[nabs-l] Voc Rehab Appeal

Wed Apr 17 18:59:25 UTC 2013

Go as high as you have to go.  

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Suzanne Germano
Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2013 2:41 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Voc Rehab Appeal

I have emailed requesting a face to face to make sure they have a clear
understanding of my request even though I sent a 2 page appeal with 12
supporting documents. Not to mention my initial request and follow up letter
were very clear on what I needed and why.

The supervisor thinks all i want is a regular low vision exam. I already
paid for one of those out of pocket in November. I paid for red contacts
($400) out of pocket in Dec as I needed them before school started. I tried
going with 30% lighter than I was wearing for outdoors but they are still
not right for indoors and reading. I could not wait for the approval
process. I paid $600 out of pocket for glasses that I only need because of
returning to school. I paid $200 out of pocket for a monocular. I bought all
this because I knew rehab would take forever and I was not going to start
the semester in a position to fail.

What does not make sense is that they will pay for the contacts if ordered
form an AZ Dr that is one of their vendors but not if form the Dr in
Indiana. The contacts will cost the same. the difference would be the
Indiana Dr would be able to find the right color and the AZ doctors will
not. They also said they will pay for a low vision exam here in AZ above
what Medicare covers. So why they will nto pay for a doctor who specializes
in determining the right contacts for an achromat is beyond me..

On Thu, Apr 18, 2013 at 11:15 AM, Kaiti Shelton <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com
> wrote:

> And if that doesn't work, go to the superviser's boss and speak 
> directly to them.  This run around game sounds ridiculous.
>
> On 4/17/13, justin williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I would try to talk to the supervisor one more time by phone if I could.
> > If
> > you explain your situation, and that you have filed an appeal, you 
> > may be able to speed things up.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kaiti
> Shelton
> > Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2013 1:36 PM
> > To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> > Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Voc Rehab Appeal
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > Suzanne, I totally sympathize.  I know when people don't read what 
> > you send them it could be quite frustrating, and I'm not going to 
> > even bring up the consumer choice stuff that they're not paying 
> > attention to.
> >
> > I'd speak directly to the person at the top by phone.  It looks to 
> > me like you have tried the councelor, tried the superviser, so the 
> > next person up is probably the one you have to go to.
> >
> > On 4/17/13, justin williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> Try to talk to the supervisor if the counselor proves unresponsive.
> >> Failing
> >> that, Cap is your next attempt.  Try not to do this; try to work it 
> >> out with the counselor and the supervisor.
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
> >> Suzanne Germano
> >> Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2013 12:25 PM
> >> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> >> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Voc Rehab Appeal
> >>
> >> Basically advice on appeals. Anyone's experience with getting 
> >> services out of state when a similar service is available in state 
> >> but the instate service clearly would not meet the needs. Best way 
> >> to deal with people who are clearly not even reading what you send 
> >> them.
> >>
> >>
> >> On Thu, Apr 18, 2013 at 9:18 AM, Littlefield, Tyler
> >> <tyler at tysdomain.com>wrote:
> >>
> >>> Suzanne:
> >>> While I sympathize with your issues (I've had to deal with a 
> >>> really lovely dvr system),  I"m kind of confused as to what you 
> >>> want out of this
> >> message.
> >>> Are you asking for advice? Just complaining?
> >>>
> >>> DVR's goal is to help get you employed. While they don't always do 
> >>> the best job, they do help some. As part of that though, they tend 
> >>> to be part of the government; the government isn't exactly known 
> >>> for speedy resolution of problems.
> >>> if you've tried to appeal to the supervisor, there is usually a 
> >>> state office (or a main coordenating supervisor). I recommend you 
> >>> take that route and explain the situation and the due date to them.
> >>>
> >>> Ultimately, you need to be nice. I understand your frustration, 
> >>> but going higher up you'll get a lot more help if you're easier to 
> >>> work with.
> >>> HTH,
> >>> On 4/18/2013 9:59 AM, Suzanne Germano wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> I appealed a decision on March 15th and requested mediation. On 
> >>>> April 11th I emailed my counselor to in quire if she and her 
> >>>> supervisor had agreed to mediation. On April 12th her supervisor 
> >>>> sends me a letter which clearly shows he never read the appeal 
> >>>> documentation and asked if I was agreeable to the conditions of 
> >>>> the letter or if I wanted ot
> >> continue with mediation.
> >>>> Seeing that they are still denying the request and he clearly 
> >>>> does not even understand the request I had to fax him today 
> >>>> saying No I do not agree and still want mediation. I think it was 
> >>>> a delay technique since I need the approval by May 14th.
> >>>>
> >>>> I simply do not understand why if their goal is to help us become 
> >>>> employed why everything is such a battle and nothing they do 
> >>>> makes sense.
> >>>>
> >>>> It was all I could to to keep form saying "clearly you did not 
> >>>> read my original request or my appeal with supporting 
> >>>> documentation or you would have never sent the letter you did"
> >>>>
> >>>> This is part of what I wrote in the appeal
> >>>>
> >>>>   "I am appealing the denial of services dated Feb 28, 2013 based 
> >>>> on the fact that the three contracted vendors in AZ cannot 
> >>>> provide the service I requested.
> >>>>
> >>>> I have complete achromatopsia which part is severe light sensitivity.
> >>>> I have been wearing red contacts since 1995 when I had them 
> >>>> prescribed by
> >> Dr
> >>>> Hagerston-Portnoy at UC Berkley who studies Achromatopsia.   Until
> >> January
> >>>> 2013 my vision requirements for the red contacts were for mainly 
> >>>> outside
> >>>> and very bright places (i.e. grocery stores).   However, since I
> >>>> decided
> >>>> to
> >>>> fulfill a lifetime goal of completing my degree and returning to 
> >>>> work; my requirements have changed.  The current contacts are too 
> >>>> dark and very likely the wrong color for 8-10 hours a day of 
> >>>> classroom and homework. The classrooms are not extremely bright 
> >>>> as many dim the lights somewhat for power point presentations. It 
> >>>> is still much to bright for no filter but too dark for the reds I
have.
> >>>> I have also noticed that the red makes reading difficult. After 
> >>>> much research I have found many achromats go with a lighter 
> >>>> filter or even a different color browns, magentas etc. I already 
> >>>> tried reducing the color by 30%, from my original red from 1995, 
> >>>> through my low vision specialist who provides the contacts. I 
> >>>> paid $400 for the contacts in addition to the exam just to find 
> >>>> out that even this level is not right for reading.
> >>>>
> >>>> I requested for RSA to cover the cost of a very specialized low 
> >>>> vision contact lens exam and the contacts through Eye Associates 
> >>>> in
> >> Indianapolis.
> >>>> Dr Windsor and Associates work primarily with acromats and 
> >>>> specialize in being able determine the right color and percent 
> >>>> color of the lenses. It is an extensive 4 hours appointment in 
> >>>> which I try on contact lenses of several colors and darkness and 
> >>>> see how they work for reading , and how they work outside with my
script sunglasses.
> >>>> What will be the best for the average lighting I will be in 
> >>>> during class and in study areas of campus."
> >>>>
> >>>> I included documentation about each of their contracted vendors 
> >>>> and how they determine color. None of them did anything similar 
> >>>> to Eye
> >> Associates.
> >>>> They only use very limited color choices. The low vision clinic 
> >>>> in Indiana has several contacts to try. They spend 4-5 hours just
> >> determining color.
> >>>> Some achomats even use one color in one eye and one in the other. 
> >>>> The Drs jsut use "the most popular colors"
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> So frustrating...
> >>>> ______________________________**_________________
> >>>> nabs-l mailing list
> >>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> >>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/**listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org<http://nfbnet.
> >>>> org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org>
> >>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
> >>>> for
> >>>> nabs-l:
> >>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/**options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/**
> >>>> tyler%40tysdomain.com<http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nf
> >>>> bnet
> >>>> .org/tyler%40tysdomain.com>
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> Take care,
> >>> Ty
> >>> http://tds-solutions.net
> >>> The aspen project: a barebones light-weight mud engine:
> >>> http://code.google.com/p/**aspenmud
> >>> <http://code.google.com/p/aspenmud>
> >>> He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a 
> >>> fool; he that dares not reason is a slave.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> ______________________________**_________________
> >>> nabs-l mailing list
> >>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/**listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org<http://nfbn
> >>> et.o rg/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org>
> >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
> >>> for
> >>> nabs-l:
> >>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/**options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/**sgermano%4
> >>> 0asu 
> >>> .edu<http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/sgermano%
> >>> 40as
> >>> u.edu>
> >>>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> nabs-l mailing list
> >> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
> >> for
> >> nabs-l:
> >>
> >
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/justin.williams2%4
> 0gmail
> >> .com
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> nabs-l mailing list
> >> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
> >> for
> >> nabs-l:
> >>
> >
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/crazy4clarinet104%
> 40gmai
> > l.com
> >>
> >
> >
> > --
> > Kaiti
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > nabs-l mailing list
> > nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
> > for
> > nabs-l:
> >
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/justin.williams2%4
> 0gmail
> > .com
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > nabs-l mailing list
> > nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
> > for
> > nabs-l:
> >
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/crazy4clarinet104%
> 40gmail.com
> >
>
>
> --
> Kaiti
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nabs-l:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/sgermano%40asu.edu
>
_______________________________________________
nabs-l mailing list
nabs-l at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
nabs-l:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/justin.williams2%40gmail
.com