Category リハビリ (Rehab)
昨日、待ちに待ったサンディエゴ地域センターのLeoの担当の人が家に来た。
Yesterday, we had a visit by the long waited service coordinator from San Diego Regional Center. She is in charge of Leo's case.
Leoの現状把握と利用可能なサービスの説明を受ける。
She asked many questions about how Leo's doing and also explained about the available services Leo can possibly have.
一番しなければいけないことは、障害者の医療費の自己負担をゼロにする制度(Medi-Cal)に登録すること。
The first priority for us is to apply for Medi-Cal, which pays all out-of-pocket medical cost for Leo.
ことの始まりは一年前…
We tried to apply actually more than a year ago.
Leoのセラピストがウォーカーをオーダー。そしたら、ウォーカー、車イス、専用のイスなど、一つ50万円以上。私の健康保険(もちろん民間の) は半分しかカバーしない。とてもじゃないけど払えない…
Leo's PT ordered a gait trainer, but we did not know it costs $5,000+ for a wheel chair, walker, special chair, etc. My insurance covers only a half of the cost, so I simply cannot afford it.
そこでMedi-Calの申請をするも、所得制限で却下。
So we applied for Medi-Cal, but it was denied with the income limit.
この所得制限を外すには地域センターから重度身体障害児のため制限免除の証明が必要とのことで、地域センターへ。
In order to remove the income limit, there needs a letter from Regional Center about the waiver of income limit for disabled kids.
そしたら、まず地域センターに登録が必要と言われ、申請するも処理が遅い。結局、登録されたのはつい最近。
But first Regional Center needs to register Leo as a disabled child before applying the waiver. So we tried to do that but it took a long time and he just got registered recently.
登録後、センターに所得制限免除の申請するも、一ヶ月かかるらしく、いま待ち状態…
After that, we applied for the waiver, but they said it would take a month, so we are waiting now.
免除のレターが出たら、本丸のMedo-Cal申請。これも一ヶ月以上かかる。はやくて、夏前かな？
Once the letter is issued, we will finally apply for Medi-Cal, which takes another month or so. So I am expecting that to happen before this summer, hopefully.
書類関係の処理はなんでも遅い。アメリカは。
All document processing is slow here in the States compared with Japan.
しかし、認可されれば、少なくとも障害児は所得に関係なく、医療費、医療器具の負担はゼロ。本当に助かります。
But once accepted, out-of-pocket expense will be zero for Leo, so it is very helpful.
日本は意外にも、所得制限の免除がなく、同居人もふくめ、世帯全体の収入に対して制限がかかる。だから、平均以上稼いでいると補助が受けれない。世帯収入にかかるから、皆で面倒をみろということなのだろう。
We though Japan has better welfare for disabled, but the income limit is on the entire household including grand parents, siblings, etc. So if you are making more than an average, then you get nothing. So it almost means "take care of him by entire household."
色々考えさせられます。
Many interesting differences...
Yesterday, we had a visit by the long waited service coordinator from San Diego Regional Center. She is in charge of Leo's case.
Leoの現状把握と利用可能なサービスの説明を受ける。
She asked many questions about how Leo's doing and also explained about the available services Leo can possibly have.
一番しなければいけないことは、障害者の医療費の自己負担をゼロにする制度(Medi-Cal)に登録すること。
The first priority for us is to apply for Medi-Cal, which pays all out-of-pocket medical cost for Leo.
ことの始まりは一年前…
We tried to apply actually more than a year ago.
Leoのセラピストがウォーカーをオーダー。そしたら、ウォーカー、車イス、専用のイスなど、一つ50万円以上。私の健康保険(もちろん民間の) は半分しかカバーしない。とてもじゃないけど払えない…
Leo's PT ordered a gait trainer, but we did not know it costs $5,000+ for a wheel chair, walker, special chair, etc. My insurance covers only a half of the cost, so I simply cannot afford it.
そこでMedi-Calの申請をするも、所得制限で却下。
So we applied for Medi-Cal, but it was denied with the income limit.
この所得制限を外すには地域センターから重度身体障害児のため制限免除の証明が必要とのことで、地域センターへ。
In order to remove the income limit, there needs a letter from Regional Center about the waiver of income limit for disabled kids.
そしたら、まず地域センターに登録が必要と言われ、申請するも処理が遅い。結局、登録されたのはつい最近。
But first Regional Center needs to register Leo as a disabled child before applying the waiver. So we tried to do that but it took a long time and he just got registered recently.
登録後、センターに所得制限免除の申請するも、一ヶ月かかるらしく、いま待ち状態…
After that, we applied for the waiver, but they said it would take a month, so we are waiting now.
免除のレターが出たら、本丸のMedo-Cal申請。これも一ヶ月以上かかる。はやくて、夏前かな？
Once the letter is issued, we will finally apply for Medi-Cal, which takes another month or so. So I am expecting that to happen before this summer, hopefully.
書類関係の処理はなんでも遅い。アメリカは。
All document processing is slow here in the States compared with Japan.
しかし、認可されれば、少なくとも障害児は所得に関係なく、医療費、医療器具の負担はゼロ。本当に助かります。
But once accepted, out-of-pocket expense will be zero for Leo, so it is very helpful.
日本は意外にも、所得制限の免除がなく、同居人もふくめ、世帯全体の収入に対して制限がかかる。だから、平均以上稼いでいると補助が受けれない。世帯収入にかかるから、皆で面倒をみろということなのだろう。
We though Japan has better welfare for disabled, but the income limit is on the entire household including grand parents, siblings, etc. So if you are making more than an average, then you get nothing. So it almost means "take care of him by entire household."
色々考えさせられます。
Many interesting differences...
