From: Kevin

To: owcp@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, June 13, 2005 1:51 PM

Subject: [owcp] Re: OIG's nasty gram and inefficient bureaucracy

Chris,

Welcome!

As you know, I have been planting "seeds" all over the Internet
trying to attract more affected RPCVs to this group.  (For the
record, the group was Nancy's brain child; I've just provided some
technical know-how and elbow grease.)

I think that we, as a group, should do something about OWCP and its
contractor ACS/Lockheed.  What that is, I'm not sure.  If you've got
any ideas, please speak up.  One purpose of this group is to
brainstorm potential strategies, solutions, etc.  I think that we
might want to do something about the OIG letter/investigation, too,
and those actions could conceivably be a springboard toward more
global action.

You mentioned that you have someone at OWCP "who's job it is to fix
problems" advocating for you.  How did you find this person?  Is it
someone in the District office, or in Washington, DC, or elsewhere? 
I recently found a sympathetic ear in DC, but I'm not sure if it was
her or 3 Congressional inquiries in the course of a week that got the
attention of OWCP!

Looking forward to hearing more from you.

Kevin

--- In owcp@yahoogroups.com, "Chris Starace" <cstarace@y...> wrote:
> Hi Kevin,
> 
> I too was very offended by the letter.  First of all, there is no
> reason to send it registered mail other than to intimidate.  Almost
> no one sends
> registered mail out of the blue.  I had to make a special trip to
the
> post
> office and all I could think was that I was getting audited by the
> IRS.  I
> agree that the letter was intimidating, just reminding us how much
the
> program costs, how abusers of the system will be prosecuted and how
> we are
> to "cooperate with criminal investigator1s."  I'm angry about it as
> I'm sure you
> are.
>
> In addition, dealing with ACS is driving me nuts.  Before I
> had no problem getting claims reimbursed but now there's another
> thick layer
> of inefficient bureaucracy and it takes forever.  I've been waiting
> for 3
> months now to get a new hearing aid.  I think finally now that
> someone at DOL who's job it is to fix problems is helping me, I'm
> finally getting closer to receiving it.
>
> Let me know how I can help to improve our level of service and
> respect.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Chris
> Benin- Smalll Business Developent
> 95-97

Welcome Chris!

Your point about the intimidation factor of a
registered letter was right on.  I forgot to mention
that in my last e-mail, but I know I certainly picked
up on that.  I couldn't imagine why I'd be getting a
registered letter from PC.  I suppose it would have
been worse if it were from the DOL.

I feel my case is justified, but I had a lot of
problems with my doctor and do not feel my case is as
well supported on paper as it might have been (by an
MD anyway, since OWCP doesn't seem to care what my PT
or chiro have to say, even though they see me much
more often).   So, I am a little nervous that if
someone decides to review my case, it's going to be
the whole battle all over again. I don't know if I
have the energy for that.

Nancy - hang in there!

Kevin - I think you're idea for the direction of your
petition is sounding good.  If you would like to make
up a draft, I think that would be great.  If you want
someone to look it over before you send it out for
further comment, or if you want help drafting it, let
me know.

Heidi


"In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but also by
what we refuse to destroy."  John Sawhill



__________________________________
Discover Yahoo!
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Kevin
Why don't youi send the president copies of your e-mail?  Seems he needs a
good dose of reality.  Why doesn't Peace Corps support us?  I'm still unable
to  be ccepted by PC as blind in my left eye due to Peace Corps service.
     Personally I would prefer to see you contact Oprah or 60 Minutes.  I
don't think working through channels will be effective in the end.  There is
always more red tape.

Jan Williams

> Heidi (and Nancy and all),
>
> Maybe I'm a slow learner but it wasn't until I received the OIG's
> letter that it dawned on me why no one in Peace Corps seems to be
> willing to help RPCVs with their OWCP claims:  It isn't in the
> agency's best interest, at least from a fiscal point of view.  In
> fact, Peace Corps may have more of a financial incentive than OWCP
> does to have RPCVs' claims denied.  That is probably one reason why
> Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez opposed the legislation that
> would have created the Ombusdman position that Nancy told us about
> several months ago.
>
> Some other thoughts:
>
> I agree that the investigation is very one-sided.  However, the OIG
> of Peace Corps probably lacks the jurisdiction to investigate waste,
> abuse, fraud, etc. within OWCP.  We, individually or as a group,
> however, have the right to ask Congress to order a GAO investigation
> of OWCP.  I'm beginning to think that my petition idea might be
> morphing in that direction.  The House Committee that oversees the
> Department of Labor seems sympathetic to federal workers'
> compensations claimants, so I think a request for a such an
> investigation would be well received by the Committee.  If we could
> get RPCVs from 10 different states to sign a letter to that House
> Committee and we cc'd the letter to the corresponding Senate
> Committee and each of the RPCVs' Senators and Congressmen, then the
> letter would be in the hands of a sizeable number of our elected
> representatives.  Whether or not that would reach the critical mass
> needed for action remains to be seen.  I'd be willing to take a stab
> at a draft letter if people think it's a good idea.
>
> Personally I have no major problem with the OIG's investigation as
> long as it doesn't become unduly burdensome for RPCVs.  If, in fact,
> there are people who are abusing the system, then they should be
> stopped.  However, I do have some concerns as well:  I don't like
> people feeling intimidated by the OIG.  I don't want the
> investigation to result in our having to provide additional and/or
> repetitive medical documentation.  (I feel that my OWCP file
> contains current and adequate documentation to support my claim.)  I
> hope the OIG did a cost benefit analysis beforehand to demonstrate
> that the investigation is likely to be cost effective (i.e., the
> amounts recovered will exceed the cost of the investigation).  It is
> too bad that the OIG feels that it has to conduct the
> investigation.  If OWCP were doing its job, it would be able to stop
> the scofflaws without Peace Corps intervention.
>
> Kevin
>
>
> --- In owcp@yahoogroups.com, Heidi Fassnacht <riverock5@y...> wrote:
>> Kevin,
>>
>> I got the exact same letter.  Personally, I found the
>> letter somewhat intimidating.  It is bad enough to get
>> the letters from DOL that feel threatening, but to get
>> one like this from Peace Corps made me mad.  Isn't
>> anyone looking out for *our* interests?  I think what
>> the OIG is looking to do is reasonable, but given how
>> one sided this whole struggle seems, I feel very
>> frustrated that this 'investigation' seems to be
>> equally one sided.  I find it insulting given how many
>> of us have had to deal with all of DOL's nonsense that
>> they didn't say they were looking into if the system
>> were working well for us, like you mentioned.
>>
>> Heidi
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
Dear Janice,



I am writing because we need your support.



Peace Corps service profoundly affects people's lives, especially the lives
of those of us who have had the privilege to do it.



The National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) was set up to promote Peace
Corps service and the values of fostering peace and service that it
embodies.



Although we have a long way to go to fully realize the potential inherent in
our remarkable community, with your help we have made some real progress:



* Advocacy.  We have significantly expanded our ability to advocate on
behalf of Peace Corps values and to keep our members abreast of issues,
including the army's recruiting plans involving an option of Peace Corps
service.



* Global Education.  Through a growing network, we keep young Americans
informed about the dynamic and complex world we live in by enabling
educators to bring accurate and meaningful resources to the classroom.



* Publications.  To provide you more timely information, we shifted to a
monthly electronic newsletter.  WorldView magazine has begun special issues
on key human development issues, such as AIDS.



* Recognition.  We are working to enhance the profile of our Sargent Shriver
and Loret Miller Ruppe awards to better recognize exemplars of members who
embody the values of fostering peace and promoting service.



To do this and the many more things we aspire to do leading up to the
upcoming 50th anniversary of Peace Corps requires resources.  Our membership
dues only provide 16 percent of our needs. Please give what you can.  You
can contribute at https://www.npcaonline.org/npcassa/ssaauthmain.login_page.
Log in using your personal login provided below and click on "contribute".
We will put your donation to good use.



Gratefully,







Kevin F. F. Quigley

President

Jan,

Thanks for speaking up.  I don't think there is one right way to
approach the problem.  Going public, which you and Nancy seem to
favor, is one way.  Working through the channels, as you put it, is
another.  It should be noted, however, that I'm looking at channels
outside the executive branch, which is why I haven't contacted the PC
Director or the President.  Maybe I'm wrong, but I think if we can
get our legislators, and particularly their auditing arm (i.e., the
GAO), to put some pressure on the Department of Labor and Peace
Corps, I believe we can get some action.  Nothing I've said should
discourage anyone from contacting Oprah, 60 minutes, or NBC news.
Action on multiple fronts can be very effective.

Kevin

P.S.  If someone wants to take the lead in inviting members of the
media to visit this forum, I'm all for it.  There are stories here,
but whether they're newsworthy or would have broad public appeal is
for the media to decide.

--- In owcp@yahoogroups.com, Janice Williams <therifi@m...> wrote:
> Kevin
> Why don't youi send the president copies of your e-mail?  Seems he
needs a
> good dose of reality.  Why doesn't Peace Corps support us?  I'm
still unable
> to  be ccepted by PC as blind in my left eye due to Peace Corps
service.
>     Personally I would prefer to see you contact Oprah or 60
Minutes.  I
> don't think working through channels will be effective in the end.
There is
> always more red tape.
>
> Jan Williams
t

Does anyone here have a list of RPCV Senators or Congresspersons, or
know where to find one?  Ideally it would include country of service as
well.  Any leads are welcomed.  Thanks.

"Subcommittee Examines Effectiveness of Federal Employees' Compensation
Act and Looks to Improve the System for Federal Workers"

The text of this press release can be found at:

http://edworkforce.house.gov/press/press108/second/05may/fecahrg051304.h
tm

I think they're all here:

http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.whatispc.notable.gov


--- In owcp@yahoogroups.com, "Kevin" <rpcv@c...> wrote:
> Does anyone here have a list of RPCV Senators or Congresspersons, or
> know where to find one?  Ideally it would include country of service as
> well.  Any leads are welcomed.  Thanks.

The first draft of the letter to the House Subcommittee on Workforce
Protections can be found at:

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/owcp2004 (Click on My Documents, then on
Draft ...)

I welcome comments, constructive criticism, etc.  Also, please indicate
whether you'd be willing to sign the letter.  Thanks!

Hello,

This email message is a notification to let you know that
a file has been uploaded to the Files area of the owcp
group.

   File        : /subcommittee.doc
   Uploaded by : owcp2004 <rpcv@...>
   Description : Draft of Letter to Subcommittee on Workforce Protections

You can access this file at the URL:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/owcp/files/subcommittee.doc

To learn more about file sharing for your group, please visit:
http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/groups/files

Regards,

owcp2004 <rpcv@...>

The draft letter CANNOT be accessed through Yahoo! Briefcase.  Sorry.
It can be found in our files section, however, at

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/owcp/files/subcommittee.doc

If you don't have access to our files section (i.e., you are an email
subscriber only), please email me at owcp-owner@yahoogroups.com and I
will send you a copy of the file by return email.  Thank you.

Hello, all.  I just joined this group, no doubt as a result of Kevin's
trolling.

I'm here to offer info on a now-completed small success with the OWCP
process.

My 64th birthday is coming up on Sunday. I was a PCV 2000-2002.  The
summer before my service ended, I lugged too much stuff from PC HQ in
the capital back to my site for HCNs (like lots of us, I should
think), and developed shoulder pain.  When I eventually had it checked
out, the PC nurse said I was fine.  At my age, one learns that what
they say is fine doesn't always mean one feels fine.  However, the
fact that I'd asked, and explained exactly when the pain began & what
I thought it related to, meant it was all in my PC health record.

To make a long story short, after I got home, I learned I'd
significant rotator cuff tears, and applied to OWCP for approval,
which was granted, and embarked on physio.  As I live in Canada, the
process was a little different.  I had to advance payment, then get
reimbursed.

If anyone's interested, I will explain why Canuck public health
insurance coverage wasn't optimal for this situation, and what I did,
and how I got my money back, which took a lot of effort and a very
long time.

If you like, I can offer some advice on how to negotiate the OWCP
bureaucracy.

It wasn't that all much money - in the two-thousand-dollar range - but
it was certainly nice to get it.  Eventually.  Best from Ellen

Ellen,

Welcome!

Any advice that you have for negotiating the muddy waters of the OWCP
bureacracy is welcome.  Not every approach works for every person,
nor does the same approach work twice for the same person, but it's
still nice to have a few extra items in one's bag of tricks.  Thanks.

Kevin


--- In owcp@yahoogroups.com, "ellem1ch" <ellem1ch@y...> wrote:
> Hello, all.  I just joined this group, no doubt as a result of
Kevin's
> trolling.
>
> I'm here to offer info on a now-completed small success with the
OWCP
> process.
>
> My 64th birthday is coming up on Sunday. I was a PCV 2000-2002.  The
> summer before my service ended, I lugged too much stuff from PC HQ
in
> the capital back to my site for HCNs (like lots of us, I should
> think), and developed shoulder pain.  When I eventually had it
checked
> out, the PC nurse said I was fine.  At my age, one learns that what
> they say is fine doesn't always mean one feels fine.  However, the
> fact that I'd asked, and explained exactly when the pain began &
what
> I thought it related to, meant it was all in my PC health record.
>
> To make a long story short, after I got home, I learned I'd
> significant rotator cuff tears, and applied to OWCP for approval,
> which was granted, and embarked on physio.  As I live in Canada, the
> process was a little different.  I had to advance payment, then get
> reimbursed.
>
> If anyone's interested, I will explain why Canuck public health
> insurance coverage wasn't optimal for this situation, and what I
did,
> and how I got my money back, which took a lot of effort and a very
> long time.
>
> If you like, I can offer some advice on how to negotiate the OWCP
> bureaucracy.
>
> It wasn't that all much money - in the two-thousand-dollar range -
but
> it was certainly nice to get it.  Eventually.  Best from Ellen

Hi again.  Kevin has encouraged me.

1.I remember having trouble understanding the forms I
had to fill out, and remember phoning for advice
several times (which isn't easy from Canada - the
non-800 numbers are hard to learn).

2.I tried to be terse but found the requirements
necessitated repetition.

One concern was what was imho an error in my record.
We had 2 nurse-practitioners from the US in country,
and one HCN physician.  We all adored the physician,
who was a superb professional and of course thought
he'd died & gone to heaven - he was being paid well to
work humane hours to treat a population of pretty
healthy people and had the resources to deal with
anything medical they developed, i.e. nothing like his
colleagues' practices with their HCN patients.  I
spoke to him at our COS conference the summer before
my completion of service, and he noted in my file that
my backpack had been causing the shoulder pain,
whereas I'd said I noticed it e.g. particularly when
getting my backpack on & off.  (I'd been using a
backpack constantly for some while before becoming a
PCV, had never had the problem before, which I duly
noted in my application for coverage.)

My concern was to express my disagreement with my
medical record as tactfully as possible, so as not to
reflect badly on the physician.  I didn't want
anything negative to reflect on him, but I also
thought that my avoiding criticism might help my
cause.  So I referred to it as a possible translation
or language problem,  even though, as I also noted,
his English was excellent.

I'm providing these details simply because it's been
my impression, in the little I know about OWCP issues,
that often the medical problems we present for
coverage are greeted with unfair scepticism, sometimes
due to incorrect or inadequate or disputed
documentation.

3.I recall receiving a postcard acknowledging receipt
of my application, giving me a time frame as to when I
would get feedback.  I remember tracking the process
by phone as well as I could.

This is as good a place as any to mention that, on the
whole, the secret of my success is simply tracking the
process by phone and being unceasingly one hundred
percent polite but extremely persistent.  Never never
never lose your cool!  The impression you want to
convey is that you >know< they're on your side and you
want to learn from them exactly what the process is,
so you can know exactly what to expect, so as to
inconvenience them as little as possible, because you
know how busy they are, as respected professionals
doing an important job.  Phone every time for a
reason, following up on a previously-agreed-upon
matter (which hasn't been resolved as promised or why
would you be phoning?) and after the
previously-agreed-upon interval (you're not bugging
them randomly and you want to create the impression
that you don't ever bug them randomly).  That you
would be least trouble to them if you never picked up
the phone isn't ever mentioned!

4.Meanwhile, I'd started government-funded
physiotherapy.  I learned over time that the
treatments the government funds are based on the needs
of car accident victims.  However, the price was right
(nothing after the initial fee which I can't remember
exactly, but was plus/minus CAD$50) and I thought I
might as well try something while waiting for approval
and trying to learn more about rotator cuff injuries.

5.In due course, I received approval.  At that point,
I submitted whatever bills I'd accumulated to date -
about a hundred dollars from my physician (for the
documentation for owcp) and the above physio fee.
(The ultrasound was covered by the government
insurance.  I imagine stateside it wouldn't have been
cheap.  BTW I did have to wait a number of weeks for
my appointment;  perhaps you folks would be able to
have ultrasounds on demand.)

6.Meanwhile, I was starting to realize that private
physio would probably be a better route.  It took me
many phone calls to learn that what I had to do was
advance the money and submit bills to owcp, and that
they'd pay whatever it cost.  This sounds like carte
blanche, and it was, although I am guessing that if I
had billed for pain relief in the form of a tour of
the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, a red flag could have
been raised.  I am also guessing that the procedure
for you folks living in the US is somewhat different.


7.At a regular shoulder checkup, my physician, charged
me CAD$20 for a cortisone shot (is that what they cost
in the US?) and told me that because teachers were
better off than physicians, he was stopping my
physiotherapy.

Political interruption:  there is a flip side to our
health coverage up here.  Physicians have big, big
complaints, many more than justified.  Teachers do,
too.  We've been at loggerheads with various
governments for the better part of a decade, which has
damaged the kids, and health care, bigtime.  However,
imho physician stress didn't excuse my physician's
tirade, which turned him on the spot into my former
physician.

I then finally remembered that the mother of a former
student was not only a former colleague (from my
freelance writing days) but also one of Canada's top
physiotherapists, so I reconnected with her.  I had to
pay zero to the physician she sent me to.  His office
also offered fee-for-service physio, but I chose to go
to my old acquaintance.

8.I decided it would be simpler to accumulate bills by
the month and send them in once a month.  After many
phone calls (I had by now gotten to know the gal in
charge of me, named, as I remember, Paula - she likes
visiting Canada, she said), I learned the procedure.
I was to send my bills to the attention of someone
else in her department, even though she was going to
deal with them.

9.She also explained that they could only reimburse in
US funds, so I duly opened a bank account in the US
when visiting one of my kids.

10.I sent my first receipts and covering letter,
including the required EFT banking info, in March
2004.   I now was not only phoning OWCP every three
weeks or so, I was phoning the automated bank account
enquiry number.
Note:  log every phone call.  Write the date you
called and the name of whom you spoke to, and be sure
to ask, and note the answer, what will happen next and
when, and when you should phone again if it doesn't.
e.g. When do you anticipate the reimbursement will be
deposited into my account?  Say thanks for every
little nugget.  No sarcasm.  Mean it.  It's your body
and your money.

11. The first reimbursement arrived as a cheque, in
Canadian funds, while I was on holiday in July, (after
a phone chat before I left).  No comment.

12.I duly sent receipts and covering letters every
month after March, till I was pronounced as cured as I
was going to get, at the beginning of August.  (I'm
happy.  I've continued the exercises, now desultorily,
and can once again write on the chalkboard easily and
painlessly.  I'm very cautious about lifting, but I
wouldn't have gotten myself into this had I been
cautious sooner.)

13.Meanwhile, I relocated to the US for the fall
semester, to help with a grandchild.  Now - whoopee! -
I could use the 800 numbers.  So, as might have been
expected, Paula disappeared and was replaced, in due
course, by Annette.  A reimbursement or two showed up
after a while.  Then Annette said things had gotten
stuck in D.C.  She gave me the name of a fellow to
call there.  So I got to know him, too.  And he
periodically said things had gotten stuck at the
Annette end.  Are we surprised?

14.At one point or another, I was told that
reimbursements could only be made by cheque in
Canadian funds, EFTd to a stateside account only,
could only originate from the office in the midwest,
had to come from DC, etc.  One must bear with these
idiocies and never never never lose one's cool.  An
academic who studies bureaucracies explained to me
that part of their job requirement is to frustrate
folks like us.  They are encouraged to hold the bottom
line down as best they can.  I sympathized with my
ladies' workloads, asked how their holidays were,
enquired of Annette how Paula was, hoped Paula's
absence hadn't unduly stressed Annette, blah blah
blah.  They both sounded like nice people, and I wish
them well, and I was happy to hear details of their
lives, and working situations, but.  Once (can't dare
overuse this) I noted how confused and frustrated I
was getting, in throwing myself on someone's mercy,
asking what s/he could suggest I do.  Clearly what
s/he wanted to say was, "Stop phoning me.  Get out of
my life."  But that could not be said.  I tried to
stay on the phone every time until I had gotten a
statement of what to expect, and when, and a follow-up
strategy agreed on.  I am guessing that another part
of their job description is never, never, never to
insult a client.  As long as you stay calm and
coherent, they may not hang up on you or otherwise end
the conversation.

15.After a number of months, more than CAD$500 was
still outstanding.  Paula/Annette asked me to resubmit
the bills.  I, fortunately, had always kept copies of
every piece of paper I sent, so this was not a
problem.  Then I had to start tracking that
(re-)mailing - had it been received?  What will happen
now?  How long will it take?

16.At that point, when I'd already received
reimbursements in the form both of a CAD cheque and
USD EFTd, the DC guy, who knew I was then in the US,
told me OWCP never was permitted to EFT funds and all
he could do was snailmail a CAD cheque to my Canadian
address of record.  So why, you may ask, when I
started the process in Canada, was I initially asked
for US banking info, and given the reason that all
they could do was EFT funds to a US account?  I have
my suspicions about his goal in saying that:  they
really want you to just give up.  Don't!!

17.The final reimbursement arrived just before I
returned back here in January,2005 to resume at my
school for spring semester.  (I'd still be hanging out
with my granddaughter except for Canada Pension Plan
rules about the maximum amount of unpaid leave I can
take - Peace Corps service was a lot of that.)  Had I
still been able to use the 800 numbers, I probably
would have left a brief thanks message on at least one
of my acquaintances' numbers, phoning at, say, 10 pm,
so as not to interrupt daytime routine.

18.I shudder to think of what I would have had to go
thru had the cheque been stale-dated by the time I got
back here, but it was just a matter of weeks.  Phew.

19.More important, I shudder to think of what it is
like for some of you, who need a lot more help than I
did, and a lot more money.

20.My fallback was to contact my
senator/congressperson, as a (finally, after all these
years!) registered voter, before the November 2004
election.  I took what I thought was a calculated risk
in continuing my persistent phoning, even though I was
worried that I'd lose my clout when an election was no
longer looming.  However, folks have mentioned that
state reps tend to be responsive even when an election
isn't for a while.  You know best who among your
personal politicians is most responsive.  And perhaps
others in this group will comment on what happens when
they are contacted.

21.So my reimbursable physio was February-August 2004,
and the reimbursement process was March 2004-January
2005.  There's definitely some advice above, but not
really a whole lot.  I hope it helps someone!  Best
from Ellen


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Jan Williams

> Chris,
>
> Welcome!
>
> As you know, I have been planting "seeds" all over the Internet
> trying to attract more affected RPCVs to this group.  (For the
> record, the group was Nancy's brain child; I've just provided some
> technical know-how and elbow grease.)
>
> I think that we, as a group, should do something about OWCP and its
> contractor ACS/Lockheed.  What that is, I'm not sure.  If you've got
> any ideas, please speak up.  One purpose of this group is to
> brainstorm potential strategies, solutions, etc.  I think that we
> might want to do something about the OIG letter/investigation, too,
> and those actions could conceivably be a springboard toward more
> global action.
>
> You mentioned that you have someone at OWCP "who's job it is to fix
> problems" advocating for you.  How did you find this person?  Is it
> someone in the District office, or in Washington, DC, or elsewhere?
> I recently found a sympathetic ear in DC, but I'm not sure if it was
> her or 3 Congressional inquiries in the course of a week that got the
> attention of OWCP!
>
> Looking forward to hearing more from you.
>
> Kevin
>
> --- In owcp@yahoogroups.com, "Chris Starace" <cstarace@y...> wrote:
>> Hi Kevin,
>>
>> I too was very offended by the letter.  First of all, there is no
>> reason to send it registered mail other than to intimidate.  Almost
>> no one sends
>> registered mail out of the blue.  I had to make a special trip to
> the
>> post
>> office and all I could think was that I was getting audited by the
>> IRS.  I
>> agree that the letter was intimidating, just reminding us how much
> the
>> program costs, how abusers of the system will be prosecuted and how
>> we are
>> to "cooperate with criminal investigator1s."  I'm angry about it as
>> I'm sure you
>> are.
>>
>> In addition, dealing with ACS is driving me nuts.  Before I
>> had no problem getting claims reimbursed but now there's another
>> thick layer
>> of inefficient bureaucracy and it takes forever.  I've been waiting
>> for 3
>> months now to get a new hearing aid.  I think finally now that
>> someone at DOL who's job it is to fix problems is helping me, I'm
>> finally getting closer to receiving it.
>>
>> Let me know how I can help to improve our level of service and
>> respect.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Chris
>> Benin- Smalll Business Developent
>> 95-97
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
Please add Kevin F. F. Quigley at president@... to the group.  He just
sent a letter asking us to support NPCA.  Let's ask him to support us.
Advocacy is one of their goals.

Jan Williams

Jan,

I just sent Mr. Quigley an invitation to join our group, togehter with
a copy of your email.

Kevin

--- In owcp@yahoogroups.com, Janice Williams <therifi@m...> wrote:

Please add Kevin F. F. Quigley at president@r... to the group.  He just
sent a letter asking us to support NPCA.  Let's ask him to support us.
Advocacy is one of their goals.

Jan Williams

Nancy,

I hadn't realized that you had written to Kevin Quigley.  Did you get
any response at all?

Kevin

--- In owcp@yahoogroups.com, FourDirect@a... wrote:

> Jan,
>
> Very good idea about including Kevin Q at the RPCV office in our
list. I have
> written him and his predecessors before to no avail and got utterly
disgusted
> with the team they have had. But maybe now he is really trying. I
wrote him
> when I got his request for help recently telling him what I have
been through
> and that I couldn't help anyone unless they helped me. So, your
idea is very
> good. I'm just plain worn out from my 21 year struggle and have no
fight left
> anymore. All my energy goes to trying to stay as well as possible
and not end up
> in a shelter. I have energy to pursue is press at some point
through because
> our plight must be made public.
>
> Nancy

Heidi and Nancy have both reported recent successes in their dealings
with OWCP.  I too am happy to report some success after a 2+ year battle
with the agency.  OWCP has finally authorized additional acupuncture
treaments for my condition and promised to reimburse me for most of my
out-of-pocket medical expenses.  As an aside, my Senator and I are not
giving up, however, until OWCP reimburses me for ALL of my expenses.

Call me cynical, but I cannot help but wonder if the OIG investigation
has caused OWCP to clean up its files, revisit contested decisions, etc,
thus making it a bit easier for us to get what is owed to us.  Granted,
the agency is not the target of the investigation--scofflaw RPCVs are--
but if the IG of Peace Corps were to uncover glaring errors and
irregularities on the part of OWCP, then he might (and should!) report
the problems to the IG of the Dept. of Labor.

I have actually had much less trouble with the OWCP than
with the Peace Corps.  The Peace Corps has denied from the
beginning that Lariam/Mefloquine causes any problems
(despite the FDA and drug maker warnings).  However, the
nurse assigned to me by the OWCP has been great.  I've had
trouble with doctors too, as there are plenty who just
want to prescribe antidepressants regardless of the
problem, so I've spent energy fighting them too.  The good
news is that the OWCP may actually buckle and send me to
go see a specialist in LA, since there are very few
doctors who know anything about the effects of Lariam. --
Felicia

> Heidi and Nancy have both reported some recent success in
> their dealings
> with OWCP.  I too am happy to report that after a 2+ year
> battle that
> the agency has finally authorized additional acupuncture
> treatments for
> my condition and has promised to reimburse me for most of
> my out-of-
> pocket medical expenses.  Incidentally, my Senator and I
> are not giving
> up the fight, however.  We are determined to obtain ALL of
> the monies
> owed to me.
>
> Call me cynical, but I cannot help but wonder if the OIG
> investigation
> is causing OWCP to clean up its files, review contested
> decisions, etc.,
> thus making it a bit easier for us to get what we are
> entitled to.  The
> agency is not the target of the investigation--scofflaw
> RPCVs are--but
> if the IG of Peace Corps were to find glaring
> irregularities on the part
> of OWCP, then he might (and should!) inform the IG of the
> Dept. of Labor
> of the problems.
>
> Kevin
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Nancy,

I agree, especially since the goals of this Yahoo! group also
include system-wide change.

The ball is in his court since I have invited him to join our
group.  I will not subscribe him to this group without his
permission, however.

Kevin

--- In owcp@yahoogroups.com, FourDirect@a... wrote:

> Given his response [below], we should keep him informed, I think.
> Nancy

> ________________________________________
> Subj:   RE: disabled RPCV
> Date:   6/15/2005 12:04:49 PM Eastern Standard Time
> From:   kevin@r...
> To: FourDirect@a...
>
> Thank you for your email.  I am sorry for your illness and that we
haven’t
> been very helpful.  It is very difficult for us to work on
individual cases.
> Instead, we have been pressing Peace Corps on system issues, e.g.
working with
> Congress to legislate an office of ombudsman so that RPCVs like
you have a
> place to go to address your issues because we know DoL is
unresponsive.  Kevin Q.

Nancy,

A couple of asides to message 161:

In addition to inviting Mr. Quigley, I have forwarded a couple of
messages from this Yahoo! Group to him so that he can see for himself
that several of us would like him to join and participate.  I'm trying
to be persuasive without being obnoxious (I know I don't like having
my inbox cluttered with unwanted emails).

If NPCA were to actively pursue the issue of poor service that we
receive from PCMO, OWCP, ACS, etc., then I would probably rejoin the
association.  I didn't let my membership lapse over workers'
compensation issues, but having some help in that arena would be a
tangible enough benefit for me to reach for my checkbook.

Kevin

Nancy,

I'm sorry to hear that.  At least Senator Schumer's office is
sticking with you.  That's a lot more than you can say for Senator
Clinton.

Saying one thing and doing another is an endemic problem with OWCP.
I don't understand how the agency and its employees--from claims
examiner to district director--can get away with lying to us.

Kevin

--- In owcp@yahoogroups.com, FourDirect@a... wrote:
> I have to say that very recently I am NOT reporting successes.
Actually, just
> the opposite. My approved meds just got "dropped" out of the
system, again
> and it just took Senator Schumer's office four tries to
retroactively have my
> physical therapy approved and after I've submitted the HCFA forms
in excess of
> 10 times it usually only takes congress two tries to get things
approved so
> things for me have been slipping again.
>
> Nancy

Dear All (especially Kevin),

I am thrilled that you are so energetic and still optimistic and we should
continue in this vein
for now. But, having worked my butt off in the 1980's for change and really not
getting anywhere,
I just feel that the most efficient use of energy is to get this out in a public
forum. I'd love
to get it all on 60 Minutes and when I feel better I will pursue what I can in
that way. I just
can't and don't want to work with the system anymore (except to get my bills
paid). I guess I am
jaded and worn out but still not beaten by them.

I did have a woman at NBC who came to ME a couple of years ago and wanted to air
a piece but she
needed some numbers and people beside myself. That was part of the reason I
wanted to connect and
see who else is out here. I think we have numbers and heartrending stories and
good people who
still believe in goodness and moving ahead with our lives.

I'm not saying that trying to get systemic change isn't good, I'm just weary.

Heidi, did you make your New England move? If you're ever interested we can
phone chat at some
point about life as we had planed a year ago. My home email is:
fourdirect@... if you are
interested.

Anyway gang, I'll keep doing what I'm doing.

Best to all,
Nancy

Another from Nancy ...

There seems to be two camps in this group:  one that favors working
within the system and another that favors going public.  I
personally think that's great.  One course of action doesn't
preclude the other, and trying to effect change on two fronts may be
the most effective strategy in the long run.

As I mentioned to Jan, why not invite your media contacts to join
this group?  That will give the investigative journalists a flavor
for our group, the obstacles that we face individually and together,
etc.  If they see a story here, I'm sure that they will go with it.

I hesitate to say that I prefer one course of action over the other,
but I am more comfortable working within the system.  I don't want
to deal with the executive branch any more than possible, but I'm
prepared to inform the legislative branch of our plight and ask for
assistance with OWCP.

A question for those of you who want to go public:  Would you be
willing to look at the letter that I drafted, give me some brief
feedback, and tell me if you'd be willing to sign it?  Thank you.

Kevin

--- In owcp@yahoogroups.com, "Nancy" <fourdirect@...> wrote:

> Dear All (especially Kevin),
>
> I am thrilled that you are so energetic and still optimistic and
we should continue in this vein
> for now. But, having worked my butt off in the 1980's for change
and really not getting anywhere,
> I just feel that the most efficient use of energy is to get this
out in a public forum. I'd love
> to get it all on 60 Minutes and when I feel better I will pursue
what I can in that way. I just
> can't and don't want to work with the system anymore (except to
get my bills paid). I guess I am
> jaded and worn out but still not beaten by them.
>
> I did have a woman at NBC who came to ME a couple of years ago and
wanted to air a piece but she
> needed some numbers and people beside myself. That was part of the
reason I wanted to connect and
> see who else is out here. I think we have numbers and heartrending
stories and good people who
> still believe in goodness and moving ahead with our lives.
>
> I'm not saying that trying to get systemic change isn't good, I'm
just weary.
>
> Heidi, did you make your New England move? If you're ever
interested we can phone chat at some
> point about life as we had planed a year ago. My home email is:
fourdirect@... if you are
> interested.
>
> Anyway gang, I'll keep doing what I'm doing.
>
> Best to all,
> Nancy