'Face' of 9/11 Ills Goes Unrecognized;

Can't Get Expenses Paid: 'Face' of 9/11 Ills Goes Unrecognized

By ARI PAUL

A lot of New Yorkers recognize Ivonne Sanchez's face, as it appears on Spanish-language posters in subway cars encouraging 9/11 first-responders to file for Workers' Compensation. Ironically, the retired Emergency Medical Technician who toiled at Ground Zero is having trouble getting the Law Department to pay for her own medical expenses.

GETTING THE RUNAROUND: Former Emergency Medical Technician Ivonne Sanchez, who has been forced to undergo 11 lower-back surgeries since her stint at Ground Zero, has also had to endure bureaucratic snafus that left her unable to reach her Caseworker while seeking reimbursement she is owed for medical expenses. "They still owe me money for out-of-pocket prescriptions and travel expenses," Ms. Sanchez said in a Sept. 28 phone interview. "I've been back and forth since 2002 and have not seen a dime for any of that."

Bureaucratic Shuffle

As part of what she describes as a constant struggle, Ms. Sanchez has also been waiting for approval on a follow-up procedure for her most recent of 11 lower-back surgeries. She hasn't been able to get her Caseworker on the phone in at least a year and she has left several messages concerning her pending authorization, she said. After finally speaking with the caseworker's supervisor, Ms. Sanchez was told her that the Law Department did not have any of her forms.

"I'm a little frustrated now," she said.

Ms. Sanchez is just one of many past and present Emergency Medical Service workers who find that their doctors don't get the bills paid by the Law Department or can't get medical authorization in a speedy fashion. Tony Vanaria, a retired Paramedic who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of working in a morgue after 9/11, has faced similar frustrations.

"[He] is having a problem whereas the medical bills the Judge ordered paid, the NYC Law Department is refusing to pay," Marianne Pizzitola, president of the Uniformed FDNY EMS Retirees Association, said in an e-mail. "Tony gave the Judge a printout of all his medication. The Law Department told him they will not accept that as he could have printed it out himself."

Law Department officials noted that many doctors' bills go unpaid for legitimate reasons, and doctors may take the department to arbitration.

Claims Overcharges

"Doctors submit a bill and we respond by either paying it or objecting to it," said John Sweeney, the Chief of the Law Department's Workers' Compensation Division. "It's not uncommon to bill in excess, because it's not consistent with the fee schedule."

Ms. Pizzitola and Thomas Eppinger, the president of Local 3621 of District Council 37, which represents EMS officers, testified Sept. 24 about these problems to the City Council's Health and Civil Service and Labor Committees.

"EMS always fell through the cracks in my opinion," said Joseph Addabbo, the Civil Service and Labor Committee Chairman. "The bottom line is, it seems like although they're under the auspices of FDNY, in practice, when it comes to this issue of treating workers for 9/11, they seem to not be considered FDNY, and that obviously concerns me."

Mr. Addabbo promised to address the issue with the Mayor's Office.

"We've come a long way," he said. "We've got a long way to go. It is still an uphill battle."