I'm freaking out, and not sure what to do. Please read. Kind of long, sorry.?

My baby and I both have state run insurance, and the other day I got a letter in the mail saying we were being cut off. The reason, they stated, was because they feel they have lost contact with me. I lived in Kingman with my friend while I was pregnant, and one month after my daughter was born, I bought us a trailer and moved us 11 miles from Kingman to a small town called Golden Valley. I sent the Welfare office a change report stating my new address. You are required to fill out a change report everytime anything changes in the case. I always do. So anyways, they had to switch my case from the Kingman welfare office, to the Golden valley office. I called the Golden Valley office on March 2nd because my foodstamps were different, and I wanted to make sure there wasn't a problem. The lady I spoke to said that since I purchased a trailer, and am working full time, that my benefit amount was going to decrease. I told her that was ok as long as my baby still had insurance. I asked her if she needed any info from me at that time and she said no. So then the other day I get this letter, at my new address, that says I never put in a change of address, and that since they lost contact with me, our case was being closed and all benefits have been stopped. I freaked out. I'm like how could they have sent me a letter to my new address if I never put in a change report, and how could I have talked to someone in the Golden Valley office about my case if It was never transferred. So I called the office to find out what was going on, and the lady said they recieved mail back that was sent to me at the old address, and therefore assumed they had lost contact with me. Now I have to investigate the actions I can take or re-apply for benefits. Now, my baby is sick. She isn't running a fever, but her eyes are leaking this gross eye burger stuff, her nose is leaking, and she has a slight cough. My boss doesn't think she needs to see a doctor, but I am scared things might get worse. I have no problem paying cash for my baby to see a doctor, but I never have a bunch of money all at one time except on rent day. I don't have a bank account or a credit card. I get paid weekly, but now that my boss is taking hours away for my baby being at work with me, my pay checks aren't that great.



My question is, when you have to pay cash for a doctor, do they make you pay it all at one time? Like if we go there today, will I have to pay for it today?



I'm just absolutly at my wits end. We are do to go to a family reunion in Vegas in like 2 days, which I will now probably not go, and I had a doctors appt last friday for Tresa because that is when her eyes started leaking, but my boss had me cancel it because she really needed me here, and she said Tresa was just having a reaction to all the wind we have had here lately and that is why her eyes were leaking. I don't have a car, so my boss would have had to be the one to give us a ride, so I just did like she said and cancelled the appt. Now, I feel like the lousiest mom on the planet. Tresa is not really fussy, she doesn't have a fever, still smiles and all. She just has a leaky nose, and the stuff coming out of the corners of her eyes. On friday, the stuff coming out of her eyes was bright green. Today it just looks like normal eye burgers, but just a little bigger. She is coughing too, but also has been drooling like crazy for the past 2 weeks, and I read that excessive drooling causes them to almost choke because of all the saliva they are producing.



Anyways, you guys always have some of the best advise and answers. Do you think it sound like Tresa needs to see a doctor? If so, do you know about payment plans or anything?



Please, Please don't just tell me what a piece of $hit mom I am, because I already feel far worse than anyone could possibly make me feel, so you would just be wasting your time.
I'm freaking out, and not sure what to do. Please read. Kind of long, sorry.?
If you don't have insurance, you should check with your doctor's office as to what their payment policy is - they may require cash at the time of the visit, or they may bill you.



Welfare offices are so overwhelmed with cases it's possible that your address didn't get changed on all of your paperwork and that's why you didn't get some of the things they say they sent you. At this point it would probably be easiest to just re-apply for benefits - as long as you are still eligible, your benefits will date back to the day that they cut you off, and if you explain to Tresa's doctor's office, they may just bill you and wait for the insurance to re-start up.



Does the welfare office offer transportation to doctor's visits? I don't think you should rely on your boss for a ride or take her word for when your baby needs to go to the doc. The goopy eyes could be a blocked tear duct (which is very normal and doesn't need any treatment) or it could be an infection. Either way, with such a young baby, you should take her in to see her doctor. Cough and runny nose are really not cause for concern.



Don't freak out, you're doing the best you can! Just be sure to re-apply for benefits ASAP so your baby will have insurance.



Good luck!
I'm freaking out, and not sure what to do. Please read. Kind of long, sorry.?
if you make an appt at your pediatrician, then yes you need to pay at the time of the visit, but if you go to the ER then you can arrange a payment plan.
I would say, just this once, take your baby to the ER if you feel she needs to be seen. Most clinics will just not see a patient who doesn't have insurance, even if they have cash to pay up front. I believe an ER will bill you for the cost of treatment. You are not a bad mom, things happen to all of us.
I know how you feel I have a 13 week old son and worry everytime he coughs. Well my SIL workes at a clinic where they charge you based on your income and if you do not have money then, you can be billed. If you are considered low income, it might even be free, but all those benefits are just to be used in that clinic. If you need services they do not offer there, you will have to pay for them according to the policy of where you get those services. I hope your baby gets better and your medi-cal situation gets fixed. By the way my SIL workes in san diego, so if you are in that area, you can go to her clinic.
First off you are NOT a bad Mom you are doing the very best you can for daughter. But yes I would take her to the doctor It could be that she has a cold in her eye but It also could be an infection. With all the different illness out there it is not worth taking a chance. Hang in there all Mom's feel that way at one time or another. The other thing is listen to your gut we have this thing I call Momma gut instinct go with it. It better to be over protective than not enough. And your boss sounds like a jerk so take what she has to say with a grain of salt.



First off usually they ask when you apply or reapply for benefits if you have any unpaid medical bills for the last three months. it should still get paid by medicaid. Secondly go off on your case worker and ask to talk to a supervisor. If they don't get you the help you need to get your benefit reinstated call your local Ombudsman. It's listed in the government pages in your phone book. Good Luck and I hope Tresa feels better soon!
Wow what a story, sorry to hear of your issues with the Welfare office. Always remember that when you speak with someone always write down the date, time and the name of who you spoke with so that you have that for your records. believe me it has helped me out in a lot of different situations.

As far as your baby being sick, Im probably not the kind of person that you want to talk to about this, because I am the type of person that goes to the Doctors for the most minor things.

For the payment at the Doctors office, well that all depends on how the Doctor is. I know that my Doctor will allow you to make payments so I am sure if you explain your situation to the Doctor that they will work with you or if you have a County Hospital where you live, you could always go into the ER and they can not refuse you service and they will bill you. Watch out because going to an ER is rather expensive.

I hope I have helped you out some and I hope that your baby is getting better and you get your problems resolved with the Welfare office.



God Bless
I'm obviously not around your baby to get the best sense of the situation, but from what you describe I wouldn't be headed to the doctor. If she gets a fever, that changes things a bit but still no reason to run in to a doctor. Most likely its a virus that has to run its course, and just the first of a lot of viruses your child will have during her childhood. You can't run to the doctor for every little thing. But, if you feel the situation warrants a trip to the doctor then go.



All doctor's offices are different as far as paying for service. Most of the time you have to pay in advance if you have no coverage. But if they don't know that you've been cut off, then you can always go and buy yourself a little bit of time until the bill reaches you. We have crappy insurance that doesn't cover very much. I know that it won't cover my daughter's trip to the dermatologist tomorrow, but I'll let them try to bill insurance first so that we have an extra 30 days before paying. I'd use the ER as an absolute last resort because it will probably cost at least 5 tims as much as going to a doctors office.
I would not be so hard on yourself. It sounds like you really care about your daughter. If she does not have a fever and is not being fussy I would say it is just a cold, make sure she gets lots of fluids, water and fruit juice, and some steam from a humidifier or a steamy bathroom might make her feel better. Gently wipe her eyes with a warm clean face cloth using a different part for each eye, if her eyes are infected you do not want to spread it from one eye to the other. If you are really concerned about her try calling the doctor's office or walk in clinic that is closest to you and ask them what type of payments you can make. I would also recommend you call the welfare office and do not hang up the phone until you get an answer, ask to speak to a manager or supervisor if they can not answer you. Explain your situation and demand to know why your insurance has cancelled if you notified them of your move and the proof is that your case was transferred to the new office. Explain to them that your daughter needs to see a doctor right away and don't take no for an answer. You may want to call the old welfare office and ask them as well, they may be more familiar with your case. Good luck with everything and I hope your daughter is feeling better, you sound like a wonderful and concerned mother.