letter to all...

email to Bobby Moak, Mississippi State Legislator in charge of the Gaming Commission; Mary Perez, Sun Herald journalist; Anita Lee, Sun Herald journalist; Mary Jo Perez, Mississippi State Attorney General's office; Bill Mulvey, Feinberg-Rozen employee appointed gccf-casino liaison...

Bobby, Mary, Anita, Mary Jo, Bill,

We are now TWO weeks out from the enclosed news.  We keep a very close ear to the Mississippi Gulf Coast casino network.  There are no "checks-in-hand" that we know of.  There are six confirmed "denial" letters, all stating the same reason, "losses not related to the oil spill."

---Brad...

Friday, Apr. 15, 2011

Moak: BP checks could be headed to casino workers

By MARY PEREZ - meperez@sunherald.com

BILOXI -- Casino employees could soon receive payments for their BP oil claims, Bobby Moak, D-Bogue Chitto, chairman of the Mississippi House Gaming Committee, said Friday.
Moak said he got the word from Bill Mulvey, the casino liaison for the Gulf Coast Claims Facility.
“He told me this morning some folks should have checks in their hands next week,” Moak said.

“I would like to see something get paid,” Brad McDonald said. He and his wife ... said they remain skeptical.
"This is simple stuff," he said.  "It's not big money and it's not very complex."
They filed their first claims in October and Interim Claims in December and were told there would be a determination within 90 days of the claims being presented to gccf.


Read more: http://www.sunherald.com/2011/04/15/3032322/moak-bp-checks-could-be-headed.html#ixzz1Kz3IZCsi

killing me...

Bill Mulvey,

 

Don't even know how to start...

 

We are receiving a sweep of denial letters again.  Bill, this is NOT American tax money we are taking out of each others' pockets.  This is not entitlement money.  This is money from a foreign corporation who's profits are up, who are making many hundreds of billions of dollars, and who are, themselves, suing Transocean for $40 billion!

 

PLEASE ! ! !

 

Can somebody get real here and stand up for America?

 

This is money already fully committed for the specific purpose of re-energizing the American Gulf Coast economy.  One year later and you have only $4 billion of $20 billion sent out.  BP buys full page ads down here every day saying they have committed $20 billion to our economic recovery, including covering lost income.  It's a year later!  We are dying!  There IS no covering of lost income!  Why are you sitting on all this foreign money, when we all need it so badly?  Have you read the thousands of responses to the "proposed methodology"?  There is catastrophic loss and pain in this country that Ken Feinberg is ignoring in favor of a foreign country.

 

Let GO of the money!  This is taking WAY too long!  We don't care if anybody gets overpaid, it's not money out of Americans' pockets!  Any money coming into our community immediately spreads around and benefits all.

 

Very Sincerely,

 

---Brad McDonald... 

So...

Mary Perez, Sun Herald reporter, called me today.  She spoke with State Representative Bobby Moak, Chairman of the House Gaming Commission, who reportedly spoke with Bill Mulvey.  Bill is the Feinberg-Rozen representative assigned as "gccf-casino liaison".  WLOX news has a telephone interview with Bobby Moak as well.   Mr. Moak said about his conversation with Bill Mulvey, "He had told me this morning that he expected some workers to start receiving their checks next week."

Ah so, we shall see... 

90-day doubletalk...

The "Protocol" seems very clear.  We "presented" our claims to the local gccf office on Dec 20.  90 days is Mar 20.  A gccf 800# rep then told us that 90 days begins when they receive and enter the claim in Ohio.  For us, received Jan 4, 90 days being April 4. 

"Gulf Coast Claims Facility Protocol
for Interim and Final Claims
February 8, 2011

V. REVIEW PROCEDURES

A. Determination of Claims

1. After an Interim Claim or a Final Claim is presented, the GCCF shall determine within 90 days whether to make a payment to the Claimant and if so the amount of such payment."

We spoke with another 800# gccf rep yesterday who told us that the 90 days begins, not when a claim is presented, as the protocol states, but when a claim is "substantiated", as put forth in the "FAQ" as follows...

"Frequently Asked Questions

SECTION 5 - INFORMATION ON FULL REVIEW FINAL PAYMENT CLAIMS

40. Do I have to submit documents to be paid a Full Review Final Payment?
Yes. To be considered for a Full Review Final Payment, you must submit documents that prove the losses or injuries you claim you suffered as a result of the Spill. A Full Review Final Payment Claim requires complete substantiation and documentation of all damages sustained in the past.

50. How long will it take for me to get a Full Review Final Payment?
The GCCF will fully evaluate and determine your Full Review Final Payment Claim within 90 days after receipt of your substantiated claim. You will be notified of the amount of the Final Payment Offer or of any missing documents that are necessary to be able to evaluate the claim within this 90-day period. Claimants who previously submitted a Final Claim will have their claim reviewed on a priority basis.

66. How long will it take for me to get an Interim Payment?
Within 90 days of receipt of a substantiated claim for an Interim Payment, the GCCF will evaluate and review the submitted documentation. The GCCF will mail you notice of your eligibility and calculated amount for payment of your Interim Payment Claim."

The scary part is this:  there is no information posted about what constitutes "substantiation", and there is no time frame posted on the "substantiation" process.  In fact, I was told that there is no information available to anyone at the gccf call center or the gccf "Research Department" on if or when our claims have been "subtantiated" at all.  At the current rate of claims payment, we could be waiting several years for our claims to be "substantiated" before our 90 days even begins. 

"63. What if my claim is missing any documents needed to prove my Interim Payment Claim?
If you fail to submit the required documents to prove your losses or injuries, you will not be paid for them in an Interim Payment. The GCCF will not send any deficiency notices to you to notify you of any documents missing from your file. Instead, your losses will be determined solely on the basis of the documents you have submitted."

Really?  What is this about?  We are certain that several have already received requests for further documentation regarding their Interim Claims.

 

 

letter to the editor...

Gentlemen,

 

The Sun Herald issue of Sunday, April 3, printed a Page 20A full-page ad for BP.  We are particularly concerned over the conflicts with truth.  One line says, "We've committed $20 billion to an independent fund to pay for environmental restoration and all legitimate claims, including lost incomes."  The truth is that the fund has been ruled NOT independent by a Federal judge.  Kenneth Feinberg, BP's agent, has been quoted by the Sun Herald as saying that $10 billion should cover all the claims, and that there is nothing wrong with returning the remainder to BP.  Our thought is that, if BP wants the positive public relations of $20 billion, then they should instruct their agent to disseminate the entire amount.  If their agent wants to pay only $10 billion, then it is certainly unethical for BP to crow over $20 billion.  Regarding lost incomes, there have been over 19,000 Interim and Full Review Claims filed in Mississippi since November 24.  Only 847 have been paid.  To paraphrase President Reagan, "Mr Feinberg, pay those claims!".

 

stuff happening...

Long delay in blog because of news shortage.  Suddenly, more news!  The Attorney General Jim Hood claims meetings were encouraging.  Jim Hood is aware of our difficulties and is doing all his office can to force gccf transparency.  We can sign a release giving his office clearance to contact the gccf and share our information.  This may, hopefully, help him get a better look at what's really going on.

With the anniversary of the blow-out coming up, national and world media are refocusing on our area.  Two of our local casino workers are involved in interviews with the BBC.  "World-wide".  Diane Sawyer with ABC News is seeking comments from our area.  Check out the ABC News website.  If you're not already, please check out Coastal Justice on Facebook.

Speaking of deadlines, our personal "90 days" set forth in the gccf protocol for resolving our personal claims is up on Monday, April 4.  We are told by gccf representatives that we will then be able to talk to reps more closely involved with the actual adjust and pay process.  We shall see, and report back soon.