ISSUE WITH BENEFITS FOR 9/11 SURVIVORS

Below please find a letter that Roy and his wife Trish have sent to some of our local officials.

Roy is not the only one who has fallen into this trap and it is something that we need corrected,

I was hoping that we might be able to get this to those who make the decisions as to date nothing has been done. Any help publicizing this or getting appropriate action taken would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Dennis




I am writing to ask for your assistance. My husband, Roy Chelsen, is a retired FDNY firefighter and a survivor of the World Trade Center attacks. He escaped the second falling tower moments before it fell, as well as, worked tirelessly in the weeks and months that followed. Since that day, he has been diagnosed with a blood marrow cancer called multiple myeloma. Unfortunately, Roy’s myeloma has progressed to the point of requiring extensive chemotherapy and another stem cell transplant. Forced to retire from the FDNY due to his illness, he was eligible to receive social security benefits. We did not realize that the decision to apply for Social Security and Medicare would cause termination of a much needed chemotherapy pharmacy benefit called PICA. Believing he had medical and pharmacy benefits through the FDNY union, we opted not to participate in Medicare part D. At this moment, Roy has maxed out his pharmacy benefit and has no further coverage. We acknowledge your commitment to the 9/11 rescue workers. Fortunately, we have the option to participate in Medicare part D. Our concerns are when and how to enroll in Medicare Part D, as well as, if a penalty exists for delayed enrollment. Given the challenges of living through stem cell transplantation, we are experiencing difficulty in the decision-making process to identify the best option for pharmacy benefits. We have realized the extraordinary time and effort it takes to navigate the Medicare Part D enrollment process. To this end, we ask for any assistance you may be able to provide in this challenging time. Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely,

Trish Chelsen

Roy Chelsen