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Every year I have to renew my daughter's medicaid. It requires filling out a ~30 page form. Several questions on the form are poorly drafted so I always have parse through to figure out what the state is asking.
It should not be this hard. So let me tell you a related story.
It should not be this hard. So let me tell you a related story.
Background: Prior to starting law school my wife's and my income was... low. We were on food stamps, our kids had free lunch at school, and we received subsidized daycare. I was on food stamps until the end of my first year of law school.
Anyway, the related part. . . /1
Anyway, the related part. . . /1
You have to renew benefits every year. You are supposed to drop off the completed forms at the assistance office.
First, the hours at the office are terrible. If you work a normal job with normal business hours you'll have to take time off from work to go. /2
First, the hours at the office are terrible. If you work a normal job with normal business hours you'll have to take time off from work to go. /2
Second, the assistance office (at least in Centre county) was staffed by people who were, at best, ambivalent and at worse malevolent.
Another digression: For years prior to law school I served on a team that provided emergency financial assistance to people who needed it. /3
Another digression: For years prior to law school I served on a team that provided emergency financial assistance to people who needed it. /3
Things like $ for electric bills, emergency food, overdue heating bills, etc. More than once (in fact, many times) the person who applied had the following story: "We applied for benefits, they lost our paperwork, so it'll be a month before we can afford X"
It was recurring. /4
It was recurring. /4
Back to my story: When I drop off renewal paperwork, supporting documentation, etc., I always have the staff stamp it received, copy it, and then give me a copy.
While in law school, they denied us benefits. Why? Because they said we didn't provide some documentation. /5
While in law school, they denied us benefits. Why? Because they said we didn't provide some documentation. /5
I had a copy of the received version, so I knew I'd submitted it. They just lost it. So I appealed.
They "lost" my appeal paperwork.
I then asked around the law school, got some connections, and went to the assistance office with an ultimatum: fix it or be sued. /6
They "lost" my appeal paperwork.
I then asked around the law school, got some connections, and went to the assistance office with an ultimatum: fix it or be sued. /6
It turns out that when you politely but firmly threaten legal action (no histrionics, no swearing, just matter-of-fact statement) you'll get seen by a real person with authority.
I brought with me the stamped copies of everything they claimed I didn't submit. /7
I brought with me the stamped copies of everything they claimed I didn't submit. /7
The manager of the assistance office fixed the problem in less than a day. My kids' state-run healthcare didn't end, we didn't lose food stamps, they didn't lose daycare. But only because I had the time, education, and resources to fight it. /8
Back to the present: I'm a well-education (I think) attorney practicing nominally sophisticated law. I think I'm pretty smart. And still I sometimes have to think about this form. A STATE form I have to fill out for my daughter to get FEDERAL assistance. /9
You may not know this, but disabled children are covered under medicaid. I have great insurance through my firm, but it doesn't cover the 16-18hrs/day of skilled nursing that my daughter gets. Medicaid does.
But medicaid is administered at the state level. /10
But medicaid is administered at the state level. /10
So every year I have to fill out this form. Every year I'm reminded of the barriers the government throws up for people to get assistance.
So the next time you think about someone receiving benefits consider this: It's a fucking slog to get it.
And it shouldn't be. /fin
So the next time you think about someone receiving benefits consider this: It's a fucking slog to get it.
And it shouldn't be. /fin
