I am back
Sorry, I am back. Haven't wrote for the last few days, just taking a little bit of a break. Have not done much exciting, did not go on vacation or anything. I am not much for vacations anyway, don't really like to travel. Mostly I do not like driving a whole lot, because it is hard for me to move my feet or legs while driving. When I am a passenger in a vehicle then I move my lower body and back around. Not sure about flying, have only been on a plane once when I was an able body at around age 11, it was not bad but not sure how it would go now in the wheelchair and with the limited mobility I have with my lower body. So I really don't like to drive more than 40 minutes at a time unless I can stop, pull over and stretch. To some that means that I am boring because I do not like to travel, I like seeing and experiencing new things but just driving to do that sucks.
Yesterday was a headache for me, I was on the phone talking with the Social Security department and Medicare, who are both no fun to talk to on the phone. Anyway, first I needed to call Social Security to find out what is going on with a claim I submitted on June 3 of this year. The claim was in response to Social Security taking out $542 for my June benefit because of what they called "past Medicare premiums". Ok, when I took myself off of Social Security in December of 2014 Medicare did not pay on anything I had done. After December the only medical insurance I had was my coverage through my job at the bank, Medicare did not pay a penny for anything. So I had to fill out a form, as with anything with the government there is a form, to recoup that money that is owed to me. The people I have talked to at the Social Security department have assured me that I will be getting the money back as it was taken unjustly. I call one every week to see what is the status and they have told me the same thing for the past 3 months, that someone at the Payment Center is working on it. I was a little upset again at this but decided not to get angry with the young lady on the phone as it is not her fault. Then I called Medicare to see what is happening with a claim I had with them. It is in regards to me purchasing tires for my wheelchair back on August 5th. Before I had purchased the tires I had called Medicare to have them send me a form to fill out for reimbursement, and at the time I was told that I would be reimbursed at 100%. I call there yesterday and talked with a man that told me that Medicare did not receive the form. So, with my blood pressure already up, I was really angry about this. I proceeded to go off on a rant about how I thought taking myself off of Social Security and rejoining the workforce was a good thing and that I felt that I have been wrongly vilified for my actions. It was not my fault for any of the medical problems I face and I should not be punished for those. I told him that I hope this is recorded and his supervisor listens because I was really upset and wanted everyone to know it. So basically he has to mail me another stupid form for me to fill out, then I have to get a copy of my receipt and get a letter from my doctor saying that I am disabled and I do need the wheelchair. Government is the reason why I have problems with my blood pressure and anger issues, I wish they would realize that.
So, something that ties in with the last paragraph, mental health issues. The government of this great country, the United States of America, still does not realize how to treat mental health issues. In our 239 year history, mental health is still not treated as a serious problem that people face. According to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), 18.5% of Americans deal with some form of mental illness, that is 1 in 5. So that means that someone you know or maybe somebody in your family deals with a mental health issue, some of those people do not even realize it. Some people in this country still look at mental illness the wrong way and think that the only way to treat someone with a more serious condition is to throw them in a sanitarium or whatever they are called now, showed my age a little bit, and give them meds that basically make them act like a barely alive human. Our government is horrible in this regard and something needs to be done to correct this attitude. There is no reason why more research cannot be put forth to help people suffering from mental illness. I am a big proponent of writing your senator or congressperson to let them know how you feel about certain issues or what exactly their stance is on something, I mean they are supposed to be representing us, even though it does not feel that way.
Well, that is all I have for today, I am going to start this everyday, writing earlier. Have a great day or night everyone, take care.
Yesterday was a headache for me, I was on the phone talking with the Social Security department and Medicare, who are both no fun to talk to on the phone. Anyway, first I needed to call Social Security to find out what is going on with a claim I submitted on June 3 of this year. The claim was in response to Social Security taking out $542 for my June benefit because of what they called "past Medicare premiums". Ok, when I took myself off of Social Security in December of 2014 Medicare did not pay on anything I had done. After December the only medical insurance I had was my coverage through my job at the bank, Medicare did not pay a penny for anything. So I had to fill out a form, as with anything with the government there is a form, to recoup that money that is owed to me. The people I have talked to at the Social Security department have assured me that I will be getting the money back as it was taken unjustly. I call one every week to see what is the status and they have told me the same thing for the past 3 months, that someone at the Payment Center is working on it. I was a little upset again at this but decided not to get angry with the young lady on the phone as it is not her fault. Then I called Medicare to see what is happening with a claim I had with them. It is in regards to me purchasing tires for my wheelchair back on August 5th. Before I had purchased the tires I had called Medicare to have them send me a form to fill out for reimbursement, and at the time I was told that I would be reimbursed at 100%. I call there yesterday and talked with a man that told me that Medicare did not receive the form. So, with my blood pressure already up, I was really angry about this. I proceeded to go off on a rant about how I thought taking myself off of Social Security and rejoining the workforce was a good thing and that I felt that I have been wrongly vilified for my actions. It was not my fault for any of the medical problems I face and I should not be punished for those. I told him that I hope this is recorded and his supervisor listens because I was really upset and wanted everyone to know it. So basically he has to mail me another stupid form for me to fill out, then I have to get a copy of my receipt and get a letter from my doctor saying that I am disabled and I do need the wheelchair. Government is the reason why I have problems with my blood pressure and anger issues, I wish they would realize that.
So, something that ties in with the last paragraph, mental health issues. The government of this great country, the United States of America, still does not realize how to treat mental health issues. In our 239 year history, mental health is still not treated as a serious problem that people face. According to NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), 18.5% of Americans deal with some form of mental illness, that is 1 in 5. So that means that someone you know or maybe somebody in your family deals with a mental health issue, some of those people do not even realize it. Some people in this country still look at mental illness the wrong way and think that the only way to treat someone with a more serious condition is to throw them in a sanitarium or whatever they are called now, showed my age a little bit, and give them meds that basically make them act like a barely alive human. Our government is horrible in this regard and something needs to be done to correct this attitude. There is no reason why more research cannot be put forth to help people suffering from mental illness. I am a big proponent of writing your senator or congressperson to let them know how you feel about certain issues or what exactly their stance is on something, I mean they are supposed to be representing us, even though it does not feel that way.
Well, that is all I have for today, I am going to start this everyday, writing earlier. Have a great day or night everyone, take care.
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