I’m One of 4 Million People Dropped from Medicaid
And it’s my kids who are getting screwed.
My renewal for Medicaid came up in May. I’ve done this renewal quite a few times, so I didn’t expect anything different. My current employer offers health insurance, but the cost is very high, the deductibles are very high, and they do not pay enough for me to afford it.
Going through the motions at Healthcare.gov pushes me to Medicaid so even if I try to buy it on the marketplace, it tells me I don’t make enough and sends me back to Medicaid.
This time around, the renewal asked for proof that my ex doesn’t work for a specific company anymore, which he hasn’t in several years. In prior years renewals, this was never asked. I asked him to get me some sort of documentation on company letterhead that merely states that he didn’t work for XYZ company anymore as of ___ date.
This was impossible to get by normal, reasonable means. We tried calling and leaving messages which were never returned. We tried emails that were also never returned. I even went so far as to pop on to LinkedIn and find someone in HR that worked for the parent company of the place he worked. I got a response that said, “Call me.” I called and I never received any return calls. Short of taking time off my job to go to their main office in a different city to get this information, it was not obtained.
My Medicaid renewal deadline was fast approaching so I submitted the application without that. I got a very prompt rejection letter from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services saying that incomes could not be verified, and I was no longer going to have insurance for me and my children as of May 31, 2023.
I asked work about joining their insurance plan. Everything was too expensive. I opted for dental and vision only for me and the kids.
My son is entering high school and wants to run cross country. I was given 15 forms to fill out and one of those is a medical evaluation/physical report from his family doctor. Back to healthcare.gov and back through motions of that.
I do eventually find a plan for about $117 a month that includes my current family doctor with deductibles so high it makes it almost not worth having but have it I do.
I get the billing statement in the mail for the next month’s bill, pop on to their website to find that it is only covering me when I am pretty sure I added my children on to the application. Going through my account profile, it shows that it sent my information back to Medicaid to get them to cover the kids.
What the fuck?
I get a letter from ODJFS which processes Medicaid, yesterday, July 29th. It is dated July 25th, postmarked July 26th with a note that says my phone interview is on July 28th at 8:00am.
How the fuck am I supposed to make this happen?
I’ve previously been on hold with that phone number for HOURS for several consecutive days. I’ve also called that number and been given the “We are receiving an unusually high call volume. Please call again later.” *click* and get hung up on.
Quite honestly, I don’t give a shit about myself right now. I need MY KIDS to have health care.
