An intro and a rant (TennCare)....

Hello. I am emdee from West Tennessee, near Memphis. I am less than a month away from being 45 and have always been a die-hard Democrat, married for 19 years (to a Republican who is beginning to come around what with the current administration's antics) with a 12-year-old daughter. My parents are Democrats but when I turned voting age I had no idea what they were or what the differences were. I asked my dad how I should vote and he said "figure it out, I can't tell you" and so when I looked over a few issues and thought them over, I voted Dem. Each year I would add more issues to my list and have never strayed ---- except for a local race for Sheriff; I felt that the man running on the Rep ticket was the better man for the job. He lost but will run again the next go around and I think he'll get it then.

Anyway, I'm sorry that this might be long but I've skimmed over some of the TennCare comments here and thought that maybe some of you could calm me down over this issue. I've always liked Bredesen and bragged on him. He puts his paycheck back into the kitty, for Goodness Sakes! But, in my opinion, it seemed that he was ready, willing, and able to fix TennCare until the 2004 election was over. It seemed to me that was the turning point - Bush wins, TennCare loses. I even wrote to him and asked if the timing was simply coincidence. He, of course, stuck to his story about Bonneyman (is that the right name? It's late and I may have misspelled it) and the lawsuits.

So, I've been filling out the "brown papers" for both of my parents who are going nuts thinking they won't be able to afford their medications. I have several bits and pieces of information as to how to receive them through the drug corporations and/or the physicians either free or at low cost but probably quite a hassle getting one med from one location and plan and a different med from somewhere else. If anyone wants that info, let me know and I'll post it here. After I get the "brown papers" filled out and mailed, I intend to start that research. My dad has to take approximately $800 of meds per month (seriously - he asked the doctor when he could get off of some of them and the answer was "when you want to die") and my mom's cost around $430. Their incomes are $1300 for him and $440 for her.

So, I'm a bit down on Bredesen at the moment. I'm going to copy-and-past my latest letter to him that I will send to both Bredesen and Wilder - again sorry this is so long. I'm just mentally exhausted and they are so stressed that it stresses me too. If you have any words of wisdom, I'd appreciate them!!

Here are a few websites that might interest you if you are dealing with these "brown pages" yourself:
http://www.tenncare.org/
http://www.tenncareadvocacy.org/
http://www.tnimc.org/feature/display/5785/index.php (this one really bothered me - read it and let me know what you think, please)
http://www.familiesusa.org/site/PageServer

Thanks for listening and below is my letter/rant - and I've been known to write them and not mail them, which still makes me feel better - but I think I'll send this one.

Letter:
Below are a few notes and questions that I thought of as I filled out the TennCare "brown papers" for my parents (both my mom and dad received the dreaded packet). As you read them, please understand that they are meant with sincerity, curiosity, wonder, and shock. And, a huge dose of disappointment.

1) We were told many times over that Grandfathered TennCare recipients (those who had the plan and Medicare prior to 12/31/01) were safe. My mother already had an inkling that she was in danger of losing her coverage and so at every opportunity we asked about my dad. "Oh, he's in no danger - he's grandfathered in" was always the answer. In fact, the last time I received that answer was less than a month ago. Why were we given the answer that he had nothing to worry about? When did that change and why?

2) Why doesn't the approval process consider a person's medical condition and pharmaceutical needs? I certainly cannot imagine why I'm not instructed to send medical reports and pharmacy receipts along with the "brown papers" that ask for all sorts of other documentation. Shouldn't the cost of medical needs be contrasted with the income and assets that the "brown papers" are so interested in? It would seem the logical comparison yet only one side is requested.



3. It seems that a person is out of luck if he/she has done everything in their power to be self sufficient. My parents, for example, always had private insurance until he required an extensive heart surgery in St. Louis, MO and my mom began to require medications due to hypertension and high cholesterol (these records are available, but were not asked for). Then, of course, the private insurance company dropped them like a hot potato through no fault of their own - they had had the plan for years upon years without any claims. But, under your new plan, let me have an out-of-wedlock pregnancy and there are very few questions asked and I get the coverage. You know, there are many many ways to avoid a pregnancy if a pregnancy cannot be afforded but there is only one way to avoid aging (death). If you had to choose between children and the elderly, I think you made the wrong choice. A higher percentage of children should have capable parents to deal with their needs. The elderly are on their own.

4) I'm almost certain that my parents will miss out on the Medicaid program because of their assets, which is a shame. The interest on their cd doesn't even pay the yearly taxes and insurance costs on the house and vehicles. I guess it is desirable that they lose everything they have before helping them, even though they have paid into the system since they were kids themselves. Think about it: Her drugs cost approximately $430 while her income is around $440 and his drug cost is about $850 with an income of $1300. That won't leave much for electricity and food, will it? The drug plan touted by the President isn't worth much at all, either. It would be nice to see a doable plan presented by our elected officials.

5) I've always voted on the Democrat ticket because they usually had the same values that I hold dear. I don't normally think of Democrats as being uncaring - but I'm very disappointed in the way TennCare has been mishandled. I will investigate it with all of my might before the 2006 elections. I surely hate the thought of voting Republican and any third party vote, so far, is simply a vote for principle purposes without the expectation of a win. But, a grassroots effort could change that.

6) I really was let down when I came across this article: http://www.tnimc.org/feature/display/5785/index.php and am hoping that it isn't true. Just a snip of the allegations say, "A six month investigation into TennCare reform has unearthed some startling documents and disturbing revelations about Governor Bredesen and his administration's plans to blame the Tennessee Justice Center for the TennCare cuts, then as part of their political strategy, reenroll some of those cut from TennCare in 2006—before the election." I have always bragged on Governor Bredesen, knowing that he had Tennessee's best interests at heart but this TennCare debacle has disheartened me greatly and I'm double-thinking my original opinion and will research much more before '06. I hope that you respect honesty - I do.

7) Phone calls for minor questions have taken hours. I had a simple generic question (about the Grandfathered situation described in number 1 above) and it took an hour and a half to get hold of someone in the know. While all were nice, informative would've been better. The local office will not even answer the phone. Have they been able to add staff at all due to the higher volume of work load?

There is still time for you -our elected officials- to change this mistake. Help our Seniors - they deserve it. Check out this web site, Myths and Realities: http://www.tenncare.org/MythsRealities/myths_realities.html
Copies sent to:

Lt. Gov. John Wilder
1 Legislative Plaza
Nashville, TN 37243-0026

Gov. Phil Bredesen
Governor's Office
Tennessee State Capitol
Nashville, TN 37243-0001

I know how you feel with TennCare. Besides that I really like Bredesen and hope he wins re-election because I feel there's so much work he can do and improve things. He's created just recently 600 new jobs and last year created 32 million. I think medicare all over the country is pretty much fucked up. I wish he could raise tax's on the top 1% at least and do a Clinton. Maybe then things can work out for the program. I know he's trying to keep campaign promises and do a balanced budget that way and living in Bush land is difficult for a lot of people. I'm also without health care now (I'm 22 and hardly get sick) and get medicine in the mail which is a lot cheaper and my dad has a good job at TVA as an engineer and he and my mom get health care through his work and I could get it through school but I'm not in it now and taking the summer off. Hopefully everything will work out. :hug: Too bad we couldn't get drugs from Canada to help out. I know there's one state who's doing that (can't remember which one now).

I've been around DU for probably a year now but I'm reading more than I'm writing. This place is always the best when it comes to being informed. I think this is the first day that I've clicked on this Tennessee section, though, unless I've forgotten (that's highly possible!) LOL

I came here thinking that many of you might be in the same boat that my parents are in. My dad was self-employed all of his working life and so he had private insurance, hospitalization only with a high deductible. For many years over he paid the premiums while never using the insurance. But, when he needed his heart surgery (aortic replacement and aortic valve replacement), it had to be done in St Louis by a Dr. Cox (bless his heart) who had -at that time (1997)- recently developed a procedure for this particular procedure. After that time, he traveled the world training others to do it and now, I believe, he's retired.

Anyway, that surgery was in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and you can hear the click of the St Jude Heart Valve all the way across the room! Dr. Cox was an angel from Heaven!! But, my dad's medication list is really long - he takes over 30 pills a day.

My husband and I have medical coverage through his work but if/when he retires, I guess we'll be in the same boat. Do you think that you could possibly afford just a small hospitalization plan? In today's world a simple appendectomy could send a person without insurance to the poor house. Blue Cross and Blue Shield offer what I think are affordable plans. That's what I think we'll probably do if/when husband's work plan runs out for whatever reason - just get a hospitalization plan and do our best to stay well (which means I should walk more beginning tomorrow!!).

Thanks again for the kind words!
emdee

I've never heard anything bad about them. Of course I've never really paid attention either. I'd definitley do a google search and ask around about them. Hopefully whatever Bredesen has planned for health care works out. He used to be in the healthcare business (used to have his own business) so I think he knows what he's doing. I hope anyways. I know it's so tough now. *Sigh* All over the country. I'm just glad to be under a democratic governor and an independent mayor now. Oh and glad you've come by and posted. :hug:

and they've been ok - compared to what else is offered these days. Our meds come from Express Scripts through the mail. One of the plans I came across while researching for my parents used the Express Scripts plan too - three months for the cost of two; normally anywhere from $20 to $50 depending on what the medication is.

I'm glad I stopped in too - just this little chat has calmed me! LOL

Love your little hugging characters!

emdee

Sometimes it helps to get it off your chest and talk with others. :hug:

...because I belong to Group Health, a true member-owned cooperative that provides hands down the best most economical health care available in America. It also provides a working model for national health care reform: a nationwide structure of cooperatives, federally financed but locally managed.

But even with all Group Health's advantages, we members are still victimized by the runaway profiteering characteristic of the prescription drug lords and the other Big Business friends of the BushCo cartel. For example, my annual dues have gone up 500 percent (not a typo) in the past five years -- ALL because of the Bush Regime's refusal to adjust Medicare reimbursement formulae. Why the refusal? Because as the reimbursement crisis worsens, it helps the for-profit HMOs -- Bush allies one and all -- by reducing the price difference between the for-profits and the co-op. In other words, it deliberately gives the for-profits an unfair advantage -- this to create another (typical) Bush lie and thereby discredit the "socialism" of the co-op.

(I joined Group Health more than 30 years ago and am now a member of its Medicare program. Medicare or conventional insurance, Group Health is so superior to conventional insurance there is no comparison.)

Truly, I hope you find a solution to your TennCare problem.

I was on the phone with one TennCare Representative and told her that this whole ordeal makes one wonder if they aren't just trying to kill of the elderly to get rid of them --- I did explain that I wasn't speaking of her personally. She agreed that it seems that way.

What is scary is that I'm getting emails from *politicians* in TN offering prayers for my family because it's all they can offer. Many of them are quick to say they fought against this but they also say that when someone gets the brown pages they are more than likely cut - BUT be sure to beat the deadline!!

AAAACCCCKKKKKKKK


Thanks for allowing me to vent!
emdee

...the unspeakable viciousness of our murderously profiteering "healthcare system," the easier it will be to finally force the adoption of national health insurance. I frankly don't think it's possible to ever complain too much about the injustices the present system inflicts on Americans -- NOT by runaway healthcare COSTS, but by runaway healthcare PROFITS, in which registered nurses earn maybe $28 per hour, while executives -- whose sole talent is malignant exploitation -- earn an average of $1017 for that same 60 minutes. So don't apologize for your long post: consider it instead a vital form of consciousness-raising.

And -- from one newby to another -- welcome to DU!

I hope in 2008 we can elect a democratic president (heh) and they can give us national health care. It would help so much. I've heard such good things about Canada's health care system and how great it is. *sigh* I remember hearing/reading about it around the flu vaccine nonsense.

I'm sorry to learn of the plight of your parents and of the stress that it's causing them and you.:-(

You may want to check this out before you sing the praises of BCBS: http://tenncare.blogspot.com/ or visit www.dailybailout.com, and look through the articles that this man has written about the woes of TNCare. He's gathered a lot of info. in the TNCare diaries.

Please keep in mind that the republicans in the General Assembly and across this state voted Bush** into office - the second time after funding to TNCare had been cut. These are the same people who don't seem to care if TNCare goes under or not. I'm not trying to say that Gov. Bredesen is without fault, but I know a lot of republican, Bush** voters who are moaning about being kicked off of TNCare. In other words, republicans didn't care until it began to impact them. Unfortunately, a lot of people are being hurt by this.

I'm going to bookmark this so I'll have that link BUT at the moment I cannot go there - I just mentally cannot go there yet! LOL I just cannot know the BCBS crap at the moment. When I get over this "brown pages" issue, I will definitely go there. And, oh, I'm not fooled at all actually - our premiums rise continually while the benefits dwindle away and we have to fight to get what is written on paper as a benefit. Once, they decided not to pay for a mammogram - so after a long battle, I paid it - then they paid it (I think just for spite). Knowing what is available, though, I do recommend to people who have no insurance at all to check out a hospitalization-only plan because a simple procedure could wipe most of us out without any coverage at all.

And, yes, I agree that Bush's hand is in it. The first letter that I wrote to Governor Bredesen on this subject when he first began talking about this asked if the timing was simply coicidence or was there a connection between his decision and the fact that Bush had just been elected. From what I could see, when the '04 election was over Bredesen gave up. It seemed obvious to me but, of course, his answer was no.

Thanks for the info!
emdee