Here to Help
Statement
This month, I've enjoyed the opportunity to travel the state and spend time in several different communities across Nebraska from Omaha and Lincoln to the panhandle. Nebraskans have a great deal on their minds, and I'm grateful to all who have attended my constituent listening sessions to voice their concerns about the issues before us as a nation. Nebraskans are very well informed, and I appreciate their suggestions and specific ideas about ways to improve the lives of their families and neighbors.
While these listening sessions give me the chance to hear directly from constituents, I continue to encourage all Nebraskans to contact any one of my offices by phone, mail, or email to share their views and personal stories about challenges resulting from misguided policies at the federal level. These insights and suggestions help guide my decision-making as I seek opportunities to revise current federal policies or offer new legislation that directly addresses your concerns.
For example, many members of the agriculture community reached out to highlight negative impacts EPA's overly burdensome Oil Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule was having on their operations. To provide Nebraska farmers with needed regulatory relief, I worked with my colleagues on legislation that would revise this rule. I was proud our legislation served as the basis for text included in the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) passed by Congress this year so that these commonsense changes could become law.
In addition to promoting smart policies, another way my office aims to serve Nebraskans is by providing assistance with federal agencies. My staff has a strong track record of helping constituents navigate a range of bureaucratic hurdles -- from difficulty acquiring medical records from the VA, to problems with Social Security, and trouble obtaining tax refunds owed by the IRS.
In one case, my staff was able to help a mother in Nebraska ensure her son suffering from a life-threatening disease received vital prescriptions. Her son's insurance policy was dropped by his Medicare Advantage carrier because of changes resulting from Obamacare. The carrier allowed her son to apply for another policy and verbally confirmed that he was covered. However, when they attempted to retrieve his prescriptions, they were told there was no record of his coverage under the new policy.
After several calls to the carrier, the concerned and rightly frustrated parent spoke to my staff requesting assistance. My office then worked with the Center for Medicare Services (CMS) to look into the miscommunication and confirm the son's coverage. The mother wrote me to say, "In frustration I called your Omaha office. My son would die without his meds .Within a day [my son] was contacted by Medicare, his insurance carrier, and soon had his prescriptions."
Unfortunately, difficulty dealing with federal agencies and programs is not uncommon, and my office stands ready to assist any Nebraskan with these exhausting and often time-consuming challenges. The ability to help constituents resolve these issues that impact their lives and livelihoods is one of the most rewarding aspects of my job.
To offer convenient opportunities for those needing or seeking these services, my staff also regularly holds local office hours in communities across the state. These office hours allow those who may not live near one of my state offices the chance to speak in-person about a specific request or to express their input on a specific federal matter.
More information about assistance with federal agencies and other services my office provides is available on my website, http://fischer.senate.gov. It is an honor to represent our great state in the United States Senate, and I look forward to continuing to hear from you on ways my office can help serve Nebraskans.
Thank you for taking part in our democratic process, and I'll visit with you again next week.
Source