Well, of course I didn't, so I began calling and leaving messages. On Monday I finally got through, but was instead transferred to a new person who said she'd just been given my case but she wouldn't be able to get to it right away and to check back at the end of the month.
Not only is this patently irritating, there is a problem here with the time frame. My TCC insurance coverage expires at the end of this month, so they need to get their act together and approve or deny my coverage before then. So I called the McDermott offices, only to discover that they hadn't gotten my earlier letter of June 14.
I have stopped expecting merely following the proper procedure to result in getting anything done. I reproduced the original letter and supporting evidence, added some additional materials that had arrived in the meantime, and hauled the resulting packet down to them in person the next morning.
So, I have a contact and she has been the most prompt and helpful of anyone so far. She's talked to OPM's congressional liaison who assured her that when they finished the paperwork it would be back-dated and I would be refunded the extra premium money I have been paying. Fine and dandy, but it still needs to happen before the end of this month. This information was duly passed back to OPM and I'm waiting to hear from my contact at McDermott's office this afternoon, either way.
I am alternately frantic and despondent. It's only a big deal because if I lose my coverage I'm unlikely to be able to get it back again. Well, I can run up debt as well as the next person, I suppose I will eventually get used to it. I hate it, but I guess I'm just being old-fashioned. It's out of my hands at this point.
