOO MUCH ON UNEMPLOYMENT TO QUALIFY. WHAT??? ARE YOU KIDDING ME????
THIS IS SOME KIND OF A JOKE RIGHT???? OH, BUT SHE CAN QUALIFY FOR LOW INCOME HEALTH INSURANCE! BUT IT HAS A $2000 CO PAY THAT HAS TO BE MET FIRST. OH SURE, $2000 WOULD BE NO PROBLEM SINCE SHE GETS $237 A WEEK!!! I THINK I'M GOING TO TELL HER TO START WALKING ON ALL FOURS AND BARKING. SHE MAY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE. HOW WOULD YOU HANDLE IT?