WINDHAM, Maine — Stephanie Lay is no stranger to dealing with the bureaucracy of insurance companies or state agencies. Her 19-year-son Bryce has severe autism.
"It's a daily fight to make sure you're child is getting what they need and deserve," Lay says.
But her recent fight is a bit unusual and overwhelming.
"I opened up my mailbox on Thursday and thought I've never received so many letters," she said.
In five days, Lay has received more than 500 letters from one place: United Health Care.
"I thought I was being punked, that someone was messing with me," she said.
It wasn't a joke.
Hundreds of letters were sent to her son Bryce in Windham, but were addressed to the State of Maine DHHS – in Cincinnati, OH.
"Where is the ME DHHS office in Cincinnati, Ohio?" she asks.
The letters are basically all the same, many of them saying the company was denying a payment of $54. The others: $0.
"It said $0 and 0 cents for a claim I've never made," she said.
The claims date back to 2016, but the notices have only been filling Stephanie's mailbox since Thursday.
She has spent hours on the phone trying to figure it all out, but she's not getting any answers including from officials at Spurwink, where her son is currently living in a group home.
"Nobody knows what's going on" Lay says.
Lay does know all of this paper and postage is pointless. And as a business owner the waste astounds her.
Lay is the owner of Maine-Tex Grilled Salsa and she is working hard to expand her company and help employ people with autism, like Bryce.
"(The letters) This is so much waste, overly ridiculous."
Lay also referenced a line written on the bottom of every single letter she received.
"Yes, lets go paperless!" Lay laughed as she read the line out loud.
NEWS CENTER Maine reached out to both United Health Care and Spurwink for a comment but did not hear back.
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