[nabs-l] Voc Rehab Appeal

Thu Apr 18 21:10:28 UTC 2013

When I appealed Arizona rehab to send me to Louisiana Center for
training, I spoke with Ed House. I don't recall what his position is
but he apparently has the authority to override initial counselor
decisions if there is justification. You can get his contact info from
Bob; I don't have it anymore.
Arielle

On 4/18/13, Suzanne Germano <sgermano at asu.edu> wrote:
> I have the contact info for NFB AZ state president and will be emailing or
> calling him.
>
>
> On Thu, Apr 18, 2013 at 12:05 PM, Kaiti Shelton
> <crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com
>> wrote:
>
>> Absolutely, go all the way to the director of the entire rehab
>> services for your state if the vision director won't listen, and if
>> the overall director doesn't listen then you honestly might have
>> grounds for a lawsuit.
>>
>> I'd really get in contact with your NFB state affiliate about this.
>> They would know the system much better than any of us and would be
>> able to stand behind you with this.  At this point, just do what you
>> have to do to make sure your needs are met.
>>
>> On 4/17/13, justin williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > 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.
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>>
>> >> >>> ______________________________**_________________
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>> >> >>> 40as
>> >> >>> u.edu>
>> >> >>>
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>> >> >>
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>> >> >
>> >> >
>> >> > --
>> >> > Kaiti
>> >> >
>> >> > _______________________________________________
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>> >> >
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>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Kaiti
>> >>
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>> --
>> Kaiti
>>
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