Friday Roundup

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree:  the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other. 

Burton Hillis

Well, another week has passed.   It's been a cold week as well.  We had our first 'real' snow and though it didn't really amount to much, it did coat the ground with a sheet of winter white.  They say another storm is headed our way tomorrow.  Personally, I have a feeling it is going to be a rough winter.  Thank goodness I no longer have to trudge into work in this. 

So, yesterday I finally had a  a chance to sit down with the social worker, and we talked about this Medicare penalty and what I can do about it.  She even called Medicare, and basically there is nothing I can do but ask for an appeal.  It seems that one has only 60 days after Medicare kicks in to sign up for a Plan D (prescription drug plan), but that wasn't specified when I got my original paperwork for Medicare.  I was told that I was 'eligible' to sign up, not that I had only 60 days to do so.  My work insurance ran out on August 1so I supposedly had until October 10th.  But, I had not been informed about this, even when I called Medicare to ask some questions about Medicare Advantage. 

According to what I was told, there are certain enrollment periods that happen each year--October 14 to December 7.  If you recall, I had set an appointment with Emblem but they neglected to show.  Then, I asked them to send me info, which they neglected to do.  The third time worked like a charm and I signed up, but not quite soon enough.  According to what I read, the late enrollment penalty is an amount added to your Part D premium and applies if there is a period of 63 or more days in a row that you don't have creditable drug coverage. 

So, what they are saying is that I did not have drug coverage from October 1 to December 31, but that is so totally unfair.  I did sign up for it during that 63 day period, but they are saying that my plan won't take effect until January 1.  So, it is not my fault.  And the bad part is, this penalty will be taken from my social security check every month for the rest of my life.  (Anyone planning to retire, please take note of the above)  

And you know what frustrates me even more.  October, November, and December each have 31 days.  If even one of them had 30 days I would have been okay.   Grrrr!!! Not fair.  As I said before, why do I have to pay not only for medical, but now a penalty, and a drug dealer who never worked a day in his life gets it for free?  Time for me to start sending out letters to anyone who will listen...if, that is, anyone eft in our government bureaucracies who cares enough to listen.

Is it any wonder that I have become so disillusioned?  You work your entire lifetime and then you grow old and instead of being rewarded for all your years of hard work, you are penalized instead.  It has been one thing after another for me since I retired, and my once happy retirement has turned instead into a nightmare.  I am not even going to talk about my pension.  Suffice it to say, I am still waiting.

Hubby won his case, yes, but we've seen no money as of yet.  In fact, when he called Social Security yesterday, he was advised that the paperwork hadn't even been sent from the courthouse as of yet.  Well, what are they waiting for?  Don't they care that someone is depending on that money for survival?  I think not, because if anyone really gave a crap about us, they wouldn't make us jump through hoops for monies that are rightfully ours. Just another bureaucracy that doesn't care.  "Let him wait until we are good and ready"  is their motto.

But enough of that.  My cupboards are bare so it's off the the supermarket for me today.  Friday is a perfect day for me to shop.  They always serve fish, which I don't eat,  at the Center on Friday, and most others are still working so the store is fairly empty.  Besides, we have the storm coming on Saturday.  Best to get it all done so I am not running about in the nasty weather.Tomorrow will be a 'stay in your jammies' sort of day with hot chocolate and Christmas movies.  Sounds good to me.

So, in closing, I would like to leave you with the following quote I happened upon.  I have no idea who to credit it to, but it just seemed so appropriate to me as I face all these trials and tribulations.

"When you feel the entire world its against you,there is still a little voice in the back of your head that keeps saying"YOU CAN DO IT I KNOW YOU CAN" that is because you can."

Unknown

Enjoy your weekend.  See you all on Monday.