Caregiving: … battling bureaucracy

   Over the weekend I received the kind of mail that is not only incredulous but sadly too typical of the bureaucratic chaos that is our modern American health insurance system.

ü     Letter 1 confirms Patti has "refused" Medicare D prescription plan insurance because she has a Long Term Disability (LTD) private prescription plan.

ü     Letter 2 notifies Patti her (LTD) private prescription insurance has been retroactively canceled because she allegedly 'accepted' a Medicare D prescription plan.

    .....  (Yes, letters 1 & 2 contradict)

ü     Letter 3 notifies Patti her private medical insurance through LTD benefits has been canceled because her LTD prescription plan benefits have been canceled. (no explanation as to how this links to anything is offered)

   I am no wide eyed “believer” in conspiracy theories, just a grizzled veteran of too many countless hours fighting this system for Patti. For example, from September of 2004 to September of 2005 I spent over 2000 hours logged in my day planner involved in the last medical insurance debacle over allegedly mistaken retroactive cancellation of Patti’s medical insurance.

   Helping a challenged or even overwhelmed family member or friend to stay on top of even the most innocuous communication regarding medical insurance can be more important than you realize. Knowing about someone’s insurance is not being a busy body it’s about being able to "care" in order to be able to help.