Well, Glory Be

A big undercurrent in the past couple of weeks has been the MCHA/MinnesotaCare insurance switch over. All I needed was a letter of termination from MInnesotaCare -- which actually comes from Hennepin County, who services my benefits. Seems simple enough, but not for the single-celled organisms at Team 261.

When you're having problems with a state agency, and kicking it upstairs just isn't helping, eventually you're going to reach an elected official. This was my brother Kevin's idea, and a good one it was. We talked to my district 4 commissioner, Peter McLaughlin, and his assistant Dorothy was a rabid attack dog on our behalf. "that's just not acceptable," she said when we laid out the Situation.

I'm not sure what she said to them, but all their stories to me of "it takes two weeks to send out a new form," and "no we can' fax, email and you can't pick it up," dissolved like so much dust. Within hours of Dorothy calling, someone there had hastily, fearfully whacked together a termination letter and sent it to Dorothy (at her request, so she could make sure they were doing what they said they were doing this time rather than just blowing smoke). Hours after out first call to her she had the hand-composed letter on her desk, faxed. Amazing.

Of course, Team 261 being the idiots that they are, it was full of typos and omissions and didn't meet our needs. We felt vindicated that Dorothy got to see firsthand what we'd been dealing with. Dorothy worked them again, and late Friday an accurate, useable letter was faxed to her. She faxed it to Jen at her work, who in turn faxed it on to MCHA. Hallelujah. It only took 23 days to get this letter in their hands.

Thanks also to my mom, who was working the phone with Dorothy even as I was in surgery, and Kevin for the great suggestion, Jen for the help as well. This entire process (the cancer, not just this letter) would have been insurmountable without all of the great help and support thy I have gotten and continue to get, and I appreciate it wholeheartedly: thank you.

From here, it's just up to MCHA to approve me and (hopefully) retroactively cover me for the Mayo surgery. When the catheter comes out in 10 days I'll have this entire thing behind me, other than lifetime regular check ups, which I can certainly live with.

Oh, and if you live in his district, Vote for Peter McLaughlin for Hennepin County Commissioner on November 2nd. I'll be getting a yard sign.