Medicaid Vent
I am sick to my stomach. I just got off the phone with Medicaid Transport.
I haven't been around in a while. I've been getting situated at home with Denver over the past month and it's been an adjustment as most of you know. Being home with a preemie after 7 weeks in the NICU and keeping up with an almost 4yr old and PPD is HARD. I've been paying hospital bills when I can and putting off things that I think can wait because it's all so overwhelming.
Today, on top of my to-do list was to call Medicaid Transport to see about getting reimbursed for the MINIMUM of 3430 miles we traveled over the 7 weeks we travelled from my parents house to the NICU in Houston everyday (we live in Austin).
I wasn't worried about it since the NICU nurses were tracking all out visits and I understand that they create a report for you to turn into Medicaid for reimbursement. The lady with Medicaid today tells me that they no longer do reimbursement as of MARCH 1st. So because I sat around and tried to enjoy my first few weeks at HOME with my new baby, I'm screwed out of over $1000.
I am so. angry.
Vent over. Thanks for reading.
Re: Medicaid Vent
That sucks! I haven't dealt the mileage specifically, but Medicaid has been a HUGE headache for us. We were told when William was 1 week old that we would qualify for secondary Medicaid until the General Hospital Plan because he was SGA. He met all the SSI requirement to be determined SGA, and we were in the NICU 30+ days (the other requirement).
He is 9.5 months old, and we got the Medicaid card three weeks ago! Now, that I have contacted EVERY billing office and asked them to refile bills that are almost a year old, Medicaid claims they can't verify my primary insurance information to determine what they'll pay on the bills.
Well, let's see . . . it's in his hospital file that the NICU social worker submitted, on the follow up forms I completed, and I've faxed a copy of the d**m card to your office twice. So infuriating. It's a joke.
Our primary private insurance is insanely good. After hospital bedrest for me and 30+ days in the NICU, we only owed about $4000, including all the weekly copays etc. Medicaid is supposed to retro pick up about $2500 of that. At this point, I've almost given up.
I even tried to use his Medicaid card to pick up the copay ($45) for his Prevacid. They won't because it's name brand . . . NO S***, generic prevacid has been on a manufacturer block since October and you can't get it!
Sorry, vent over!! I'd fight the hell of them for your reimbursement since the charges were before March 1st. They denied us, and we appealed etc. Oddly, they contacted us a week before our appeal date to reverse the decision after my husband, an attorney, said he's be the representing counsel for our son at the hearing.
That does suck. I would appeal it as well or see what you can do to challenge.
Random side note on the prevacid. Both of my girls were on it. They have blocked the generic from certain stores and not others, but most pharmacy's wont tell you that. I called the girls GI dr in tears and the nurse told me that smaller pharmacys and even Kroger pharmacy's carry it, but you have to call ahead and double check. And, if you switch the prescription to Kroger I think you get $25 gift card for each transfer
Oh that sucks! We had a 100+ mile drive to Dallas from east TX for the first 5 weeks until they got transferred near home. I couldn't get the reimbursement because I wasn't driving every single day. I would make 2 trips a week and stay overnight a few days. They did however help out a few times with expenses for food, which was really helpful. I couldn't imagine making that drive every day, my goodness.
Peanut Butter and Jelly!
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