TennCare Solution: Behavorial Health Safety Net

As another chapter unfolds in my losing health insurance through TennCare, I fortunately found another system through my state-run psychiatric clinic: Behavorial Health Safety Net.

I’m still learning about this health care insurance, but so far I found out that I do qualify.  It has two components to it: Cover RX (covers my medications) and another plan to cover my psychiatrist appointments.  So I no longer need to fear going back into a severe, crippling depression once again.

If you are losing your TennCare insurance and use a state-run clinic for your psychiatric needs, ask about Behavorial Health Safety Net.  There is still treatment after TennCare vanishes.

I will post more information on this as I learn the process.  If I can help one person to keep his/her treatments going, then I have done my job with this post.

Best wishes!
Shannon

TennCare Refuses a Fair Hearing

This is my continuing saga of trying to hold onto my health insurance.

I received a letter yesterday which read that my appeal to TennCare’s decision to drop me from their system did not meet their criteria for a fair hearing in front of a judge.  To be allowed a fair hearing, three criteria must be met, which follows (from the letter):

1. You must give us the facts we need to work your appeal.
2. AND, you must tell us the mistake you think the Department [of Human Services] made.
3. AND, that mistake must be something that, if you’re right, would mean that you would be found eligible for Medicaid.

I gave them the facts they asked for, and I told them the mistake I believed they made (which is dropping me from the system while still on disability), but apparently that mistake did not change the fact that I will no longer receive TennCare after October 8th.

Furthermore, I receive $850 a month from disability, which according to the new policies of TennCare, is too high an income to receive TennCare.

Not the Only One

I did a little more digging and found out that TennCare won a lawsuit in which they could change the program in order to save as much money as possible [Translated: Cut and slash benefits by changing the eligibility rules in mid-course].

I am not just one person complaining about my situation.  People across the state of Tennessee are now losing their TennCare Medicaid and left without health insurance of any kind.

My Options

I have two possible options available to me.  One, go to the pharmaceuticals’ websites to see if there are any cost-reduction programs, in order to continue to receive my medications that have successfully treated my suicidal tendencies.  The second, and more time consuming and risky, is to find legal counseling to see if I can sue TennCare for negligence.  The second option could easily be a class action suit, since I know of several people who had to be hospitalized because they could no longer receive their medications from TennCare.  (In a cruel sense of irony, hospitalization due to the loss of medication only costs the state more in the long run.)

So this is the situation so far.  Unless something changes, I will be uninsured on October 8th.  And having a pre-existing condition, I am probably uninsurable.

But like the Gloria Gaynor song, I will survive.

Best wishes,
Shannon

Appealing TennCare’s Decision

Greetings!

As mentioned in an earlier article, I have been denied TennCare Medicaid, Tennessee’s state-run health insurance.

Today, I called the family services department of TennCare and began my appeal.  I will receive a phone call and letter stating the date of my hearing, along with what paperwork I will need.

I will provide updates on this situation as things progress.

Best wishes!
Shannon

Does TennCare Discriminate Against the Mentally Ill?

People who know me know that I’m very open about my mental illness: Atypical Bipolar Disorder.  It’s caused me to lose relationships, friends, and a decent job.

But now does my mental illness prevent me from receiving TennCare Medicaid?  (TennCare is Tennessee’s state-run insurance plan.)

I’m currently on disability while my doctors have been sorting out my medications.  Fortunately, they might have found a good combination that works fairly well.  I am able to blog again, compose music, and socialize – Things I found very difficult before I was properly treated.

Since I’m on disability and have a pre-existing condition, TennCare was my only hope to pay for the medications and treatments that have allowed me to become more capable with daily activities and have greatly reduced my suicidal tendencies.

But this week, I received a letter in the mail stating that my TennCare will be cut off on October the 8th.  Explanation: none.

Without TennCare, it would be impossible to pay for me medications.  (Abilify alone is approximately $1200.)  Without my medications and help from my psychiatrist and therapist, I will revert back to my dangerous state of depression once again.

I will appeal their judgement.  But I want to talk to the person who made this decision to drop me and ask him/her why I was dropped from the system.

Once again, I’m fortunate to be in a clear-minded state to fight this battle.  But what if I were still suffering from suicidal depression when this happened to me?  Have other people with mental illnesses also been slashed by TennCare?  If so, who is going to help them with the appeal process?

I will update this post as the appeal process begins.

In the meantime, think about the people who are helplessly in the grip of mental illness, how they would respond to being cut out of the system.  At least, for now, I can think straight and put up a good fight.  But I feel sorrow for those who cannot help themselves due to their illnesses.

Sincerely,
Shannon