EDD Call

About a month ago, I tried calling the EDD to clarify a letter they sent me. After many many tries, I gave up and wrote a letter on January 7th. Well, yesterday during my surgery, they finally called back, twice, and left a voicemail. They also sent me an email basically telling me that my claim was approved. This is after sending me several checks in the mail already.

Seriously, I’m not sure how things get done in the California government. Again, if private companies worked with the same speed and efficiency as government, we’d all be unemployed.

I just realized I have to call/write/email the EDD again. My cardiologist put February 14th as my return to work day. I don’t know if the EDD will pay me until that date. However, my actual “return-to-work” date was January 30th. I’m taking vacation days for January 31st onward and you can’t be paid while getting disability from the EDD.

Using Medicare

I’m at the hospital and just checked in for my surgery. During check-in, they asked about medical insurance. I told them that I was just approved for Medicare but have not received the insurance card yet. Luckily, I saved a copy of my benefit letter on Google Drive and was able to get my Medicare number. She keyed in the data into their computer and I guess it was verified as active. We’ll let their billing office figure out how to coordinate the two different insurances.

After years of paying Medicare taxes, I finally get to use it.

Medicare Update 1/25/2020

I got a letter from Social Security Administration in the mail today. It’s a Notice of Award that I am entitled to Medicare because of my kidney condition. It’s a more detailed version of what I saw online yesterday.

The letter also said that I could start my Medicare Part B benefits on December 2018 as well, but I would have to pay $1,760 in premiums within 60 days. I’m still very confused about this. Last year, I had to pay my out-of-pocket limit of $3,400 since I only have my work insurance. Does Medicare cover that amount? If so, then I can pay $1,760 to get reimbursed $3,400? I think the premium will be more than $1,760 because of my salary so it’s likely not worth it.

Letter also mentions that I should get my Medicare card within two weeks. I can’t wait.

Medicare Update 1/24/2020

I have not received my Medicare card in the mail yet but there are some updates on the my Social Security website. There is a new section called Benefit & Payments Detail and it lists more info about my benefits.

I guess the most interesting part of the page is the Medicare Part B premiums. It still says $144.60/month which is the base premium. From their own website, I think I have to pay a lot more based on my salary. I have not received an invoice so far so I don’t know my premium yet. On the benefit verification letter, they’ve added my Medicare ID number, which I can use to get services before my card arrives. I’m still not sure what Part A and Part B covers other than ESRD related costs.

2nd Full-time Job

For the past few weeks, it kind of feels like I have a full-time job even though I’m out on short-term medical leave. Since I started driving again, it’s been one medical related appointment after another. Here’s a list of regular appointments for the next few months:

Hemodialysis: three times a week for about 4 hours
Cardiac Rehabilitation: four time a week for 1 – 1.5 hours
Acupuncture: twice a week for about 45 minutes
Therapist: once a week for about an hour

If you add that all up, it comes to about 20 hours per week. Then add to that a bunch of one-off appointments like at the endodontist, dentist, vascular surgeon, etc. Starting February, if I go on 3/4 time at work, I need to add in 30+ hours of work plus 8 – 9 hours of commuting per week.

For sure I need to sleep more. Can’t be waking up at 3:00 am each night for 2 – 3 hours if I’m working the next day.