My open enrollment for Centennial Care (New Mexico Medicaid) was the two months betwixt October 1 and December 1, 2017. And during this time, a Molina care coordinator threatened to … make it difficult to receive my services if I didn’t do as the individual instructed/demanded. This individual’s exact words … are within the complaint letter and Molina notification of my action (the latter is a professional courtesy and not required by the credentialing board).

The part that is truly not so brilliant has to do with this individual speaking in a threatening fashion in front of witnesses. We all felt threatened by this individual, and though it might be simple posturing and penis-size comparative, I still felt like if I didn’t do as she demanded my Molina services would be terminated or delayed. The witnesses felt the same.

The inability of this individual to remove themselves professionally from personal qualms leaves me suspect of the training and management of Molina, so much so that I switched MCOs in November as close to the open enrollment end date as possible. I didn’t want to do so, and it’s caused me headaches in documentation that was not transferred properly. I knew this would be the case, and while switching MCOs caused additional anxiety to where an additional medication has been added to my med regimen (ask any peer how annoying this is), and this was because I did not trust this threatening individual not to mess with my services, as in cancelling them or making my case documentation appear out of compliance. I believe the latter did already occur.

Anyhow, what I want to share with my fellow peers is places like Molina are our mechanics, and we gift them the information necessary to gain new and retain existing services. Anything that threatens these services is fucking frightening.

Empowerment. I wrote a complaint to the credentialing board, I left Molina, and I’m dealing with the headache of switching MCOs. Not doing so let’s this bully at Molina get away with abusing a Molina peer (me), and I have to believe this individual does the same to other Molina peers. Bullies continue to bully until they are called on their bull puckey or a bigger bully bullies them back.

At the encouragement of fellow peers, I’ve written a complaint, and from the colleague I have at Molina National and the credentialing board, this individual will have their license yanked and won’t be able to work in New Mexico again.

Oh, by the by, if you didn’t know, I have close colleagues in places like the City of Albuquerque, County of Bernalillo, County of Valencia, State of New Mexico, HSD, DOH, and Albuquerque Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff, Santa Fe Police Department, Albuquerque Call Center, NMCAL, Warm Line, Disability Rights New Mexico, etc. I’m a very active, well-networked peer advocate who are not fond of how I’ve been treated, both personally and professionally.

Sadly, I have no choice to report professional abuse. Gladly, I’ll assist in removing this individual’s access to Molina peer clients who I believe are being abused by this individual.

Empowerment. I will not let this individual have power over me, power I let this individual have over me.

This is another part of my recovery journey, bolstered by self-empowerment.