Jared Johnson
New Member
Hello everyone!
If I am posting in the wrong place, please let me know, I apologize in advance. I am just desperate here to help a aunt of mine out.
Basically, my aunt has been on Medicare. She is currently in the process of seeking cancer treatment, and tests. As well, as having other procedures that Medicare has been paying for.
In February of this year (2018), she started battling with Medicare. She seemingly did not receive a bill, and never thought about checking into it, at the mailbox Medicare had on file for her, because at some point, it apparently started going to the mailbox she does not check that often ( She lives in the country).
In the interim between the time of getting her appealed approved, and trying to make sure she was following all instructions given to her by various medicare employees on the phone (Including some wrong steps she was given in the process), she was able to afford some of her treatments with her life savings she had been saving up since she was younger, so she could live a better life after retiring.
However, she did go through the process of appealing them dropping her, in addition to paying for the time she did not receive a bill, and thankfully, got reinstated for her Medicare Benefits in April of this year (2018).
While, I am fully aware of the fact she was lucky to have her benefits reinstated, because generally the "excuse" of "I didnt get that in the mail" does not hold much water, I do think its very sad, that this women had to put her treatment for cancer on hold due to not having the funding for it, which is another topic that I will not get into here.
Fast forward to today (June 2018), I was made aware that she recently got a letter from Medicare saying they were going to drop it, and of course she quickly jumped on it, but then was informed that she could disregard that letter in the mail. However, in addition, she has also been dropped for "non payment". However, she has records from the bank showing that the checks she paid to Medicare (or SSA), were indeed cashed. She has already called, and went to the SS office, and she had the records in her hand indicating the the checks have been cashed to show to the person she was talking with to in the office, and per her self verbalized report, the agent, or representative at the office, just kept stating "Well my records do not indicate that the payment for February was received.". Of course, at this point I asked her, what the plan was so we could get her back with her benefits, and all she told me was they would just tell her "We will look into it."
As I am writing this, my aunt has been doing nothing but sleeping the past 3 days, not eating, or anything. Which, while I know this does not sound like a big deal to some people, I can promise you, that this is not her normal. I realize that no one will speak to me, because they can not disclose her personal information. However, I have noted that she has basically given up.
My question basically is, what other options does she have to help get her reinstated for something that is not her fault, and/or what can I do. I am almost certain she is willing to sign a form authorizing a representative to speak with me, if that is an option. Thank you so much in advance.
If I am posting in the wrong place, please let me know, I apologize in advance. I am just desperate here to help a aunt of mine out.
Basically, my aunt has been on Medicare. She is currently in the process of seeking cancer treatment, and tests. As well, as having other procedures that Medicare has been paying for.
In February of this year (2018), she started battling with Medicare. She seemingly did not receive a bill, and never thought about checking into it, at the mailbox Medicare had on file for her, because at some point, it apparently started going to the mailbox she does not check that often ( She lives in the country).
In the interim between the time of getting her appealed approved, and trying to make sure she was following all instructions given to her by various medicare employees on the phone (Including some wrong steps she was given in the process), she was able to afford some of her treatments with her life savings she had been saving up since she was younger, so she could live a better life after retiring.
However, she did go through the process of appealing them dropping her, in addition to paying for the time she did not receive a bill, and thankfully, got reinstated for her Medicare Benefits in April of this year (2018).
While, I am fully aware of the fact she was lucky to have her benefits reinstated, because generally the "excuse" of "I didnt get that in the mail" does not hold much water, I do think its very sad, that this women had to put her treatment for cancer on hold due to not having the funding for it, which is another topic that I will not get into here.
Fast forward to today (June 2018), I was made aware that she recently got a letter from Medicare saying they were going to drop it, and of course she quickly jumped on it, but then was informed that she could disregard that letter in the mail. However, in addition, she has also been dropped for "non payment". However, she has records from the bank showing that the checks she paid to Medicare (or SSA), were indeed cashed. She has already called, and went to the SS office, and she had the records in her hand indicating the the checks have been cashed to show to the person she was talking with to in the office, and per her self verbalized report, the agent, or representative at the office, just kept stating "Well my records do not indicate that the payment for February was received.". Of course, at this point I asked her, what the plan was so we could get her back with her benefits, and all she told me was they would just tell her "We will look into it."
As I am writing this, my aunt has been doing nothing but sleeping the past 3 days, not eating, or anything. Which, while I know this does not sound like a big deal to some people, I can promise you, that this is not her normal. I realize that no one will speak to me, because they can not disclose her personal information. However, I have noted that she has basically given up.
My question basically is, what other options does she have to help get her reinstated for something that is not her fault, and/or what can I do. I am almost certain she is willing to sign a form authorizing a representative to speak with me, if that is an option. Thank you so much in advance.