Ohio, stop abusing disabled people and their Caregivers!

Dear Readers. I know you haven’t heard from ‘The Gimp Avenger’ for a while. This doesn’t mean that discrimination and abuse of people with disabilities has ceased. I was simply waiting to see how bad things were going to get, especially here in Ohio, before I suited up for battle.

With claims of streamlining, expanding, and improving services for those who receive both Medicaid and Medicare, MyCare Ohio was created. Under MyCare Ohio, Consumers like me who receive benefits from both entities were described as having the option to choose which HMO we wanted to utilize for Case Management services. I did not find this to be true.

All phone numbers I was given to sign-up with CareSource (my 1st choice) lead to dead ends. One number led me to a recording that gave me the option to by a Wal-Mart gift card. When I declined, I was disconnected.

Against my wishes, I was assigned to UnitedHealth Care. My experience has been downright abusive. It has taken a month for one of my three Home Health Aides (Independent Providers) to get a paycheck. Another should be getting a check by tomorrow. The third however, isn’t even recognized by UnitedHealth Care and therefore can’t submit her billing.

These people have been working a month without pay. I can’t express enough gratitude for these wonderful people. Agency Aide’s would have left me in a puddle of my own waste weeks ago. I am about to lose one of my Independent Providers though if UHC doesn’t get it together this week. That will put my life and safety at risk.

I should also mention that UHC called me multiple times to express that they don’t like my social media ranting about how they are complicating my life and putting me at risk for losing care that is critical to my survival. I am not easily intimidated so I’m not sure if they were feebly attempting to intimidate me.

My Case Manager at UHC has offered to just send me a UHC Home Health Aide if mine stop coming to work. Lovely. I have a rather serious form of Osteogenesis Imperfecta. If a stranger tried to ‘help’ me, he/she will likely break my bones and possibly kill me. Excellent solution there UHC!

STOP ABUSING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES!

PAY OUR CAREGIVERS, UHC!