Jump to content

Susan

Abrazo's Elite
  • Posts

    3,438
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    16

Everything posted by Susan

  1. This is just wonderful news for Lindsey, Jay and Quentin!! Congratulations to you, the birthfamily and Wyatt -- cannot wait to see his photo! Susan
  2. I'm sorry, but this information is kind of vague as to what it is and where I can find it , could you please be a bit more specific? I'm Just kidding of course. Excellent information and thanks for the citation. Thank you Susan. -A Yes, I guess that is about all I have to show show for all of those years of policy wonk work on the Hill!! Don't miss it much now that I am in the quiet mountains of VA!
  3. Yes, you are right Elizabeth. Congress amended the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) in the mid 1990s (when they passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1996) to require group health plans to cover adopted children at placement. Group health plans are not allowed anymore under federal law to withhold coverage until finalization. Not all personnel with group health plans know that, but the relevant section in ERISA clearly state that coverage starts from placement. If someone has health insurance with something other than a group health plan, maybe there is a loophole (if the company does not have to follow federal law) but I am not aware of this instance. The cite is ERISA is Title 29, Chapter 18, Subtitle B, part 6, Section 1169, c, 1 I am happy to help anyone with this if you want to PM me. Susan
  4. Actually the issue Lisa is one of the law. Several years ago Congress revised several laws, and created HIPAA in which they defined "placement" as the time at which adoptive parents assume fiscal responsibility. Therefore if APs match with a BP before the birth (APs take fiscal responsibility when they match) they should be able to argue with their insurance company that coverage should start at birth. We never used this provision because we have a BOG (our sweet dear blessing on the ground). The cites for the specific section of the law, and the definition of "placement" are in one of the quoted sections above. I am happy to talk with anyone about this if anyone wants to PM me. Good Luck! Susan
  5. Wow Lisa! Can I just say how impressed I am that you read all of this from what seems like soo long ago on the 10-4 Good Buddies -- I hope our findings can be useful for others! Susan
  6. Congratulations Brian and Gail -- January baby girls are the best -- congrats on your little bundle of joy -- cannot wait to see photos!!!
  7. Gabriela -- I am so overjoyed to read your story and hear this most amazing news!! Congrats on the arrival of your new baby daughter! Love, Susan
  8. And more special hugs from this part of Virginia! Thanks for the great announcement Stork Central -- what a great tribute to a most amazing family!!! We join you in your joy!! I have been checking all night to see this news and now it is time for bed!
  9. How special that modern technology could make it possible for you to be in the "room" too! Enjoy every moment with your precious new grand-daughter! Susan
  10. What a blessing to read about not one but two new arrivals!!! Congrats to all involved and we cannot wait to follow your journeys. Enjoy these early precious days. Love, Susan
  11. Congratulations on the arrival of Baby Olivia into your lives -- and oh so fast!! And welcome to Abrazo and to Texas -- enjoy these early days and make yourself at home on the Forum -- we are so happy to have you! Susan
  12. Congratulations Sam and Lori! Baby Emma is adorable! Enjoy these early days -- they are so precious. Congrats on filling the Strolller! Yay! Susan
  13. Congratulations Jenn and Dave! Jonah is adorable and I love the photos of you guys!! You look so very happy. Enjoy these first precious days -- it is such a special time! Susan, Bill and Tasia
  14. What a true blessing -- not ONE but TWO girls!!! Congrats to the arrival of the first of the little fishies...and special congrats to the adoptive parents!! We cannot wait to hear the story and see the photos...and meet the new ones! Susan
  15. Thank you so much Elizabeth for that wonderful tribute to baptism/christening! The day was very special for us and extremely moving to watch Tasia throughout each step of the ceremony. I posted a brief write-up about the event on Good Buddies, but thougt that I would post it here too! I have a posted the "photo story" of Tasia's baptism on the Gallery. As you can see, Greek baptisms are complex affairs and involve complete submersion three times. I have included a few of the highlights and hopefully they will give you a flavor for the event. Just briefly, the ceremony started in the back of the santuary and involved the priest, Tasia and her godparents (Bill's cousins from Greece). She is wearing the outfit that the godparents bought her and that she wore when she came to the church (they wanted something chic -- hence the mini-skirt!). At the back of the church, the priest says prayers with Tasia, the godparents spit three times to send away the evil spirits (you may remember this from the wedding ceremony in My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Tasia's godmother recites the Nicene Creed, and then they process forward to the altar. At the altar our priest gives Tasia to her grandmothers who whisk her away into a back room and change her out of her clothes and into a towel ready for baptism. She is then brought back to the altar, covered in olive oil by her godmother, and plunged into the font three times (this was by far the hardest part for me!!!). (By the way, all this time Bill and I are just sitting in the front row watching!!). She is then christened by the priest with holy oil in the sign of the cross. The grandmothers then take Tasia away back into the little room and put on her christening attire (also brought by Tasia's godparents from Greece) -- two layers, special shoes and of course her cross. She then returns to the altar for a dance of joy around the table (similar to Greek weddings) and Scripture readings. Then our priest gives Tasia first communion (in the Greek church they have first communion immediately following christening) and he completes the ceremony with the final prayers. Finally, Tasia is presented to us by her godparents and we of course are all in tears! Our family priest raised Bill in this church. The priest married Bill's parents, baptized Bill, officiated at the funerals of both of Bill's parents, and married us -- so you can only imagine the significance of him baptizing Tasia.
  16. Congrats to the new Abrazo family, to the little guy and to the sweet birthmom! We cannot wait to see photos! Susan
  17. I just emailed our social worker too...keeping these little ones and their birthfamilies in our prayers!! Thanks for all you do, Abrazo! Susan
  18. Wow!!! Congrats to all of the new babies and new families over the last week...is has been busy on this thread!!! Cannot wait to see all of the new photos! Enjoy these early precious days. Love, Susan
  19. Have a great time this weekend everyone!! You will not get much sleep, but will meet friends for a lifetime and start your journey on the ride of your life!! We cannot wait to hear the details and the name you choose....
  20. Congrats on the arrival of your little boy! You look so happy in the photo! Enjoy these first days and weeks -- they are so precious! Susan
  21. I am so happy to see the announcement! Congratulations Linda and Tony on the arrival of Andrew!! Prayers for you and for his birthfamily. Enjoy every moment. I cannot wait to see photos! Susan
  22. Amanda, Alison and Cliff -- I just love reading your post Amanda (thanks for being on the Forum!!) and for hearing your collective story. It is so amazing to see the blessings of open adoption. Amanda, you are a great gift to Alison and Cliff who we just love. And, Alison and Cliff, we can only imagine what a gift you are for Amanda. A true match made in heaven! Susan, Bill and Tasia (we are also part of Alison and Cliff's 10-4 Good Buddies Orientation Crew)
  23. I just called Bill and his quote is: "I guess it is ok for an LTD to be a LONG TRUCK DRIVER"!! Ha ha!
  24. Yay!!!!! I am so excited!!!!! Now Isaac and Cason have company at Camp next year to fend off the feisty Good Buddy Girls!!!! Congrats, hugs and lots of love Alison and Cliff -- Susan Bill and Tasia
  25. Hi Sandi and Scott -- I love the name Skye and how appropriate! I hope you are settling in well with your new little girl...are we going to see you at Camp?? Enjoy these precious days... Love, Susan (and Bill and Tasia) So Abrazo gals...we want to see a picture of Skye on the Gallery ...
×
×
  • Create New...