Dear Editor,
I was receiving medication from NIS from February 1998 until NIS stopped giving medication to pensioners at the end of 2009. The new system required you to purchase your medication and submit a claim for reimbursement. I purchased my medication for January 2010 and submitted my claim. In February 2010, I again submitted my claim and enquired about my January 2010 claim, only to be told that it had been rejected by the Benefits Department. I went to see Ms Williams at the Benefits Department but I was diverted back to the Medical Department to see Wilson. I was told by Ms Wilson that I cannot get my claim approved since NIS had no evidence that I had my problem before reaching 60 years of age. I explained to Ms Wilson that before I could have gotten medication I had to submit a letter from my doctor stating that I had my problem before reaching the age of 60. She told me that NIS had no evidence of that; she then left me and went away.
I wrote the General Manager on the matter (copy supplied). The General Manager said in her reply that I could appeal to the Appeal Tribunal, and she attached a form. I did appeal to the tribunal in April 2010, and I have been checking with the Appeal Tribunal clerk since then. She would tell me that this appeal would take about six months and the tribunal would request my presence if they needed me. I checked with the Appeals clerk on Monday, November 8, when she asked me for my address; she then said that because I am not living in Georgetown my appeal had been sent to Ms McDonald at Brickdam and I must check with her.
I called her at 225- 2795. She told me to check with her on November 9, which I did. Ms McDonald asked me to speak to Nurse Hoyte, who would be able to say what the position was with my claim.
Editor I don’t know who to talk to at NIS; could you help me? The Appeals clerk took 6 months to realize that my claim should be sent to Brickdam. Is it not the head of the Appeals Tribunal who is supposed to write me on the decision made and the reasons for their decision?
I am being pushed around from one person to the next at NIS and I am really frustrated.
Yours faithfully,
Jailall Kadaru
Editor’s note
We are sending a copy of this letter to Ms Diane Baxter-Lewis, the PRO of NIS for any comment she might wish to make.