Refund and Reparation

cc: Dir Legal Affairs, OSA Flag
cc: OSA INT—Legal Dept.

(2) Captain FSO
(1) Captain's Yeoman FSO
-------------------------
Caroline Reinertsen
P.O. Box 96
Clearwater, FL 34617

Dear Tim:

This follows my letter to you of 14 March, 1999. Did you receive that letter?

Today, I received the attached letter from the BFO FSO. [1] As per my last letter to you, the Purser's position is that the Church is not responsible for the medical bills and has so informed at least one of the creditors on this cycle, in writing.

I still have received no answer to my CSW [2] to the Captain. As you know, I also have a petition to the Dir Legal Affairs, 0SA Flag, due to the legal aspect of this sit. A copy of that petition was included with the CSW received by you and sent to the Captain, FSO.

As time goes on, the likelihood of legal action becomes greater. You see, a creditor, in order to protect his interest, must file a lawsuit within one year of the date of occurrence or service. The hospital in my case has already demonstrated that they intend to pursue whatever avenues necessary to collect their fees, including hiring an attorney as well as a collection agency. Likewise, at least one of the doctors involved intends to pursue legal action if necessary in order to collect on their bill.

As a further R/factor [3] to my physical condition at the time the bills were incurred, I was very sick and could barely sit up without fainting. I could not walk, and I would faint on practically any physical exertion, like rolling over in bed. It was necessary for the MLO [4] to take care of me when I was not in the hospital. I was bedridden from June, 1988 until well after I routed out of the SO in October, 1988. My point here is that I utterly depended upon the MLO to take care of the admin of my medical handling, as it is her hat, and I was given no indication at all that there was going to be difficulty on finance lines. Furthermore, on the second admittance to the hospital, I personally witnessed the MLO make a promise to the hospital's bills dept. that the Church would honor all medical expenses for both of the hospitalizations.

I am in disagreement with the BFO's recommendation that I work this out with the Dir I & R and Purser. This is not a matter which is open for negotiation, with either HCO or the Purser; neither is it an ethics situation, as is being implied.

If there was any financial irregularity, it was committed by the MLO, by promising that the Church would pay. I did not violate any purchasing policy; I made no purchase orders on my own and I will not accept any condition commensurate with such an action.

The LRH policy on the subject of medical expenses for staff is very clear. References are given in my KR of 4 Dec, 1988.

The Church is named as the party responsible for payment right on the hospital records, as authorized by the MLO. As I have no attachable assets and as I am still not working, the Church would be the likely target in any lawsuit, in my opinion.

Furthermore, all the bills were on the Bills Summary until approximately mid-November, which is evidence that the FSO was going to honor the bills. I routed out on October 21, 1988. Apparently, there was an arbitrary entered in that I could be made liable for the bills since I was no longer in the SO. Not Okay. Besides, as you know, even the attorney's involvement predated my departure from the SO. I routed out after an FB turndown due to illness.

Please attach this letter to my CSW to the Captain and ask that the CSW be answered and returned to me ASAP.

Thanks Tim.
Best,

Dir Legal Affairs, OSA Flag
Caroline Reinertsen
Box 96
Clearwater, FL 34617

cc: OSA Int (Info—Legal Dept.)
cc: Flag Data Files


Dear Sir:
I am being threatened with a lawsuit for non-payment of medical bill[s] which were incurred while I was in the SO at FSO.

I am attaching a copy of my 4 Dec 88 KR, which outlines the details of how the medical bills came about. To date, the only response I have received from the terminals listed on this KR has been the Snr Chaplain, FSO, who acknowledged that my position in this matter appears to be per policy. In addition to writing this KR, I have sent several despatches, including CSWs, to various terminals within FSO, in effort to resolve the payment of these bills. After repeated attempts to elicit any response, I wrote to the Dir Comm earlier this month and asked that the matter be handled per HCO PL 17 July, 1966, Vol 0, page 276.

On 21 Feb, 1989, I received a package of letters from the Dir Comm FSO. These were letters addressed to me and sent to the FSO. Some of these letters date back to October, 1938. (I have written a KR on the Dir Comm, as I had properly informed him/her by despatch of 29 Oct, 1988 of my forwarding address.) Among the letters I received on 21 Feb was a letter of representation from Attorney Thomas J. Donnelly, dated 13 October, 1988. I am attaching a copy of his letter. Please note that the envelope to this letter was marked "Legal OK FSO"—but the letter had not been opened prior to my receipt.

Please also note that the attorney was retained and the letter sent out prior to my having routed out of the SO. Receipt of his letter yesterday was the first indication I have had that there is now a legal situation.

I am attaching a copy of a bill I received yesterday via the same package. As you can see, the bill is in the amount of $6,603.30. This figure differs from that given in the attorney's letter, probably because it includes charges from two hospitalizations, whereas the attorney's figure represents charges from only one hospitalization. Apart from this bill, there is an estimated additional $10,000 in bills from various doctors, radiologists, etc., who performed services during my hospitalizations, and which bills may be in some stage of legal/collection proceeding. I received several of these bills yesterday, and can produce them. However, until I left the SO on Oct 27, 1988, all bills received to that date were, per prior arrangement, personally given to the ML0, who relayed them to the Bills Payment Section, FSO.

My hospitalizations were fully authorized. During one of the admissions, I witnessed the ML0 promise the hospital's account department terminal that the Church would honor the bills. The Church of Sen is listed as responsible party on the bill as well as on the hospital's admitting records.

I will maintain a low profile with the attorney, pending your advices. I have not been served with a Summons & Complaint. I believe the Statute will run some time in August, however it is very possible that suit has already been filed.

Quite aside from the fact that I am not in a position financially to bypass and handle the bills myself, the LRH policy on the subject is clear. It is the SO's responsibility to cover medical bills for SO members. (Ref. F0 730 and HCO PL 11 June SIR, Violation of Staff Covenant.)

With this petition I request that:

a) the attorney be contacted by your dept., and that I be kept apprised of developments,

b) the Clearwater Community Hospital's bill be paid immediately,

c) an order be originated that Treasury contact all remaining creditors and place their bills back on the dateline, and

d) an order be originated that FP Committee place the bills back on the Bills Summary and that these be handled as soon as possible.

Thankyou very much for your attention and consideration.

Love,
Caroline Reinertsen

Dir I & R FSO
________________
Caroline Reinertsen
c/o Box 96
Clearwater, FL 34617


cc: Dir Disbursements, FSO
cc: FP Committee, FSO
cc: Senior Chaplain, FSO
cc: Qual Sec, FSO
cc: OSA PR, FLAG
cc: LRH Comm, FSO
cc: Flag Data Files

On October 27, 1988, I routed out of the SO at FSO, after having been fitness boarded due to an extended illness.

While still in the SO, I had been hospitalized on two occasions as a result of this illness. These hospitalizations occurred in June and July, 1988. I had also seen a few doctors prior to being hospitalized. Following the last hospitalization in July, it was necessary for me to see a heart specialist at his clinic (one time) and I also went to Morton Plant emergency room one time. As near as I could estimate, medical bills, including three weeks' hospital, total approximately $16,000.

Each and every hospital and clinic expense was authorized by the MLO, via my C/S. Purchasing liability of staff would not apply.

Following my hospitalization, and while still in the SO, I personally received several calls from medical facilities, inquiring about my outstanding bills. At the advice of the MLO, I referred these calls to Dept 8.

One doctor's office called me twice prior to my leaving the SO. On the first occasion, I asked that this office (Dr. J. Ruiz, 3001 Eastland Bl, Clearwater, FL (813) 797-7566) resubmit their bill to me and that I would ensure that the billing would be received by the proper terminals. Upon receipt of the resubmitted bill, I had the MLO hand deliver it to Dept 8. Nevertheless, the doctor's office called me again several weeks later and told me that they had still not been paid and that Dept 8 was still denying receipt of their bill. To make a long story short, this office has sent five copies of their bill to the FSO and the receipt of this bill is still being denied, according to Marjorie at Dr. Ruiz' office.

Last week I had to make an appointment to see a dentist. As I have a particular heart condition which makes it necessary for me to take antibiotics prior to getting dental treatment, I had to call Dr. Ruiz' office for a prescription. I again spoke with Marjorie and she informed me that their bill has still not been paid. She told me that she has been getting very bad treatment when she calls about the bill. She told me that one of the people she has spoken with is a woman by the name of Williams or Williamson. Marjorie told me that this person was very rude with her and at one point in an agitated tone of voice asked Marjorie how she expected the Church to pay her bill when the Church was still working on bills from March and April. This was gross out PR and it ARC broke Marjorie, especially since she had apparently not been given an R-Factor on how and when her bill would be paid.

After this call with Marjorie, I called Dept 8 myself, and spoke with Paul Johnson. He told me that he has recently come back into the area, and I believe that he told me that he has been on mission. I spoke with Paul briefly about the problem, as above.

To my astonishment, Paul told me that about two weeks ago, the FP Committee elected to take all my medical bills off the Bills Summary, after deciding that since I am no longer in the SO, I should be made responsible for the payment of these bills.


I borrowed a small amount of money when I routed out to cover my living expenses during my recuperation. Due to my current scene it is completely unreal to expect that I be made responsible for the payment of these bills. But regardless of my physical sit, the action taken by the FP Committee is off-policy. The SO is responsible for medical expenses incurred by SO members.

At one point several weeks before I routed out, it was necessary for me to see a heart specialist. At that time the MLO informed me that the Church would not allocate or otherwise authorize any more money for my medical bills, as I was being FBed. Of course, I did not submit any more bills for payment, but at no time was I ever told or given any impression that the Church was not going to honor the bills already incurred and submitted for payment.

Per FO 732, 16 May 1968, Allowances, by LRH, a Sea Org member is supposed to get medical expenses.

Per HCO PL 11 June 1981R, Violation of Staff Covenant, medical is not charged for.