Action: Address mixup interrupts Medicare benefits

I am an 80-year-old man and have been on Medicare since 1988. My eligibility for Medicare derived from being the spouse, and now the widower, of my wife, who was entitled to Social Security benefits. I retired from federal civil service and so earned no Social Security credit.

My Medicare payments are paid quarterly; I receive a billing every three months. More than two years ago, I left the state and lived in Las Vegas for six months. When I returned to Florida, I, of course, notified all concerned that I was back, including Social Security and Medicare.

I received billings regularly up to March 2002, then suddenly they stopped. Unfortunately, my 80-year-old memory failed me, and I did not think of the fact that I was not receiving bills. Medicare, for some unknown reason, had resumed sending my notices to Nevada. I admit I am somewhat guilty of not questioning the absence of bills. Had my wife not died, she probably would have caught this.

Nevada never sent me any mail and, as a result, my Medicare was terminated Sept. 30. Since I did not know this, I continued to receive medical treatment for a heart condition. I was alerted to the problem when a doctor called me and said his claim had been rejected on Oct. 23.

I immediately called Social Security and was referred to Medicare, which transferred me back to Social Security. After an hour of not getting anywhere, I went to the Social Security office in person. I was finally given a statement for Medicare.

When I didn't hear anything for nearly 50 days, I returned to the office. Another agent sent a followup request but said he didn't have any authority to rush it. He also informed me that I could only reinstate my benefits Jan. 1, but they would not become effective until July 1. This would make 10 months I would be without benefits.

I do have a secondary insurance, but it pays only a portion of the claim. I already have run up bills for some $800. I am on a fixed income, and I simply cannot pay bills of this nature.

I postponed my appointment with my cardiologist until January, not knowing about the July 1 effective date. I am in need of attention. Unless this can be resolved in my favor, I fear I must terminate my heart clinic visits. This fiasco may therefore end up being my death warrant. Donn Campbell

Response: Cheryl Anderson, supervisor with the Social Security Administration in St. Petersburg, said the problem with your address has been fixed. A new Medicare card was issued at the end of December, and you should have it by the end of this month. All benefits have been reinstated, she said, with no loss of coverage.

Damaged lampshade

As I was preparing to leave April 12 for six months in the North, arrangements were made to have Molly Maid clean my condo. My lampshade was damaged, and I was not notified at that time. When the couple who cleaned the condo finished and asked if everything was all right, I said it looked okay.

I was still cleaning and packing food and clothes in preparation for leaving and could not be expected to go around and inspect the insides of all the lamps, etc. to see that no damage had been done.

When we returned to the condo in October, I learned of the damage to one of a matched pair of lamps when I turned one on in the evening.

I talked to a manager at Molly Maid to correct this matter. She came by to pick up the damaged lampshade and find a replacement. I have since visited a lampshade store and spoken with the owner. To replace the shades would cost $96.95 each.

Numerous attempts to clear up this matter have met with no results. As the matter stands, Molly Maid still has my damaged but clean lampshade and appears not to want to correct this matter. I would very much appreciate your help. Gail Thomson

Response: Mary Pruden, president of Molly Maid in Pinellas Park, said you want two lampshades replaced because you allege her company damaged one of them more than seven months ago. The company's employees are not held financially responsible for accidental breakage in a home, so they have no reason to conceal damage, she said.

In fact, they are reprimanded if they do not immediately report any damage or breakage. The company's policy is that if damage or breakage happens, arrangements are made for repair or replacement. Accidents happen, she said, and when they do, every effort is made to correct the situation immediately.

Pruden said she is sorry you are upset, but to claim damage seven months after the fact, when a trusted employee says it never happened, is not reasonable. She did offer you a $25 reduction on your next cleaning but said that anything further is not warranted. She said you sent the shade to Molly Maid's office with its manager but stated you did not want it back when efforts were made to return it to you.

Action solves problems and gets answers for you. If you have a question, or your own attempts to resolve a consumer complaint have failed, write Times Action, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731, or call your Action number, (727) 893-8171, or, outside of Pinellas, toll-free 1-800-333-7505, ext. 8171, to leave a recorded request.

Requests will be accepted only by mail or voice mail; calls cannot be returned. We will not be responsible for personal documents, so please send only photocopies. If your complaint concerns merchandise ordered by mail, we need copies of both sides of your canceled check.

We may require additional information or prefer to reply by mail; therefore, readers must provide a full mailing address, including ZIP code. Names of letter writers will not be omitted except in unusual circumstances. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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