Another medicaid question..

[Stayseeliz]

DH lost his job a couple of weeks ago and is looking for something else. Our insurance expires today and I was going to get the kids on medicaid. I was told that I needed their shot records to apply. I told the woman at medicaid that they weren't up to date and would that be a problem. She said no. I called my pedi and asked for their records. The nurse called back and left a looooong voicemail about how none of them are up to date and they need to update their shots and she couldn't give me a DHEC form since they hadn't had all their shots etc etc etc..First of all can they refuse to give me my kids' records? I've never had a problem with this ped ofice before. The dr I see there kinda says "You should think about vaxing" and I say "No thanks" and they leave it at that. Will it matter if they're not up to date?

At this point I'm annoyed but also a little spooked. We already homeschool, DH doesn't have a job but is looking for one. We live in a small house and the kids are all in one room. I'm afraid we're going to be labeled "freaks" for not vaxing and they'll see we do some other things differently and start to make trouble. Should it be this big of a deal?? Thanks for any advice..

[Gitti]

Tell the nurse you want the shot record and even though they are not up to date, you want them. Period.

To whom should it matter that they are not up to date? It is up to you. You are the parent. You make the health care decisions.

I know that you are spooked. Funny, all this in a free country. It is awful what is happening to us.

But vaccines are not a law. They are only mandated for school and your kids don't go to school. The law is on your side.

What are you planning on doing? Vaccinating further or putting an exemption in place. (I don't know in place of where, but just having on in the house, I guess?)

[Stayseeliz]

I'm going to get an exemption tomorrow. We're not doing anymore vaxes! DS had some until he was 3, DD1 had two shots and DD2 hasn't had any. I told the nurse that I needed them regardless of whether they're complete or not. Thanks for the input!

[Gitti]

Here is a thread about exemptions in South Carolina. hth

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=809126

[goodheartedmama]

I've had my kids records pulled, to switch pediatricians. It didn't seem like a huge deal.

[LavenderMae]

My children have been insured with medicaid more than once (in SC) and I've never been asked for their vax record. They don't have it now becasue of all BS documents (and your kid's SS cards don't count) they now want, just too many hoops to jump through and if they are requiring vax records now forget it. Plus, it so unpleasant to have to go down there wait all day and then be treated like scum. I try to avoid telling them we homeschool, I just gave them grade levels and yes I'm paranoid. One time I did have a case worker drop of a doctors list at my house that was very odd and I know she was checking up on us (it was years ago though).

Oops kind of went on a rant there.

[Stayseeliz]

Do you know if they always do a home visit? That just wierds me out for some reason!

[LavenderMae]

Originally Posted by Stayseeliz

Do you know if they always do a home visit? That just wierds me out for some reason!

No, I don't think so. It was totally out of the blue. I know she was checking up, who knows why I guess I was on the radar for some reason (maybe because I was young and poor. Thank goodness my house was clean ect (I didn't let her in though). It was several years (and two moves ) ago thank goodness.

[Christian_mom]

My two children both receive medicaid here in Indiana and I have never had anyone pop in for a visit, check up, etc. I've also never been asked for shot records except at the WIC office. I would imagine an exemption would get you out of the 'need' for shot records, in fact I need to get my religious exemption written up...

And I highly doubt the state is going to 'waste' their time checking up on your home unannounced. =]

[LavenderMae]

Originally Posted by Christian_mom

And I highly doubt the state is going to 'waste' their time checking up on your home unannounced. =]

I agree they probably won't but they did just that to me. There was no reason for anyone to come to my house period and it was unannounced.

[2 in August]

We've never had anyone come to the house. There was a box to check if the kids were up-to-date, but I just leave it blank and the caseworker doesn't say anything.

[phathui5]

Originally Posted by Stayseeliz

Do you know if they always do a home visit? That just wierds me out for some reason!

That is probably the home health nurse program. Here in MD it's called Healthy Start. You can tell them No.

[LavenderMae]

Originally Posted by phathui5

That is probably the home health nurse program. Here in MD it's called Healthy Start. You can tell them No.

In my case it wasn't. I really mean it when I say there was no reason for her to show up and it was completely out of the blue.
I do not think it will happen to the OP but I feel like my experience is getting discounted or not believed. Maybe I'm just being sensitive today.

[Stayseeliz]

I just called the office and said I didn't have access to my kid's shot records and the woman (not the woman I saw in the office) said I could just sign a statement saying I didn't have their shot records and that I swear they're my children. But I didn't get that answer until I said "Is there anything else I can use in place of shot records?" Pretty sneaky..

I also asked if they did home visits and the woman said she'd worked there a year and never heard of them doing home visits.