Fundraiser for Dennis & Geri Bass

For those of you who don't know, both Dennis and Geri have been having ongoing medical issues for several years now. Dennis is currently in Granada in Eureka after getting pneumonia and falling when he came home after discharge.  My Dad was diagnosed with MS about the time they closed Dennis and Geri's Restaurant and he's had numerous medical issues since. He is currently mostly confined to a wheelchair and uses oxygen full-time. Geri is currenly in Redding after a serious bout with pneumonia which caused more heart related problems. Although she is improving and scheduled to return to Eureka this week, her lifestyle will need to change and she will no longer be able to care for Dennis at the home (if he is released from the care home). Geri is also on oxygen fulltime and not able to do much physically.

For those who haven't had the experience with medicare/medi-cal and other insurance, I will just say that not everything is covered and often there is a fight to get things covered that aren't. About a year ago, Dennis got pneumonia and was ultimately sent to Pacific Care Home to get strong enough to come home. At some point, Medicare decided they would no longer cover his stay and they were forced to apply for Medi-Cal. With Medi-Cal, you essentially can't own more than basic things without a huge share of cost. If you don't plan far in advance to protect your assets, you will either be denied benefits or you'll be forced to give them up. This is what led me to start the campaign for my folks.

When my parents applied for Medi-Cal, they were required to sell off their burial plan. Something my Mom was pretty proud of... she had paid for her and my Dad's funeral before she or my Dad passed away. Not only did they have to cash it out, they were required to pay off medical bills with the bulk of it. We learned later that selling off the plan wasn't the only option and they could have kept it by transferring it to the funeral home. At the time, they didn't offer solid advice and facing getting denied benefits, they did what they had to do.

My parents live a simple life. They rent a home and own nothing substantial. They both get Social Security and live paycheck to paycheck. This means that the likelihood of them saving enough money for another funeral plan is not good. I wish I were well off and could absorb the cost but the reality is, I can't. Rather than start a campaign after one of them passes away, I am doing it now. Neither of them know I am starting this campaign. I am certain that if it is sucessful, it will be load off both of their minds. The plan b was cremation but I know that wasn't something either of them had planned nor did they want.  Financially, they aren't even able to do that.  Money rasied here will be used to buy them the plan they had and make sure it's secured properly. In the event more than the cost of the funeral is raised, the remainder will be used to help them with in-home care and basic day to day needs. My Dad is fortunate to get some medical benefits from the VA. Without their help with some of the basic medical supplies, there is no possible way my folks could live a somewhat normal life on their current income.

For those of you who know my parents, you know their generosity when they had the restaurant. My mom has always been the type of person who would give her last dollar to someone who needed it. My Dad never put a dollar value on a cut of prime rib (despite my mom telling him the cost). I know that they would be grateful for any help you can give, as would I.

Please share the link if you would.

Thank you!

Gene Bass
(Son of Dennis & Geri)