Testimonial

Ms. Pinkleton (not the client's real name) was a local gas company customer and had been for many years. One of the new policies, through the unregulated gas companies, was to charge all clients who did not maintain a certain amount of gas in their tank a “low consumption fee”. Ms. Pinkleton only used her gas for heat and was very conservative, so she fell below the cut off and was charged the $100 low consumption fee. To fill her tank above the cut off would have cost her well over $200. She did not have the $200 and did not feel that she should pay the $100 “low consumption” fee because she had been conservative. Well, her biggest concern was running out of gas before the winter was over or getting her gas cut off for not paying the fee. When she contacted M4A, we were able to talk with the gas company and set up an agreement that if Ms. Pinkleton filled the tank up they would drop the charge. We contacted a local organization in St. Clair County, and they agreed to fill the tank well above the low consumption cut off. This, in turn, got the low consumption fee of $100 dropped and gave the client gas to get through the winter.
– Anonymous

Staff

Stacy Farry Ombudsman

stacy.farry@adss.alabama.gov

I serve as one of M4A’s Long-term Care Ombudsman, working as an advocate for residents in nursing homes and assisted living facilities in our 5-county region. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Samford University and have worked in several different nonprofit settings including a housing development corporation, the YMCA and a community hospital. Prior to taking on the role of Ombudsman in spring of 2007, I also served as the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Coordinator for M4A.

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