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Opinion: It’s Sunday – What’s on your mind?

These two haven't been getting their usual abundance of cat food for the last few days but they seem to have taken it in stride.
These two haven’t been getting their usual abundance of cat food for the last few days but they seem to have taken it in stride.

NORWALK, Conn. — Wasn’t sure I was going to do this again so soon, but, what’s on your mind?

What’s on my mind is that I have been sick. I put on a real show for the elected types on Wednesday and Thursday, sitting in the back of the room at meetings, looking like a wreck. I looked so bad that Diane Lauricella thought it amusing and took a photo. Perhaps there’s a blackmail attempt on the way.

After Thursday’s debacle, I went home and slept for most of two days. I think I’m getting better now.

I’m the Energizer Bunny – this isn’t supposed to happen!

Problem was that I don’t have health insurance. I really don’t want to repeat what Mark did, refuse to see a doctor because of an issue with health insurance, so I made a push Friday, while buried in blankets trying to feel warm, to address that situation and it appears that I can finally sign up.

I called Connecticare in October to tell them that Mark had died. In November, I went to get a prescription filled and was told that my insurance card was no good. When I tried to sign up for insurance, I found out that they made the insurance account “dependent only.” Mark, the primary insured person, did not need insurance. I was the dependent, without any decision-making capability.

It does seem like weird things happen to me.

It has taken months to work this out. I called Access Health and was told that I was going to be put on a list for a return phone call, marked “severe.” Silly me, I thought they might call back that day. A month went by and I called again. Another month… Finally, we were up against the deadline and I was assured that I’d be able to get healthcare March 1, that I was in the system, that someone would call.

I called in March, and there didn’t seem to be any record of that.

Did you know there’s something called The Office of the Healthcare Advocate? I found out and got them involved, and, weeks later, I am finally able to sign in to Access Health, with a real live account of my own. I’m just waiting for a broker to call and explain the options.

So, while I’m sharing little stories of state government, let’s visit probate.

Mark and I got rear ended in January 2016, by someone who appeared to be drug impaired, who left the scene and hit someone else. We both had concussions. Naturally, there’s been legal action out of this.

My action is all over but Mark’s was tied up in probate. We had a hearing recently.

I got charged $300 for a Compromise of Claim attorney.

That’s ridiculous – it couldn’t be more cut and dry, there was no one claiming anything from Mark’s non-existent estate. My lawyer told me that Connecticut probate courts are understaffed, so they charge extra help to the people with a claim.

I’m a widow who paid $300 for a shyster who did nothing. Government is the greatest.

Comments

7 responses to “Opinion: It’s Sunday – What’s on your mind?”

  1. Diane Lauricella

    I hope that by the time Nancy reads this she is feeling much better, but I need to clarify her description. I took the picture out of concern for her health, not amusement, in order to show her her own picture to help her see how ill she appeared and that instead of sitting in agony in a public place she should be home in bed. I was ready to bring her to the emergency room and skip the meeting if needed. I also asked if I could get her water or any food from the vending machine to tide her over and expressed real words of concern. Gratitude is the greatest.

    1. I don’t recall being asked if I needed water or vending machine food. You also didn’t show me the picture. I did enjoy your pleasant presence.

  2. Diane Lauricella

    Huh? Again, for the accuracy that I know you strive for, I flat out asked if you wanted me to get you water, etc. and you literally pointed to a water bottle that was out of my view on the table.

    I did not show you the picture right then but planned to if I saw you at City Hall on Friday and OUT OF CONCERN try to cajole you into seeing a doctor, etc. I did not know about your insurance issue but certainly, understand about that bureaucracy!
    Be well,

    1. I’m going to see a doctor tomorrow.

  3. Bryan Meek

    Access Health, from what I can tell seems to have zero accountability. Roughly half of my customers who use their services have had some serious issue at some point with the paper work. Their paperwork is inconsistent and usually incorrect in terms of taxation information. They were advising many clients in January that they had to file their 2016 tax return by the middle of February, which isn’t even legal. It turned out they made a mistake, the letters should have said 2015. They never bothered to send out letters to correct their mistake and as far as I can tell from the agents I worked with, they don’t even care. The saddest part is that routine medical coverage is still out of reach due to the exorbitant deductibles. All it is, is very expensive catastrophic insurance.

  4. Rosemarie Lombardi

    Not sure if this is an option, but I understand the community health care center on Connecticut Ave is quite good. Hope you feel better.

    1. I went there for a while. I got very frustrated, and moved on to Day Street. They’re very nice over there and I never feel jerked around.

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