Speaker: Rhonda Beckett
Please introduce yourself.
Rhonda Beckett : My name is Rhonda Beckett. I'm 55 years old from Wilmington, North Carolina. I am a Medicaid recipient and have been for the last 26 years. Medicaid is a wonderful program. It has brought me and my children through for many years now and without Medicaid, certain things that we needed to be done like glasses and dental, we couldn't have had afford it without Medicaid. Medicaid is, a really a blessing. The downfall with Medicaid that I feel that kind of makes me angry is that when you have to go see a specialist, besides your primary care doctor that the referrals take a long time to get done. I understand that I'm not the only Medicaid recipient but seem like the kinks and stuff should be worked out. If you have a doctor who's on Medicaid and a specialist who's also on Medicaid. Why do we have to go back to Medicaid to ask for permission to go to that doctor if they're all working together? That's the only downfall I have with Medicaid. I appreciate the opportunity to speak up about Medicaid. If there's anything else that you need from me about Medicaid, I'm quite sure I got a story or a situation about it. Thank you.
How was your experience applying for Medicaid in North Carolina?
Rhonda Beckett : I could not remember how the application process went when I first started. It's been so many years, but I can tell you this, I have recertified for Medicaid on many occasions and it has been a painless process even when they brought in the secondary insurance. And I had to pick, that it was very simple and very easy to do because Medicaid always kept me inform beforehand and it wasn't like I went in blind and I knew exactly what I had to do. I've never been terminated from Medicaid or anything like that. I've been turned down for many, specialist or something like that, you know, that my doctors want to send me to. But once we reapplied, it took another 30 days, everything usually went through.
How has Medicaid made a difference to you and your family?
Rhonda Beckett : Medicaid has helped my family in many ways, more than one. and it has helped us because it, it when you have to go to the hospital, you don't have a hospital bill and you know, things have happened, the economy is going crazy. People are going crazy and without Medicaid, I'm quite sure people could not afford the things that Medicaid allows you want to have. I don't have to recommend Medicaid or tell people about Medicaid because everybody I know is on Medicaid or has a secondary insurance.
What challenges have you faced with Medicaid in North Carolina?
Rhonda Beckett : I had a stroke less than a year ago and I have received bills in the mail. The bills in the mail that I received are due to the fact that the people who came in to help me with my stroke, the office managers or whoever it may be, are not filing the Medicaid properly. And so I have to call them and, and tell them, look, I'm not going pay this bill because I have Medicaid and once they get on the ball and do their job, I don't have any medical bills that I can see.
