My summer medical recovery

CAR ACCIDENTS stink. They stink ironically when they involve Medical Transportation vehicles. Hence, I'm humbly trying to raise $1200 for immediate needs (listed further down).

My name is Mike Rinaldi. You probably already know me. You may not know that I deal with constant physical pain and an insurance bureaucracy which stalled most of my medical treatment for a very long time.

WHAT HAPPENED:

Typically I rely on Medical Transportation provided by my health plan to get to doctor appointments. Much of the painful injuries that I endure ironically resulted from three accidents while I was a passenger in these vehicles.*

*Technically, one of those accidents I was outside the vehicle when the driver caused injury. The other two, I was being transported in the car when collisions occurred; multiple vehicles were totaled.

ESCALATION:

This month (June 2023), radiology showed my condition is worsening; treatment delays resulted in deterioration of some joints and muscles. I've not been able to work for a while and my health plan exhausted my remaining money when they created out-of-pocket expenses that were supposed to be covered benefits. Now I'm looking for a place to live while I begin treatment (see Good News below).

GOOD NEWS: TREAMENT IS AUTHORIZED.

Physical therapy and surgery consultations finally got authorized. That took 5 to 7 months and one took over a year. One surgery isn't yet authorized but the rest are. Treatment is being scheduled in Visalia, Fresno, and Los Angeles, CA.

NEEDS:

HOUSING in the Visalia or Fresno areas JULY through SEPT. Frankly, I'm trusting God to provide a ROOM to rent or similar arrangement while I undergo PHYSICAL THERAPY and recover from a few SURGERIES. I hope to be with someone who'll check on me, make sure I'm okay, but I don't expect them to provide care (my food is covered). I plan to put my personal belongings into a storage facility during this time. Also, I believe in prayer so please PRAY.

WHAT DOES $1200 PROVIDE?

Three months of minimum necessities: mini storage, wireless phone bill, and a Uhaul rental. To increase the likelihood of reaching my goal, I kept it small and obtainable.

STRETCH GOALS:

Any funds over $1200 will contribute toward housing and incidental expenses such as travel and legal filing.

I'm eternally and humbly grateful for whoever you can help. I and my family thank you. Below is an FAQ.

FAQ:

Am I receiving help from friends, family, church?

Yes, they are very gracious. But I can't ask for the full burden to rest on their shoulders, hence the GoFundMe.

Why isn't insurance covering this?

I have multiple open insurance claims and I expect one or more to settle within the next three months. They are not resolving immediately though. I won't bog you with details but two of the vehicles that caused collisions were uninsured, which is especially illegal for a medical transportation vendor.

Why do I need help for three months?

I'm optimistic that I'll regain my health enough to return to work and also have a financial cushion once the insurance claims begin settling. I look forward to restarting my life.

Will I die in your home if you provide a room or couch or corner for my sleeping bag?

I don't expect to. The surgeries are outpatient and considered minor (shoulder surgery, oral surgeries, etc.).

Why is my health insurance so incompetent?

Because it's government health care, there's little accountability, and nothing happens if I don't micromanage it myself. Scheduling a few doctor appointments takes about 40 hours per week. It's nuts.

What happens if I don't raise the $1200?

I may lose all my personal possessions, some other ugly things happen, and I'm trying not to think about that.

Isn't this a terrible time to have to move?

Yes. C'est la vie.

Why do vehicle collisions keep happening to me?

Serious answer, I believe it's a spiritual battle of some sort. I was not a driver during any of the collisions. Joke answer is I'm a good driver but maybe I'm not a good passenger.

Why didn't I drive myself to doctor appointments?

Medical reasons. I look forward to resuming driving after my body heals some.

Is my health insurance truly this incompetent?

Yes. They are very friendly, poorly trained people trapped in a system of design flaws.

Am in a lot of pain?

Yes. All the time, it never goes away. The pain has been unmanaged for 8 months because doctors didn't want to open themselves to liability. I've been in hospitals and just didn't tell you.

What are my injuries?

I won't list them all here because that's a jeopardy of health privacy. If you ask me in person though, we can rap about it.

Why was I not forthcoming about all of this sooner?

Two reasons. One is I don't want to jeopardize future career opportunities after I'm ready to return to work. The other, I believe in my right to medical privacy. I don't put most of my personal life on the internet.

I welcome your questions. If you read this far, I truly value your care and friendship. I'm humbled. Thank you for being here.