May 11, 2014

~Posted by Naomi Harm~

We have received a confirmation that Jake will be flown to St. Paul, MN on Monday by the US Air Force.  The waiver process is taking too long, so in the meantime the Army decided to supersede the waiver process with Tricare United Healthcare. What this means is the expense for the flight will be covered by the US Army, but provided by the US Air Force. The US Army will now have to fight with TriCare United Healthcare for their reimbursement.

I am thrilled that Jake will be back to Minnesota after 37 days of hell in El Paso, TX. He will receive the best state-of-the-art medical and TBI care he deserves. We are so hoping that Bethesda Hospital can help repair the damage incurred by the neglect and lack of treatment of Jake's TBI by UMC Hospital.  

I am still so appalled by TriCare United Healthcare and how they treat our soldiers with their health care. By their first denial of Jake's MN transport, it delayed in Jake's TBI treatment and recovery by 8 additional days. Did you know that keeping Jake in the ICU unit in Texas actually cost triple the amount that the transport flight to MN would have cost?  Let's do the math here - what the hell are they thinking? TriCare United Healthcare is evil and has no empathy for our US soldiers and their families - our soldiers are treated as only a number in a messed up healthcare insurance system.

Our men and women enter this profession to sacrifice their lives to protect all of us to maintain our freedom in the United States. They are relocated around our nation and the world about every three years, as they work in dangerous conditions, long and agonizing work shifts - sometimes up to 24 hours at a time, and with low paying salaries as their compensations.  Yet the one health benefit these military men and women receive is a health insurance package with little to no deductible, but there are some conditional indicators. We have since discovered these "conditional indicators" include prolonged wait time of going to their walk-in clinic and waiting 8-12 hours to even be seen by a doctor and be treated for a cut, respiratory infection or to see a counselor. Sometimes it takes weeks and months to see a doctor for follow-up visits and some of our soldiers are dying during this wait time. This is all contributed by TriCare United Healthcare and the mismanaged VA medical care system.

As you can see, this story and fight is not over. Our goal is to educate our nation and the US military families of what their rights are when it comes to military healthcare, follow-up care and CHOICE of a medical facility to provide the best medical care instead of substandard hospitals and VA medical centers. There is choice and so many military families do not have a clue that they have this option. Most wounded soldiers are admitted to a hospital with no family members around, and "others" make the critical decisions for them and do not give them choice. Many soldiers do not have parents that have the ability to stay by their side 24/7 in a hospital or have the means to stay for this duration, and to be the soldier's ultimate voice to protect them from the corrupt healthcare system.  

Tomorrow, May 12th will be a day to open up the doorway of  positive opportunity for Jake as he is welcomed with open arms to Bethesda Hospital. I have spent a great portion of my week in St. Paul, MN preparing for Jake's arrival - meeting many of the nurses, doctors, and social workers, visiting the facilities, the rehab center and discovering how the treatment plan will be for Jake's TBI, trach tube and feeding tube. I will call Bethesda Hospital "home" for myself this month - as I will spend the month of May here with Jake. This will relieve Jeff of his duties for now - he has been in Texas for the entire 37 days, and still needs to close out Jake's affairs and ensure his belongings get delivered to our MN home.

Now, tomorrow can't come soon enough........ and will be celebrating my Mother's Day with Jake on Monday- hopefully- when he arrives to St. Paul, Minnesota.