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Casework Corner - Cutting Through Medicare Red Tape
08/11/07By Chad Manspeaker
District Representative
Earlier this year, Dolores Rose of Rossville, Kansas, underwent surgery for cancer. Like most people facing a major operation, she felt a turbulent mixture of emotions: fear of the procedure, confusion about all the doctors and nurses and paperwork, uncertainty about her prospects, and -- most of all -- hope for her recovery.
She had reason to feel hopeful. Dolores, who is 75, was eligible for health insurance under Medicare, so she expected that, after her operation, she could focus on rest and recuperation instead of dollars and cents.
Unfortunately, that isn't how things turned out. Soon after her surgery, she discovered that her name had somehow disappeared from the U.S. government's list of Medicare beneficiaries. She had recently transferred from one insurance plan to another, and in the shuffle of millions of patients switching between hundreds of health plans provided by dozens of companies, the federal government had simply lost track of her benefits.
For four months after her surgery, Dolores tried with mounting frustration to fix the problem. She called her old insurance company, her new insurance company, the nearest Medicare office -- all without success. As the weeks passed, her predicament grew worse. Her doctors told her she needed a second surgery, but until the billing problems from the first procedure were resolved, she could receive no new care.
Finally, Dolores wrote to the office of Congresswoman Nancy Boyda, where I received her letter.
As one of Rep. Boyda's constituent service staffers, my job is to help Kansans like Dolores resolve their problems with federal agencies. When I heard of Dolores's case, I contacted a representative at the local Medicare office and requested prompt action. Dolores was reenrolled in Medicare within the week. Problem solved.
If you've fallen through the cracks in your dealings with Medicare or any other federal agency, please don't hesitate to contact our office in Topeka at (785) 234-8111 or in Pittsburg at (620) 231-3011. Think of us as the customer service branch of the U.S. government: We're here to make sure that you receive prompt, appropriate service from every federal agency you deal with.
District Representative
Earlier this year, Dolores Rose of Rossville, Kansas, underwent surgery for cancer. Like most people facing a major operation, she felt a turbulent mixture of emotions: fear of the procedure, confusion about all the doctors and nurses and paperwork, uncertainty about her prospects, and -- most of all -- hope for her recovery.
She had reason to feel hopeful. Dolores, who is 75, was eligible for health insurance under Medicare, so she expected that, after her operation, she could focus on rest and recuperation instead of dollars and cents.
Unfortunately, that isn't how things turned out. Soon after her surgery, she discovered that her name had somehow disappeared from the U.S. government's list of Medicare beneficiaries. She had recently transferred from one insurance plan to another, and in the shuffle of millions of patients switching between hundreds of health plans provided by dozens of companies, the federal government had simply lost track of her benefits.
For four months after her surgery, Dolores tried with mounting frustration to fix the problem. She called her old insurance company, her new insurance company, the nearest Medicare office -- all without success. As the weeks passed, her predicament grew worse. Her doctors told her she needed a second surgery, but until the billing problems from the first procedure were resolved, she could receive no new care.
Finally, Dolores wrote to the office of Congresswoman Nancy Boyda, where I received her letter.
As one of Rep. Boyda's constituent service staffers, my job is to help Kansans like Dolores resolve their problems with federal agencies. When I heard of Dolores's case, I contacted a representative at the local Medicare office and requested prompt action. Dolores was reenrolled in Medicare within the week. Problem solved.
If you've fallen through the cracks in your dealings with Medicare or any other federal agency, please don't hesitate to contact our office in Topeka at (785) 234-8111 or in Pittsburg at (620) 231-3011. Think of us as the customer service branch of the U.S. government: We're here to make sure that you receive prompt, appropriate service from every federal agency you deal with.