August 1, 1999
 

Judy Webb
2821 Calle Aventura
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
(H) 833-5864 (SC) (213) 743-5725

Dear Judy:
Enclosed A-1 invoices are OK to pay.  The nurses over ordered, but we will eventually use all the latex gloves and pads.  The wipes are usually backordered so it's good to some extra stashed away.  The adult briefs were under ordered so expect to see another bill for some more.
Can you help me with Wissal?  She's pretty young but shows a lot of caring for Buc and is extremely concerned about cleanliness.   If you can, please cut a check to me, since I already paid her.
Salam is covered by IHSS for $1600 monthly.  She's the keystone to the operation and seems to have everything wired.  Had a scare last week though when IHSS (County) claimed on Salam's pay card that Buc was ineligible for further aid.  She was really concerned about this since I'm behind on paying her through the transition from June to July, their computers have been down and they normally are several weeks behind.  It's really hard to explain that I am not the culprit.
My problem is that I can't get to all the paperwork fast enough.  Social Services also makes it hard to get help, a waiting period after qualifying, but easy to fall off within thirty days.  Again it is the intent of the system to make it that way along with voice mail systems that take all day to get through.  Fortunately the case worker is appalled by all this, and once on the phone, she ramroded Buc's case through.  That was last week, so Salam will be delayed even more.
I've enclosed my company's two month prospectus.  Despite an all time low client base, I'm doing pretty well.  My shop could easily take on six more clients, trebling its gross.  I've had some inquiries, but nothing solid.
In reference to A-1, I think it might be possible to have that covered by Medicare, though I've been told no.  I just don't have the time to pursue all of these options, especially when the outcome might prove negative.  You may want to look into it.  I can get you the essential info, I hope, since Jonas rearrange everything in my office.  He has a corrugated box labeled, "Buc's Papers".  I  hope the Medicare packet is in there.
As you know, Apria Home Health keeps pushing the bed rental higher and higher even though it is considered a covered benefit.  It's close to $8000 now for that junky little bed.
Professional Home Health has now, as this week, cut off Buc's Fiber Source.  They claim it is also no longer covered.  They've made this retroactive, claiming that I owe them a lot of money.
Last week, for the first time, I sort of realized what is going on.  All the providers, from doctors to hospitals to pharmacies to medical rentals disregard their "contractual liabilities" when it comes to the health care industry.  They view themselves as doing business as usual, throwing unpaid receivable at the "responsible party", (the patient) as the guarantor's responsibility.  They even implement this action when the patient's benefits are denied by the most recent carrier administering the "plan" because of any reason, such as the plan's discontinuance because the patient's original employer went out-of-business.  As this patient's conservator, I understand that the plan's unlimited benefits clause to explicitly mean that if a patient is recovering or receiving treatment for long-term injury or illness, as the plan moves from carrier to carrier, these benefits cannot be modified at the whim of the most recent carrier or any subsequent carrier  In turn, all primary or secondary providers must honor the plan's original intent and wording, despite losses or fiscal injury they might suffer, if not and otherwise, the plan's benefits, as paid for in advance by the patient, are not upheld.  Though the DOC has ruled this way in the past, when it comes to Buc, they rule the opposite by not enforcing the law.

Brother Joel