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Medicare Error: Woman Declared Dead, Denied Care
11 Jun
Summary
- An 88-year-old woman was mistakenly declared dead by Medicare.
- This error caused her health coverage to be canceled.
- She is now unable to receive necessary medical treatment.
An 88-year-old woman from Marietta is facing a critical lack of medical care due to a Medicare error. The government agency mistakenly believes she is deceased, a mix-up that has led to the cancellation of her health insurance. This situation began in March when a nursing home incorrectly coded her as deceased instead of discharged following a three-week stay.
The consequences of this clerical error have been severe. The woman's supplemental insurance and Medicare coverage have been halted, preventing her from receiving essential medical treatments. This includes a planned procedure to install a medical device and admission to a rehabilitation facility, which denied her entry due to lack of insurance. Doctors deem it unsafe for her to remain at home.
While Medicare has reportedly corrected the error as of this week, it may take up to a month for her coverage to be fully restored. In the interim, her family has taken proactive steps, touring and preparing to place her in a self-pay assisted living facility to ensure her immediate safety and care needs are met while they await resolution.
