Alumni BB WALDON - Step Up and Help, Bulls Fans

[I Bleed Awesomeness]

WHERE COULD ONE GET details of the accident?

 

if he didnt have medical insurance arent his medical bills going to  be paid for by the state?

 

if the accident wasnt his fault did the other party have insurance?

medical bills sustained in an accident are never paid for by the state.  theyre either paid by the persons health insurance, or medical coverage on their auto policy.  and if it is their health insurance that pays, it can't be a state funded medical plan.  medicare/medicaid doesnt pays for injuries resulting from an auto accident.

[I Bleed Awesomeness]

 

WHERE COULD ONE GET details of the accident?

 

if he didnt have medical insurance arent his medical bills going to  be paid for by the state?

 

if the accident wasnt his fault did the other party have insurance?

medical bills sustained in an accident are never paid for by the state.  theyre either paid by the persons health insurance, or medical coverage on their auto policy.  and if it is their health insurance that pays, it can't be a state funded medical plan.  medicare/medicaid doesnt pays for injuries resulting from an auto accident.

 

if it was HIS car and he had auto insurance, then he would get 80% of his medical bills, up to the first $10,000 covered through his PIP (personal injury protection).  thats a mandatory medical coverage in our state, and always pays out first before any health insurance.

Edited July 19, 2015 by I Bleed Awesomeness

[Brad]

Update:

2 people like this update

I am truly blessed and gratful for the well wishes and contributions. I can't thank everyone enough!

BB

[BullyPulpit]

 

WHERE COULD ONE GET details of the accident?

 

if he didnt have medical insurance arent his medical bills going to  be paid for by the state?

 

if the accident wasnt his fault did the other party have insurance?

medical bills sustained in an accident are never paid for by the state.  theyre either paid by the persons health insurance, or medical coverage on their auto policy.  and if it is their health insurance that pays, it can't be a state funded medical plan.  medicare/medicaid doesnt pays for injuries resulting from an auto accident.

 

 

First and foremost let me wish BB a speedy recovery and I hope they attain their goal to help him with his bills.

 

Without hijacking the thread, I wanted to correct the statement above. Medicaid and Medicare can in fact pay for auto accident related injuries. The primary source of payment is PIP coverage that pays at 80% up to $10,000. The secondary form of coverage is then health insurance, whether private or public. If there is a recovery from an auto insurance policy under either Bodily Injury Liability coverage or Uninsured/Under Insured Motorist coverage, then the public health insurance (Medicaid and Medicare) have a statutory right to reimbursement (subrogation) and virtually all private health insurance plans now have a right to subrogate as well (either through ERISA or by the terms of the health insurance contract). Frequently, when there is a traumatic accident such as BB's a case worker from the hospital will try and retroactively qualify the patient for Medicaid, although if you have any sort of gainful, full time employment, you are unlikely to qualify. 

 

The real issue here would be the aftercare required once he is discharged from the hospital. Even if he were Medicaid eligible, some of the services that he might require to make a full recovery might not be covered under the plan. 

[I Bleed Awesomeness]

 

 

WHERE COULD ONE GET details of the accident?

 

if he didnt have medical insurance arent his medical bills going to  be paid for by the state?

 

if the accident wasnt his fault did the other party have insurance?

medical bills sustained in an accident are never paid for by the state.  theyre either paid by the persons health insurance, or medical coverage on their auto policy.  and if it is their health insurance that pays, it can't be a state funded medical plan.  medicare/medicaid doesnt pays for injuries resulting from an auto accident.

 

 

First and foremost let me wish BB a speedy recovery and I hope they attain their goal to help him with his bills.

 

Without hijacking the thread, I wanted to correct the statement above. Medicaid and Medicare can in fact pay for auto accident related injuries. The primary source of payment is PIP coverage that pays at 80% up to $10,000. The secondary form of coverage is then health insurance, whether private or public. If there is a recovery from an auto insurance policy under either Bodily Injury Liability coverage or Uninsured/Under Insured Motorist coverage, then the public health insurance (Medicaid and Medicare) have a statutory right to reimbursement (subrogation) and virtually all private health insurance plans now have a right to subrogate as well (either through ERISA or by the terms of the health insurance contract). Frequently, when there is a traumatic accident such as BB's a case worker from the hospital will try and retroactively qualify the patient for Medicaid, although if you have any sort of gainful, full time employment, you are unlikely to qualify. 

 

The real issue here would be the aftercare required once he is discharged from the hospital. Even if he were Medicaid eligible, some of the services that he might require to make a full recovery might not be covered under the plan. 

 

"If there is a recovery from an auto insurance policy" .....there's the problem, HE was at fault, therefore BI nor UM would ever factor in to begin with.

[BullyPulpit]

WHERE COULD ONE GET details of the accident?

if he didnt have medical insurance arent his medical bills going to be paid for by the state?

if the accident wasnt his fault did the other party have insurance?

medical bills sustained in an accident are never paid for by the state. theyre either paid by the persons health insurance, or medical coverage on their auto policy. and if it is their health insurance that pays, it can't be a state funded medical plan. medicare/medicaid doesnt pays for injuries resulting from an auto accident.

First and foremost let me wish BB a speedy recovery and I hope they attain their goal to help him with his bills.

Without hijacking the thread, I wanted to correct the statement above. Medicaid and Medicare can in fact pay for auto accident related injuries. The primary source of payment is PIP coverage that pays at 80% up to $10,000. The secondary form of coverage is then health insurance, whether private or public. If there is a recovery from an auto insurance policy under either Bodily Injury Liability coverage or Uninsured/Under Insured Motorist coverage, then the public health insurance (Medicaid and Medicare) have a statutory right to reimbursement (subrogation) and virtually all private health insurance plans now have a right to subrogate as well (either through ERISA or by the terms of the health insurance contract). Frequently, when there is a traumatic accident such as BB's a case worker from the hospital will try and retroactively qualify the patient for Medicaid, although if you have any sort of gainful, full time employment, you are unlikely to qualify.

The real issue here would be the aftercare required once he is discharged from the hospital. Even if he were Medicaid eligible, some of the services that he might require to make a full recovery might not be covered under the plan.

"If there is a recovery from an auto insurance policy" .....there's the problem, HE was at fault, therefore BI nor UM would ever factor in to begin with.

You are still incorrect no matter how you try to selectively quote my reply. Medicaid and Medicare will pay motor vehicle accident related expenses regardless of whether or not someone was at fault. In the event they are not at fault and a recovery is made against auto insurance, than and only then do they have a right to be paid back.

Your original misstatement that I was correcting was when you stated that Medicaid and Medicare could never be used to pay for accident related expense which is patently false.

[Triple B]

Texting and driving with no seatbelt? We covered this in the JPP thread.

 

He wasn't texting ... Here's a very nice article on BB from Joey Johnston:

 

 

By Joey Johnston | Tribune Staff

Published: July 21, 2015   |   Updated: July 22, 2015 at 08:36 AM

 

B.B. Waldon, one of the greatest players in University of South Florida basketball history, is slowly learning how to walk again. He can recite the statistics from a game he played at the Sun Dome in 1999, but sometimes can’t recall what he did a day ago.

 

A handful of surgeries are still required to correct damage done to his back, legs, hand and nasal cavity — the results of his horrific automobile crash on April 27 in Lakeland — and some things might never be the same. He needs twice-weekly rigorous rehabilitation sessions.

 

Waldon, 35, could be justifiably bitter or depressed.

 

He has chosen another emotion: He’s grateful.

 

He’s grateful to be alive. He’s grateful to see small improvements nearly every day. Mostly, he’s grateful for family and friends.

 

“After an accident like that, it’s natural to think, ‘Why am I still here?’ †Waldon said. “Only the man upstairs can answer that. He has more in mind for me. One thing I know for sure. I have people in my life who care about me.â€

 

Ex-USF basketball standout Waldon grateful to survive car crash

[Brad]

Really should post the whole story, internet etiquette be damned.

Please read it folks.

[Triple B]

Ex-USF basketball standout Waldon grateful to survive car crash

 

By Joey Johnston | Tribune Staff

 

Published: July 21, 2015   |   Updated: July 22, 2015 at 08:36 AM

 

B.B. Waldon, one of the greatest players in University of South Florida basketball history, is slowly learning how to walk again. He can recite the statistics from a game he played at the Sun Dome in 1999, but sometimes can’t recall what he did a day ago.

 

A handful of surgeries are still required to correct damage done to his back, legs, hand and nasal cavity — the results of his horrific automobile crash on April 27 in Lakeland — and some things might never be the same. He needs twice-weekly rigorous rehabilitation sessions.

 

Waldon, 35, could be justifiably bitter or depressed.

 

He has chosen another emotion: He’s grateful.

 

He’s grateful to be alive. He’s grateful to see small improvements nearly every day. Mostly, he’s grateful for family and friends.

 

“After an accident like that, it’s natural to think, ‘Why am I still here?’ †Waldon said. “Only the man upstairs can answer that. He has more in mind for me. One thing I know for sure. I have people in my life who care about me.â€

 

Anddrikk Frazier, a former USF point guard and Waldon’s teammate, has marshalled the forces to organize a golf tournament and an alumni game — ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg, the former USF coach, will attend — to generate funds for Waldon’s mounting medical expenses.

 

“B.B. kept a pretty tight circle (of friends), so I think a lot of people have no idea how big of a heart he has,†said Frazier, who first met Waldon at age 12 on an AAU team. “When the lights turned on, B.B. was probably one of the fiercest competitors I ever played with.

 

“We just want to take some of the external pressure off B.B. Things happen in life. We grow apart. But this is bringing us together. As bad as this has been, I think he has been extremely touched by the outpouring of support. He’s talking to teammates and coaches he hasn’t seen since leaving USF. When you hear what happened to him, your heart just goes out to him and you want to help.â€

v v v

From 1998 to 2002, Waldon, a 6-foot-8 forward, made his mark at USF. An All-American recruit from Lakeland’s Kathleen High and a four-year starter for the Bulls, Waldon finished as USF’s all-time leading career rebounder (928) and fourth-leading scorer (1,869 points).

 

After that, for some who knew him best, Waldon dropped far out of sight. He played professionally in Germany, Luxembourg, China and Uruguay.

 

Three years ago, he enrolled back at USF, taking classes toward his bachelor’s degree, and worked for the school’s athletic department. As a Bull, he was generally reserved and quiet, sometimes sullen. When he returned to USF, Waldon was smiling and more outgoing. His life seemed headed in a good direction.

 

On April 27, Waldon was starting a new job at a warehouse. That morning, he called his wife Kelly, an operating-room nursing director at Bartow Regional Hospital, and said he was headed for some work training at noon.

 

He was traveling southbound on Kathleen Road, going an estimated 45 miles per hour. Apparently, he never saw the Republic Garbage Services truck, which was stationary.

 

“I have no memory of what happened, none,†Waldon said. “I know I was not texting or speeding. The next thing I remember, I was in rehab.â€

 

The Florida Highway Patrol confirmed that Waldon wasn’t texting on his cell phone. There was no suspicion of alcohol use. The accident report stated that Waldon “failed to slow or stop in time ... for an unknown reason.â€

 

The impact was so severe, it knocked the drive shaft out from underneath the garbage truck. Waldon’s 2005 Nissan Altima was shredded. Waldon’s head was split open. His frontal nasal cavity was obliterated. His back and hip were crushed.

 

When the call finally came to Waldon’s wife, she was working on a spinal case. She flew to her car, her mind racing, hoping for the best when she reached Lakeland Regional Hospital. She saw the worst.

 

“The first thing the emergency room doctor said to me was, ‘This is bad,’ †Kelly Waldon said. “When I saw him, I couldn’t grasp it. I hit the floor. Another doctor came in and said, ‘I can fix him.’ So I said, ‘OK, I want everybody else out. I want you because you can fix him.’

 

“I have seen a lot. I’m an operating-room nurse. But I hadn’t seen anything like this. And this was my husband. What I didn’t truly know was how tough he was. And I began to learn just how much he meant to so many people. I had no idea.â€

v v v

Some people believe B.B. Waldon — his given name is Benitez Bernard — is the most talented basketball player ever to emerge from Polk County. That’s saying something, when you consider the likes of Alonza Allen, George Almones, Otis Birdsong, Livingston Chatman, Alvin Jones Jr. and Chris Richard.

 

“My joke to B.B. has been, ‘I didn’t know I was married to a legend,’ †Kelly Waldon said.

 

Originally from Pennsylvania, she moved to Florida as a single parent, eventually shifting to Lakeland. One night almost three years ago, after a long shift at the hospital, she arrived at Kathleen High to pick up her son, Aiden, from basketball practice.

Waldon, a volunteer coach, took notice. He asked her a lot of questions. Eventually, he asked her out.

 

Her initial response: “Seriously?â€

 

He was persistent. He wore her down. Slowly, she fell for him. When she had surgery, and he spent the night watching over her, his 6-8 body curled up in a small hospital recliner, it was the capper.

 

“I thought, ‘OK, this is a good guy. This is the guy for me,’ †she said.

 

They were married on Dec. 14, 2014, in a small ceremony at Lake Hollingsworth, followed by a crab boil.

 

“I truly just knew the person and had no idea about the basketball player,†Kelly Waldon said.

 

She cries almost daily when thinking about the widespread concern, particularly the effort put in by Frazier, whom she didn’t even know until the accident. Then he was in daily contact, asking how he could help.

Two weeks after the accident, the family had scheduled a move to Mulberry, where Aiden now plays high school ball, where Waldon was going to help coach. Overwhelmed, she remembers sitting in a closet, weeping openly, wondering how she could pull everything together. One day, she answered the doorbell and there were a dozen or so volunteers, Waldon’s friends, ready to help with the move.

 

Life remains stressful because Waldon faces a long road. But he’s a diligent patient. Already, he has graduated from a walker to taking steps. He dreams of his return as a coach for the Special Olympics, AAU and Mulberry High.

 

“I think he’s a walking miracle,†Kelly Waldon said. “I told him, ‘B.B., I don’t know what your calling is, but you’re going to figure it out, because logically you shouldn’t be here.’ I’ve taken care of accident victims who didn’t look nearly as severe as him and they didn’t make it.

 

“I know we no longer sweat the small things in life. One minute you’re fighting over who didn’t put their towel back. The next minute, there’s a car wreck and your loved one is gone. I think we have our priorities straight. I think we have been shown our true friends.â€

 

Waldon, who never complained despite an injury-wracked late-career spell at USF, has maintained his warrior-like approach.

 

“I have pain, but I get by,†Waldon said. “I don’t think, ‘Why me?’ It could happen to anybody. I’m not where I want to be, but I’m working at it. One day at a time. I’m glad to be alive. I’m blessed.â€

 

[dabull80]

Donation done.....and some of you people are an embarrassment to the site, Bulls fans and especially to yourselves.  This is a public forum.