Leaving Optimism

I really haven't a clue about how to describe what has changed my attitude. All I can definitely say is that it culminated today.

I had hoped that the logistic problems with prescription drug coverage for my mom had finally been resolved. Just over two weeks ago I was told that all we had to do was get a termination (of the old coverage with Medco) letter from Alcatel/Lucent (the company to which my dad gave 29 working years) and forward a copy to the new prescription coverage company, Humana. Then they could refile all the paperwork with Medicare and all would be well.

All is not well.

Today, my mom went to pick up a prescription that she HAS to take. The pharmacist said that her coverage had expired. Mom came home in a panic. It was 12:30 pm. Here's what then transpired.

I got all the paperwork out once again, including all the notes that I had made with the previous calls in December and January, and I called Humana, the new drug coverage. After the push button phone routine and a five minute wait, Humana said that the problem was with Medicare. They had rejected the Humana coverage four times. There was nothing that Humana could do until Medicare allowed the coverage through Humana. Call Medicare.

I called Medicare. Yep, push buttons and wait fifteen minutes. Medicare says that they cannot allow Humana until Medco notifies them of termination. Medicare will file a complaint to Medco but I needed to call Medco and insist that they notify Medicare of the termination. Medicare gave me the toll-free Medco phone number.

I called Medco. They have a recorded, voice activated system that got mad at me because none of the questions that were auto-asked applied to this situation. I went in circles because you have to have an active account to answer the questions and the coverage was canceled 12/31/07. Finally, I just refused to answer any questions. The recording cycled three times and then put me on hold for a representative. Twenty minutes later I talked to a human at Medco who told me that Medco is not responsible for notifying Medicare, Alcatel/Lucent is to do it. The lady at Medco confirmed that my mother no longer had coverage through them. I needed to call Alcatel/Lucent to have them notify Medicare.

I called Alcatel/Lucent. I played push button for a short while and then had to wait thirty minutes for a benefits center representative. I gave her the short version of what was going on. And what does she say????
Alcatel/Lucent does not contact Medicare, Medco must do it. I told her that I had just talked to Medco and that they said they couldn't. It had to be done by Alcatel/Lucent. She said that as long as coverage was active, the termination notice had to be from Medco. I told her that the coverage was terminated on 12/31/07. I have a letter from Alcatel/Lucent confirming termination. She said that Medco showed it as active. I told her that I had just checked directly with Medco and that they said it was terminated. She argued and insinuated that I had lied about contacting Medco.

I asked to speak to a supervisor. She said she was the supervisor. Then she said that she would take care of the situation and to expect a call back within 48 hours. I told her that I expected not only the call, I expected the problem to be satisfactorily resolved within 48 hours or the next call that they received would be from my attorney and that I would also take the story to the major Boston news networks.

And she said, "Thank you, m'am". I hung up on her. Two and a half hours on the phone.

My mom went back to the pharmacy and paid full price for her prescription. She's keeping all the receipts because, believe me, someone, other than my mom, is going to pay for this.

And if that weren't bad enough. I've been working on income taxes. I preface this by saying that really and truly, I haven't missed some major (or minor) tax saving item. I read and reread all the instructions, line by line, and triple check. I cannot believe how totally screwed up this country and this state are.

My net income is below the national poverty level. I work very hard, but net very little. It is a monetary sacrifice that I have become comfortable with in order to be able to enjoy what I do. My living expenses are microscopic in comparison to most people. So here I am with a net income below the national poverty level yet I owe tax on that income. Now I don't mind that I have to pay self employment tax. That is paid to cover Social Security income and Medicare once I'm 65+ (assuming the government continues to honor the system by the time I qualify). But I owe ordinary income tax! A very small amount to the feds and twice that to the state. This is the same state that is paying for my mandatory health insurance because I qualify because I'm below poverty level. It's extremely discouraging.

Several weeks ago, a Rockport resident wrote a letter to the editor that was published in the GDT. After a lengthy description of a sequence of events, the writer declared that the multitude of airplane vapor trails that she had seen in a short period of time had left a purplish filmy deposit on her truck. She, upon addition consult with some other friend, believed that what they had seen and the purple film was the government secretly trying to control weather systems.

Wacko, I thought. Now well.........maybe she wasn't so far off. Just not weather. Things are terribly askew.

I'm exhausted, through and through. Now I shall put my head to my pillow and have a good cry before sleep.