Hi Everyone,
A very interesting turn of events as a result of Corey’s news broadcast. Last week Blue Cross made a statement that they were sure there was a miscommunication in information about Corey’s therapy policy. They were sure that I misinterpreted the plan coverage. Plan in hand, I spoke with the case manager and read exactly what was printed out on the papers sent to me by Blue Cross. Our case manager was going to his supervisor and Medical Director to research and resolve what they were sure was an error in the plan. After a week of my calling daily, it was admitted by the case manager that it wasn’t my error but an oversight on his part. Corey in fact has unlimited coverage paid at 100% based on her weekly progress reports from the therapy agency. (Isn’t that amazing…home therapy falls under home care/hospice coverage but is not listed in printed form).
The home therapy company that was working with Corey was not informed of this either and can no longer provide services due to poor staffing; also interesting that they were not initially informed of their unlimited funding to prepare for the length of coverage. Blue Cross was “helpful” in finding a replacement home therapy care agency. This evening Corey began her evaluation process with the new agency. The Physical therapist assigned to evaluate Corey was not only pleased to see what we’ve been doing “on our own” for the last month, she is going to submit and recommend 4 days a week therapy for all disciplines as well. She believes “the more therapy provided the more Corey will continue to respond and advance”.
Simply amazing! Imagine where we would have been if FOX news didn’t report Corey’s story. How many families out there have been told there is no therapy left? How many families are denied their appeals and are forced to settle for their No’s? Every therapist that has come into our home to evaluate/work with Corey has been impressed with the level of progress she’s made. Is it being home? I would agree with this to an extent. I believe it is the intensive “untrained” one on one that we are supplementing to compensate for the minimal hours approved by insurance. Just imagine what Corey and the thousands of TBI patients could achieve if all Insurance companies would approve the “trained”intensive homecare therapy hours that are needed for their recovery. This is what we’re fighting for friends.
Corey’s daily progress continues. Tonight on the matte, Corey independently rolled from her back to her left side and then rolled back to her original position. One of the exercises we practice is the butterfly (this is not the professional name for this exercise it’s a Beattie named exercise). Corey is on her back, knees bent, feet flat on the matte. She opens her knees to full extension (like a butterfly opening its wings). Tonight I held the right knee forcing the left knee (her weaker leg) to pull more from the hip as she pulls her knees to a closed position. For the first time, Corey pulled her left knee towards the center to meet her right knee. This beautiful butterfly is working hard to begin to fly!!
We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty. ~Maya Angelou
Corey we will continue to fight for you. We will not accept NO or the standard answer of”this is good enough”. You keep focused and don’t get frustrated. At times it’s difficult toaccept that it will take time but the life that is ahead of you will be beautiful because of your patience, hard work and determination today. Make no mistake, your inner strength is the beauty that Maya Angelou described! xoxo