Stealing from dead people?
It’s a thing.
The other day my late mother got a Medicare notice for $4,700 worth of orthopedic appliances and chiropractic treatments – from a medical LLC located in Madison, Alabama!
A few problems, starting with the fact she never left her assisted living facility in St. Charles except to go to the hospital in the last year of her life. She hadn’t used the referring/authorizing doctor for over two years. Her facility had its own physical and occupational therapy group, so, no need for outsiders. And, she never had any “sleeves” or ‘joint appliances.’
Fortunately, Medicare denied the claims. Not because the services were ridiculous but because at the time she was enrolled in hospice which has different rules. I expect to be billed, which I will ignore.
Just like the claims from pseudo-charities (they’re actually 401 ( c ) 4’s – like lobbying groups) wanting her to honor her “commitments.” I handled all her money for the last three years of her life. She didn’t have a credit card nor a checkbook, so, any gift would have to get by me. She did direct me to give to her church and a couple charities but none which required a “commitment” and I’m pretty quick to spot a wolf among the sheep.
I am not surprised. It’s a dog eat dog world even among criminal enterprises. Got to put in the effort.
More surprising is the hassle of clearing other parts of her affairs. A couple of firms readily sent refunds on pre-paid accounts. One life insurance company paid our claim in about a week, happily handling everything except a signature form by email.
Another insurance company?
Well, they were my mom’s last employer: she spent about 18 years with State Farm Insurance. One of her benefits was group life insurance. After I called the company quickly stopped her September pension and medical insurance payments. They said the life insurance people would be in touch…that was kind of a lie. After a month I reached them and they sort of admitted that my mom’s file had been ‘misplaced.’ About six weeks after mom’s death we received the necessary claim forms. Within a day we had them completed, packaged with Death Certificates and other information and sent Priority Mail – with tracking – to the person assigned to the claim. The Post office tracking shows the Flat Rate envelope arrived at State Farm on September 26. As of this morning, the insurance company claims it never arrived.
Oh. first it was ‘it takes a few days for things to get to us from the mail room.’ Then, ‘was it correctly addressed?’ Most recently, ‘we’re looking for it.’
Yesterday they wanted me to track down the package. I said “No.”
Would a multi-billion dollar operation try to cheap out by not paying a five-figure death claim?
Normally I’d say no. Alas, the other alternative is that a company dependent on good record keeping and paper handling “lost” a long time employee and can’t effectively move mail. Rich companies get rich by controlling costs and keeping as much of their money as they can.
Every day more mail arrives, good and interesting.
Glenn Koenen