Karen Strack, a former UC Davis employee with the Department of Food Science and Technology, is currently battling her health maintenance organization (HMO) to retain funding for medical rehabilitation after being diagnosed with a rare neuropathy known as Guillain–Barré syndrome. Health Net, the insurance company utilized by the University of California for its retirees, is threatening to cancel Strack’s coverage due to insufficient progress with her illness.

Although she is still receiving treatment after an appeal, Strack states that Health Net is actively trying to cancel her coverage.

A document warning of her impending payment termination was issued on May 23, just 21 days after she checked into the Woodland Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for nursing services and physical therapy. Strack had also been receiving IV injections of immunoglobulin at Sutter Health in Sacramento for almost a month.

“Your Medicare provider and/or health plan have determined that Medicare probably will not pay for your current skilled nursing services,” the document stated. “Patient is working with Physical and Occupational Therapy and has reached a plateau in rehabilitation.”

Her termination date was set for May 25, two days after it was delivered to her at the Woodland facility.
Strack’s Medicare plan is currently managed by Health Net, an option that many insurance providers offer to recipients in order to find money-saving options with their coverage.

“I chose Health Net because I couldn’t afford Blue Cross,” Strack said. “Since I was diagnosed, I’ve been fighting and fighting for my coverage.”

A case manager is assigned to each patient receiving Health Net benefits, who overlooks patients’ files based on physician assessments and determines authorization for further treatment authorization. If they determine a patient has received enough treatment, their funding is terminated and healthcare providers are forced to stop providing unless the patient can pay on their own.

Strack is adamant that her dismissal is not founded on physician assessments advising her dismissal.

“The doctors are not saying to send me home. They assured me that they’re not trying to let me go,” Strack said.

Ben Piper, administrator at Woodland Nursing and Rehabilitation Center declined to comment on the specifics of her case.

“We’re providing her company and hoping she gets the support she needs,” Piper said.

A physical therapy evaluation sheet, filled out when Strack was first admitted to the Woodland Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, maps out long-term goals for her treatment. Among them are the ability to “safely [perform] bed mobility tasks with independence without use of siderails,” “safely perform functional transfers” and “safely ambulate on level surfaces 350 feet … ”

When first diagnosed, Strack was unable to speak, walk or move her limbs. Since then, she states that she has made considerable progress. However, Strack says that she still cannot walk on her own or perform everyday tasks without assistance.

“I can’t use the toilet by myself, I can’t take a shower by myself — in most states, it’s illegal to send you home without being able to take care of yourself,” Strack said.

Despite this, Health Net and Strack’s case manager have decided that she does not require additional treatment at the facility.

Brad Kieffer, media and public relations officer with Health Net, declined to comment on the specifics of the case, citing federal regulations for patient privacy.

Strack and her son Scott will continue to appeal for her retention at the facility. They are unsure whether or not their funding will be cancelled on a week-by-week basis.

“This is an absolute tragedy,” Scott Strack said. “I can’t believe they’re trying to pull the plug. She’s supposed to continue therapy at home when she can’t even get to the toilet or get to bed on her own.”

Strack feels that her Health Net is neglecting her need for rehabilitation with a full-time staff for the sake of profit.

“If you’re not progressing at a certain pace, Health Net [doesn’t] care about you. They don’t care about relapses, they only see progression. I worked at UC Davis for 36 years — this is totally unjust. I am not going to make my son bathe me, and wipe me down after [using] the bathroom. I’m just not going to do it.”

ADAM KHAN can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

“It would have been nice if the UC Davis administrators driving this case had had such support rather than spending [students’] funds on a petty and ill-fated prosecution. For obvious reasons, they did not.” — The Davis Dozen in an email interview on reaching a plea deal.

“Imagine a world where the free exercise clause allowed people to get out of laws by claiming their religion made them do it. Rastafarians could smoke pot. Jonestown cultists could murder people. And I’d sign up as the first Pope of the new religion, ‘Destroy-all-leaf-blowers-ism.’” — Daniel Watts in his column Watts Legal? on the First Amendment.
“When we did the discussion about this, what we found is that a lot of the constituent groups have the same basic concerns: How safe am I to reveal my sexual orientation, learning disability, industrial or personal injury, etc.? [These] concerns were common across all constituent groups. It was interesting to see how cohesive the questions were because we literally just went, ‘How safe are you about revealing blank?’” — David Ritz, vocational rehabilitation counselor in the department of human resources, on the Campus Climate survey.
“Hate speech affects people on a psychological level, and if you’ve ever been told that your existence, your faith or that your ‘brownness’ is the reason for all evil in the world, then you know exactly what I’m talking about.” — Sonum Saeed, fourth-year psychology major and publicity coordinator for the Muslim Student Association, on the ASUCD “Islamophobia” Resolution (SR 21).
“You develop a sixth sense for seeing glass — I’ve only stepped in glass twice. You just adapt. I walk along the white lines on pavement and try not to get off my bike until I am as close as I can get to my destination.” — Elena Piotter, first-year international relations major, on her choice to never wear shoes.

“People would try to pet his stomach because he tried to roll over, but the costumes’ buns got in the way, so he couldn’t turn over completely.” — Nycole Copping, fourth-year neurology, physiology and behavior major and employee at the CoHo, on Rodney, the corgi mascot for the CoHo hotdog cart.

“There are some students who don’t have stellar GPAs or stellar test scores, but they have amazing stories — life has dealt them a real difficult hand, like the girl who was 14 [years old] and was raising her daughter while still being the student body president … We admit stories — quite frankly, stories of outstanding students.” — Walter Robinson, executive director of UC Davis Admissions, on competition in gaining admission to UC Davis.

“I’m Jewish, so I sat home by myself and then went to Denny’s on Christmas Day.”
— Jeff Ratti, third-year microbiology major, on his winter break horror story.

“The awkward saga continued when I had the entire Target team attempting to find temporary tattoos for me … I told one of the guys who was helping me that I would prefer some with ponies or princesses or something.” — Aggie columnist Marci Montanari on Target etiquette.

BEST QUOTES 2012-13 was compiled by MUNA SADEK. She can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.

ASUCD Senator Yara Zokaie steps down
Oct. 30 — Following pressure from within the Association, ASUCD Senator Yara Zokaie, who is currently attending law school at the University of San Diego, stepped down from her position.
— Originally reported by Adam Khan

Tuition to increase by $2,400 should Prop. 30 fail, Student Regent says
Nov. 5 — Students faced a tuition increase of up to $2,400 if Proposition 30 failed during the November presidential elections. The proposition passed.
— Originally reported by Natasha Qabazard

KDVS receives $36,000 loan from ASUCD for new radio tower
Nov. 20 — KDVS received a $36,000 loan from ASUCD Capital Reserves to fund the radio station’s new radio tower.
— Originally reported by Mengshi Shao

UC suspends new logo in face of system-wide opposition
Jan. 7 — Following a 54,000-signature petition opposing a new logo, UC made a decision to suspend its use.
— Originally reported by Stephanie B. Nguyen

Pepper spray settlement finalized
Jan. 10 — The Nov. 18 pepper spray lawsuit was finalized, with each plaintiff receiving $30,000 and a formal apology from UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi.
— Originally reported by Muna Sadek

UC President Mark Yudof announces resignation
Jan. 22 — Mark Yudof, UC president of five years, announced plans to resign and teach law at UC Berkeley, effective August 31.
— Originally reported by Muna Sadek

Explosion at Russell Park leads to criminal investigation
Jan 22 — A UC Davis junior researcher was arrested following an explosion at the Russell Park apartments. He was charged with possession of an explosive, possession of materials with an intent to make explosives and two counts of possession of a firearm on campus.
— Originally reported by Natasha Qabazard

Students launch bi-weekly campus publication
Feb. 19 — The Davis Beat, a bi-weekly publication, made its debut Spring Quarter.
— Originally reported by Stephanie B. Nguyen

ASUCD Senate passes resolution condemning Islamophobia
May 2 — Senate Resolution 25, condemning Islamophobic speech at the University of California, passed senate with a 7-4-1 vote.
— Originally reported by Liliana Nava Ochoa

Davis Dozen settlement reaches plea deal before trial
May 9 — The Davis Dozen, a group of one faculty member and 11 students who were charged with obstructing movement in a public place and conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor, following protests outside the Memorial Union U.S. Bank, agreed to community service hours and an infraction ticket before their set trial date.
— Originally reported by Muna Sadek

UC Davis to withdraw from UC Student Health Insurance Plan
May 16 — After the discovery of a $57 million deficit in the UC Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP), UC Davis has chosen to withdraw from UC SHIP.
— Originally reported by Lauren Mascarenhas