Fun with bureaucracy

[unixronin]

So, as previously noted, I got my New Hampshire permanent disabled plates and placard last week.  Yesterday, I went to the DMV office in nearby Merrimack (as instructed by DMV head office in Concord) to have them remake my license with the little wheelchair icon in the corner that constitutes the verification that I am, in fact, entitled to them.

They couldn't do it.  When they pulled up my license, it transpired that somehow (be it a bug, or operator error) the system had failed to associate the disabled-operator placard issued to me with my license.  They tried several different things, but nothing would make the system cooperate.

So, they've cancelled my placard and re-issued it.  When the new one arrives in the mail, I get to go back to Merrimack.  Hopefully, this time it'll be in the system properly.

So long as they're remaking my license anyway, I'll have them take a new photo for it.  When I went up to Concord to get my NH license, I had three vehicles to register at the same time, plus additional DHS verification stuff because I'm a foreign national, and by the time I actually got to get my license photo taken, I'd been on my feet standing in various lines for more than two hours.  I was exhausted, and it showed in the photo.  Maybe this time around I can get a better photo.

Comments

[cymrullewes.livejournal.com]

It would be fun if they could use a photo you already have... :-) (Why yes, I do believe that a motorcyclist should be wearing leathers in his driver's license photo.)

[ehintz.livejournal.com]

Heh. That's such a gov thing. Can't associate the placard with the licence, so make a new one. :)

[bfudlmint.livejournal.com]

You shouldn't have to stand in line. If they tell you to stand in line explain that your disabled. I am assuming that you weren't declared disabled when you first moved. I know a friend of mine "stood" in line for two hours in his wheelchair in NYC and when a manager found out heads rolled.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Correct, I'd have done the disabled thing when we first moved, but I didn't have the form from a doctor because we didn't have insurance yet -- and when we did get insurance, my doctors have had hell's own game trying to get copies of my prior medical records sent. I wish all medical providers would just lket me keep my OWN records, then I could provide complete up-to-date sets on demand ....

[tabbifli.livejournal.com]

Umm. They're your medical records. I believe that, by law, all medical providers are required to provide a copy to you on demand. They might demand a copying fee in return, but there's generally a "fair value" limit to that.

I could be wrong, of course. That occasionally happens, even to me. However, last time I checked - in this particular instance, not only are they required to give you your records, but in many states there's generally a department in the state medical review board that exists to help you get them in the cases when the medical offices are being pests. Of course, said department is usually overworked beyond belief, but it's a state office, so that's not much of a surprise.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

In theory, they are, indeed, your records. Sometimes getting them can be like pulling teeth. Even then, as you noted, they charge a copying fee ... they'll provide another doctor with a copy free, "as a courtesy", but just try getting even a copy of you own records for free, let alone custody of the originals.
That copying fee usually won't include X-rays, either. Hey, I paid for those X-rays, they're mine! I should get to take them with me if I go somewhere else.