Jack Redlinger’s wife was hospitalized after being diagnosed with coronavirus.
Atlanta — A law enforcement officer who has helped others for the rest of his life says he needs help now to provide his wife with the care he needs.
Jack Redlinger was a police officer in the Atlanta Police Department for 20 years before he retired.
As part of his service, he and his wife can stay on the city’s health insurance plan and continue to pay for it. Now he says the city refuses to intervene when he and his wife need their help.
“I have been married to her for 32 years. I know my wife better than anyone,” he said.
Jack Redlinger says his wife Michelle is the best person he knows.
“She’s easy to get along with, she loves everyone,” he said.
He added that she had a successful business, raised two daughters and was always independent. It is her current condition that is of concern.
“I’m not used to my wife looking like this,” he said.
Michelle was infected with COVID-19 at the end of December and was hospitalized for 45 days.
When she was finally released, Jack wanted her to go to an acute rehab facility, but their insurance says she insisted on going to a nursing home instead.
“She’s been lying in bed for just three weeks and hasn’t achieved anything at all, she’s just getting worse,” he said.
They have health insurance from Jack’s APD service through the city of Atlanta. Redlingers maintained their insurance even after he retired and got a new job. After years of insurance, they haven’t yet helped him deal with his wife’s post-COVID diagnosis, he said.
“When they need you, they need you, but when you’re done, they just throw you away and you leave,” he said.
Jack said the city would consider Michelle’s claim a few weeks ago, but said it hadn’t been addressed.
“He said,’Send me the paperwork,'” he said. “I sent him all the letters from the hospital. She said she needed acute rehab, an insurance letter, a letter from the Blue Cross Blue Shield.”
Jack said he sent a list of documents, but now he says he can’t get a callback.
“I think money is more important than my wife lives, but I don’t know. It’s very disappointing to sit here and see my wife,” he said. “It’s hard. It’s hard to get there, it’s hard to go to see her, but when I’m there, I don’t want to leave.”
A spokesman for the city of Atlanta told 11Alive that he could not comment on the manners and made the following statement:
“This is a problem between Redlingers and insurance companies, but the city has tried to help find a solution. Further comments will challenge medical issues that are private and not publicly available. ”
An Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield spokesman said he was investigating the allegations but did not provide a timeline.
