[Nfbmo] KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Northland woman speaks up to help others, and it involves Missouri's blind pension

[Bryan Schulz]

hi,

Since DFS enjoys playing games and will let applications lay on a desk until 
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Bryan Schulz


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "NJ Lynn via Nfbmo" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
To: "nfbmo list" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, July 18, 2014 10:07 AM
Subject: [Nfbmo] KANSAS CITY,Mo. - A Northland woman speaks up to help 
others,and it involves Missouri's blind pension


  KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Northland woman speaks up to help others, and it 
involves Missouri's blind pension.

  The North Kansas City woman says it's a systematic problem that could 
impact others too.

  Wendy Poth, 60, has been blind since she was seven years old. She receives 
blind pension benefits, but was recently cut off due to circumstances out of 
her control.

  "When I thought I had myself in a very secure situation, where I could 
live here alone, take care of myself adequately, and have nothing to be 
concerned about, all of that was lost," Poth said.

  The blind pension is a monthly stipend plus Medicaid for those who are 
blind, and do not have more than $20,000 in assets.

  "There is a systemic problem in the state of Missouri regarding blind 
pension," said Poth.

  Once a year, each person must re-certify. So in April, Poth called and 
asked when her review was and she said they told her June. She never heard 
from them. She got nervous and called the 800 number in Jefferson City and 
told them she never received anything regarding her pension for the upcoming 
year.

  "And they said well, actually, we sent something on May fifth and you did 
not fill it out or return it, so we have cut you off as of June 13," Poth 
said.

  She says many questions went through her mind.

  "How could this have happened without me knowing it? If I hadn't called 
you how would I have found out?" she said. "I was sitting there thinking I 
was going to be able to pay my rent and get my medications come the first of 
next month, and wow, I wasn't!"

  Deborah Babbitt is a social worker, and has been helping Poth. She says 
even she can't get a straight answer from Missouri Social Services.

  "They're making it very difficult for the most needy and the most 
vulnerable of the population to have access to benefits that they're 
entitled to," said Babbitt.

  "You would think that by 2014, blind pension would say oh what a concept, 
let's call these people," said Poth.

  Poth's reinstatement could've taken up to 90 days. She currently has no 
other income, meaning for three months she's in a financial crisis. She says 
she never received that letter.

  "Did it get to the building into the wrong mailbox? Or did I, ha, not see 
it?" she said.

  Poth says fixing her problem is just a small part of finding a widespread 
solution. She wants to prevent this from happening to others.

  On Wednesday, FOX 4 reached out to Missouri Social Services.

  "As needs for accommodations vary for individuals with disabilities, we 
provide the opportunity for clients to contact us to request 
assistance/accommodations and we respond to those requests as appropriate," 
said a Missouri Social Services spokeswoman.

  Poth told FOX 4 that shortly after her story aired, social services called 
her notifying her she has since been reinstated.



  Filed in: News

  Topics: blind, Deborah Babbitt, medicaid, Missouri Social Services, 
Missouri's blind pension, North Kansas City, Wendy Poth

  So what is the difference between a blind pension and disability?

  July 17, 2014 at 12:02 pm Reply Report comment

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