OT: Please Share with friends
On Friday 6 February 2015, one of my friends, Sergeant Kelvin Clausell(USMC) and his wife lost their 10 day old child due to a hole in his heart. However, due to some flaws in the Tricare system, Tricare/SGLI will not be covering any of the expenses of the funeral or paying the life insurance policy. If you could share this link on your facebooks/twitter it would be greatly appreciated.
Edit: Mods if this is inappropriate please delete
February 12th, 2015 at 8:47 AM ^
Will do. Sorry for their loss.
February 12th, 2015 at 8:51 AM ^
February 12th, 2015 at 10:08 AM ^
I am confused.
The OP is pleading for "Kelvin Clausell", but the site is for "Vince Williams". Perhaps Tricare is not covering because they are not related.
I am sorry for the tragedy, but let's hold off on bashing Tricare without knowing all the facts.
February 12th, 2015 at 11:07 AM ^
Vince William, not Williams. I'm guessing the full name is Vince William Clausell.
Sorry for your friends loss. My wife is a peds nurse and has more than her share of heartbreaking stories like this. My prayers are with the family.
February 12th, 2015 at 11:28 AM ^
February 12th, 2015 at 10:32 AM ^
and Tricare is simply the government health care for the service member and their family. Neither one of these services cover funeral costs for family members unless the family is enrolled in FSGLI.
it sounds like your friend never enrolled his wife and kids in the Family (FSGLI) program.
February 12th, 2015 at 8:57 AM ^
My son was born with an Atrial Septal Defect - thankfully it healed on its own and he turns 18 today. My heart goes out to this family... cannot possibly imagine anything worse
February 12th, 2015 at 9:49 AM ^
About a year and a half ago I had to watch my then 6-month-old daughter be prepped for open heart surgery to repair the same, then a week of recovery. She is now 2 and sassy as ever.
Very sorry for their loss.
February 12th, 2015 at 10:01 AM ^
congrats - so glad to hear that worked out well for you and your family
February 12th, 2015 at 11:18 AM ^
daughters have had Ventricular SDs. One closed on its own by 6 months (she will be turning 11 in April).....My 8 month old still had one at her 6 month check, but the cardiologist is confident it will take care of itself over the next year. This is a truly heartbreaking story.
February 12th, 2015 at 8:59 AM ^
I was in the Army for 6 years. This makes me hate TriCare even more. One of the worst injustices done to our service members, which is really unknown to the rest of America.
February 12th, 2015 at 9:03 AM ^
and I'll definitely share. That's complete bullshit. Charge me more if you need, but take care of my needs. What an absolute crock.
February 12th, 2015 at 9:27 AM ^
I cannot imagine the pain this Marine and his wife are going through but to have it compounded by an evil insurance company makes me sick. Let's hear some more lip service from politicians and leaders about how much they love the troops....
Rant over
February 12th, 2015 at 10:18 AM ^
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February 12th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^
February 12th, 2015 at 9:19 AM ^
As a parent of a young child, hearing about something like this absolutely breaks my heart. I'm a grown man and here I am at my desk at work temporarily unable to function over the loss a complete stranger has just endured. I couldn't imagine the pain of losing a child, and then on top of it, having to deal with the bullshit an insurance company who just cares about their bottom line is trying to pull. Talk about ultimate inconsiderate disrespect. I'm sorry for your friends' loss and I hope everything gets worked out in the end.
February 12th, 2015 at 9:20 AM ^
Very sorry for their loss.
February 12th, 2015 at 9:22 AM ^
I'm a retired Air Force (22 years, 10 days, 16 hours) combat veteran. I have the same coverage the young sergeant has as long as I pay my premiums. Without the coverage, the government only covers the military member (Life insurance, medical is automatic). Everyone in the military is briefed on this and I know it is a mandatory subject every year to address with your troops.
According to SGLI, the baby is automatically covered unless both parents are active duty military. If they are both active, then one of them has a form to fill out putting the child underneath them as a dependent...then coverage is authorized from day 1. SGLI automatically covers and pays $10,000 for dependent children, even if they are still born (must weigh more than 350 grams). This also includes natural children, adopted children and step-children living in the active member's household.
While my heart goes out to them for losing their child, something is not right and we are not getting the whole story. My kids are in their late 20s and I remember filling out the paperwork after they were born to ensure they were entered into DEERs (Tracking system). Day 1, they were covered by the military, Tricare and SGLI. My youngest was at a civilian hospital and someone came and visited us the evening he was born.
I would contact the local American Legion as they are a very power force when it comes to support and donations. I sent them amessage on Facebook and advised them to seek out the local Legion to assist. If they were local, I would definitely assist a brother in arms...
What is more troubling to me is that his unit is not taking care of him. How can we count on him to concentrate on his mission if he is not sure his unit will not take care of him. Someone should take up the cause with this young Marine's supervisor, first sergeant and commander.
February 12th, 2015 at 9:30 AM ^
February 12th, 2015 at 9:41 AM ^
Yes, I did not think about it either, that is why they send someone to make sure it gets done. Only paperwork needing to be done to get coverage is if both parents are active duty.
Also, the country will cover him. The military is predicated on a pyramid and the lowest level should step up to take care of him. Supervisor, section commander, first sergeant, commander, etc. Someone on that base should be taking care of him in his time of need. This is the whole premise of getting someone's "6" that the military does. The president or a senator should not have to ride in on a white horse, nor should the civilian population. If the information is correct, then his unit and peers are failing him and are a disgrace to the uniform and tenets of their conviction to support each other. How could someone concentrate on a mission if they are worried their family is not taken care of. I still feel like something is being left out of the story.
I cannot imaging the pain they are going through, as I have both my boys alive. My being skeptical does not diminish my feelings for their loss...I think it is a terrible thing.
February 12th, 2015 at 11:01 AM ^
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February 12th, 2015 at 11:33 AM ^
debate the merits of universal healthcare in this thread. Please.
February 12th, 2015 at 11:38 AM ^
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February 12th, 2015 at 9:33 AM ^
One of the most level-headed, objective, yet considerate and helpful posts I've ever seen entered into MgoBlog. Nice work.
February 12th, 2015 at 9:42 AM ^
February 12th, 2015 at 9:45 AM ^
I think the underlying issue here is that Tricare approaches everything very black and white and isn't flexible in terms of coverage or medical services provided. In order to get an MRI, you first need to have a perscription for tylenol, then get an x-ray, then go to phsycial therapy, and then only after that, are they willing to pay for an MRI.
There is no way in this era, that Tricare should be able to just shrug their shoulders and say that because of a paperwork error on the part of the parents, they won't cover the life insurance. I know the last thing I'd want to do while my child is fighting for theif life is to fill out forms to ensure their funeral costs are covered.
Why put the burden on the unit? They are already suffering, knowing that one of their own lost a young child and is being mistreated by the same insurance company they have. They are already emotionally combat ineffective. It is not the units responsibility to do what is right. It is Tricare's.
February 12th, 2015 at 10:06 AM ^
wrong place.
February 12th, 2015 at 9:23 AM ^
TriCare should be ashamed of themselves.
My deepest condolences to the family. I cannot imagine anything worse.
February 12th, 2015 at 9:44 AM ^
It is bad enough the way insurance companies and healthcare dick with the everyday American, it's a whole new ball game to screw with the men and women of our Armed Forces and their immediate family. These men and women are the true 1%'s of our nation. They already sacrafice so much when they sign-up (their lives, seperation from family, and what they have to see and do) there is no need to make them sacrifice more for defending this great nation. Any memeber of our Armed Forces and their immediate family should recieve 100% free healthcare and funeral costs. I would gladly see my taxes go up if this was an option I could check the box on.
February 12th, 2015 at 9:52 AM ^
Longtime lurker, infrequent poster. Felt compelled to reply to this post. I'm an active duty Army healthcare administration officer completing a residency for a MHA through Baylor University. Much like the subject of this post I lost a child early, in my case within the first hour of life. Having said that, I feel overly qualified to comment on the differences between Tricare and Service Members Group Life Insurance (SGLI).
Tricare is essentially health insurance for the service member and dependents, it isn't responsible for a death gratuity or reimbursement of funeral expenses in any way.
The service member has an option to enroll in the family SGLI for a small monthly premium. If so enrolled, the spouse has a $100,000 policy and minor dependents are covered at $10,000. If he elected not to enroll in coverage he will not receive the death benefit.
In my case, I was enrolled and received a death benefit for my child and reimbursement of transport and funeral home expenses.
He should be assigned a casualty assistance officer to help process any entitlements. I would encourage him to dig deeper, something isn't right here.
February 12th, 2015 at 10:09 AM ^
I agree 100% like I said in my posts SGLI is responsible and is automatic if he is enrolled.
February 12th, 2015 at 10:55 AM ^
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February 12th, 2015 at 9:58 AM ^
would resort to fine print in order to deny coverage to somebody who is literally putting their life on the line for this country. To me, this kind of action by Tricare—not to mention the fucked-up horrors that many vets have endured in the clutches of the VA—is morally equivalent to treason.
February 12th, 2015 at 10:35 AM ^
Just as an example, I met a large, powerful young infantryman, who, among other things, had broken several teeth, including one molar completely in two pieces, each suspended freely in its own alveolus. Due to the amount of pain he was in from other injuries, anesthetics didn't help much. This man has waited several months for a board to clear him for treatment. An absolute shame.
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February 12th, 2015 at 10:22 AM ^
February 12th, 2015 at 10:52 AM ^
February 12th, 2015 at 10:56 AM ^
February 12th, 2015 at 11:17 AM ^
Your input that it's a scam, implying that grieving parents are trying to profit from their dead child, and a poor use of resources, why would we ever spend resources to care for our fellow humans emotional and practical needs, makes you an asshole.
The more I think about it you may be the biggest fucking asshole I have ever encountered on the Internet. Impressive. Now go fuck yourself.
February 12th, 2015 at 11:31 AM ^
February 12th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^
I was reacting to your implication that the parents are running a scam which is highly inappropriate and based on pure conjecture on your part. Beyond that the discussion clearly indicates there is confusion about the nature of the death benefit and who provides it. Many posters offered clear advice on the source of this confusion and offered some insight on how to resolve it. They were being helpful while you went off on some tangent about allocation of resources.
February 12th, 2015 at 12:01 PM ^
February 12th, 2015 at 12:23 PM ^
If I look at the page I see pictures of a clearly very sick infant who later died. I also see that they originally set up the fund to help with the expenses of caring for a child in the ICU which seems legitimate. Missing work, staying at the hospital, etc., can be very expensive. After the child died they asked for donations to cover final cost and indicated they would donate excess money to research on the condition. This all seems legitimate.
If you think it’s a scam fine. Don’t donate. What is disturbing is that you appear so certain that it’s a scam (without evidence to back this up) you feel it is your responsibility to persuade others from donating. That’s fucked up. Everybody asking for some help in this world is not running a scam. Most are not and it’s not your job to help everyone identify scams.
February 12th, 2015 at 11:35 AM ^
This involves the dead baby of a patriotic military couple... and you are going to point out the possibility it is a scam? I love your bravado in the face of the mouth-breathers on here. Nice!!!!
BTW- Others have mentioned that it is likely his failure to enroll in the insurance program. Plus, apparently funeral homes with cover costs in these situations for free and/or his unit, assitance groups, etc.
So, while I don't have the cajones to even suggest the word scam, I think that it is probably just a guy who isn't thinking of all the other ways to resolve this and he just simply edited his previous funding page that was already set up.
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February 12th, 2015 at 11:55 AM ^
February 12th, 2015 at 10:55 AM ^
Not to sound insensitive or blunt, but what was the issue that prevented the member from receiving benifits? I've been in the military for a little over 12 years and have dealt with similar situations. and most of the time it is an error on the member's part, i.e not properly enrollig the dependent. Even then it can usually be corrected. Has you friend taken any action to rectify the situation?
February 12th, 2015 at 11:10 AM ^
It's my understanding that the blog shouldn't be used for politics or promoting personal gain. I've seen topics removed because someone was promoting their own business. Is this different than the loss of a child? Yes, but isn't this really just crowdsourcing?
I'm sorry for your friends loss OP, but I feel this topic does not belong on mgoblog.
February 12th, 2015 at 11:39 AM ^
I agree with one of the earlier posters. Check with area funeral homes. Many of them do provide services for free or at a VERY reduced amount. I know because I owned 3 funeral homes and provided a 90% discount to families who lost an infant. Many, many, many of my former colleagues in the profession do the very same thing. As to dealing with Gov't provided healthcare, I also agree, it is a very flawed and difficult system and two parties always lose, the medical service provider and the recipient of the health care. Also, regardless of how the funeral gets paid for, since the infant's father is a military person, a burial space and grave marker are provided at no cost to the family in any National Cemetery.
February 12th, 2015 at 12:02 PM ^
Funeral arrangements are something new parents never expect to deal with. You and others in this profession provide a much needed service. Providing this service for free or at a large discount to parents in this difficult situation is greatly appreciated. Thank you
February 12th, 2015 at 11:39 AM ^
This is a SGLI issue and not a Tricare issue.
To hoo-ah posters above bashing medical insurance (Tricare especially), this has nothing to do with Tricare. Tricare does not cover funeral costs, neither for the insured (service member) nor dependents. There is no evidence that the Sgt's child was denied any care.