After allowing Medicaid a week to process the additional information we submitted (in person) to their office, I called to check the status of our case. To my surprise, they had no record of our information in their system, and informed me that I am going to have to re-submit our information because they must have lost the paperwork. This was infuriating to say the least, because we have now been set back once again, not to mention that our entire family's personal information, including social security numbers, are floating around in the unknown.
The customer service workers are extremely unhelpful and the woman I first spoke with refused to leave a message for my caseworker, and told me there was nothing she could do to help. For the duration of this entire ordeal, they will not allow me to have direct contact with my caseworker.
I spoke with my brother after receiving no help from any Medicaid staff, and he helped me get in contact with Senator Harry Reid's office. They agreed to take on our case and do what they can to quicken the pace of processing our Medicaid. There are no guarantees, but they have promised to do what they can, and we are extremely grateful for this. I wanted to share this with you all to give you just a glimpse of what we have been dealing with in regards to Medicaid. Frustration does not even begin to cover how our family feels at this point in time. We will be heading back down to the Medicaid office to re-submit our information shortly and I will update everyone again.
On another note, Lexie Mae will be receiving a donation from the Hyatt Regency at Lake Tahoe tonight at 5pm. They will be presenting Lexie with her donation at Cutthroat's Saloon inside the hotel. We are overjoyed with the generosity that everyone has shown our family. We want to give a special thank you to the Hyatt for their generous donation! Thank you again to all of those who continue to keep our family in your thoughts and prayers!
Here is the article about Lexie's donation from the Hyatt. It also gives some great facts about Lexie's condition for those who don't understand the nature of the disease.
Remember that dollar bill you stuck on the wall at Cutthroat's
By Tracy Potter Gomez -
Incline
On April 15, Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe will donate money from the walls of Cutthroat’s Saloon to two local recipients — Incline Village resident Lexie Mae Hidalgo, a two-year-old Coats’ Disease sufferer, and The Children’s Cabinet at Incline Village.
“It’s imperative that we all come together as a community in times of need, and our Hyatt family continually strives to be part of that support,” said Hyatt GM Mark Pardue. “We hope our donation will do a small part in relieving medical expenses for Lexie Mae and her family, and that our ongoing advocacy for The Children’s Cabinet aids in solving problems facing other children and families.”
A campy addition to the Cutthroat’s décor, local residents and resort guests have decorated the walls of the Saloon with artfully illustrated dollar bills since its opening in 2000.
This year, two recipients were chosen by Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe to be the beneficiaries of $1,000 generated last year.
Lexie Mae Hidalgo has a very rare eye condition with abnormal development in the blood vessels behind the retina.
Initially diagnosed with retinoblastoma in November 2009, Lexie Mae’s illness was later reassessed as Coats’ (also known as Exudative Retinitis and Retinal Telangiectasis), wherein the blood rich retinal capillaries break open, leaking the serum portion of the blood into the back of eye.
The leakage causes the retina to swell and can cause partial or complete detachment of the retina. A disease that progresses gradually and affects central vision, it is almost always unilateral (affects only one eye).
If caught early, some level of vision can typically be restored.
Also receiving $500 in donations is The Children’s Cabinet, a nonprofit organization helping unmet needs of children and families in need in the region.
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe will present the donation to The Children’s Cabinet, as well as Lexie Mae and her mother Chelsy Combs, in a gathering 5 p.m. Thursday, April 15 at Cutthroat’s Saloon.
Other recipients of donations from funds gathered at Cutthroat’s Saloon have included a $500 donation to the Santa Claus Foundation during the 2009 holiday season, as well as a $4,000 donation to The Children’s Cabinet in 2007.
Individuals who wish to learn more about Lexie Mae Hidalgo and how to help may visit: http://helplexiemae.blogspot.com
For more information about The Children's Cabinet visit: www.cciv.org/
Visit the Hyatt Lake Tahoe Resort online at http://laketahoe.hyatt.com
