Address error cost an ailing Oakland man his health insurance; nonprofit helped him get it back
The 69-year-old Oakland resident has end-stage renal disease and needs kidney dialysis three times a week to stay alive. For years, the
But last year, Titus' son, also named Michael but with a different middle name, moved out of his dad's house and alerted the
After receiving a change-of-address notice and thinking that its patient had moved out of the area, Kaiser discontinued his coverage, Titus said.
But Titus, who retired from a job at a
That could have been a disastrous bit of news. But
Legal Assistance for Seniors has received funding this year from Share the Spirit, an annual holiday campaign that serves needy residents in the
After Titus -- who enjoys cooking, watching movies and the occasional horse race when he's not mired in red tape -- found out his health insurance had been canceled, he tried to solve the issue himself.
But, he said over coffee after a dialysis appointment one unseasonably warm morning, he ran into roadblock after roadblock. "It was just terrible," he said.
Then Titus learned about Legal Assistance for Seniors, the only legal services program in
Gibney, a retired attorney who says the complicated world of medical insurance appeals to his "lawyerly instincts," ultimately got Kaiser to reinstate his coverage retroactively after months of pressure.
"It was just dealing with the bureaucracy," Gibney said.
"Michael is a very intelligent, wonderful individual," he added. "It just overwhelmed him."
Titus is grateful for the help.
"They didn't want to talk to me, and they didn't really want to talk to Bob," he said. "I really don't know why they sent me through all that."
A spokesman for the
Throughout it all, the clinic made sure Titus continued to receive the kidney dialysis he needed to survive. And the clinic's social worker, Makenda Burroughs-Miller, even helped him secure a grant from the
"And there ends the story," Gibney said.
Well, not quite.
The tale continues for legal-assistance volunteers like Gibney, who was visiting a senior center in
Experts say that as baby boomers in the area age, the need for legal assistance, such as help fighting elder abuse or navigating public benefit claims, is growing.
According to Legal Assistance for Seniors, the demand for such services is expected to double in the next few years. Roughly 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day in
"Unfortunately, this is the kind of situation a lot of seniors find themselves in," said Legal Assistance for Seniors' executive director,
Legal Assistance for Seniors receives funding from a number of law offices, as well as
Last fiscal year, HICAP helped some 4,500 people with health care questions, a number that has increased over the years as more
"This is such a critical service," Treggiari said.
Titus agrees.
"People need help," he said. "That organization is wonderful, just wonderful."
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SHARE THE SPIRIT
The Share the Spirit holiday campaign, sponsored by the
To make a tax-deductible contribution, clip the coupon accompanying this story or go to www.sharethespiriteastbay.org/donate/.
Readers with questions, and individuals or businesses interested in making large contributions, may contact the
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